Pro-Palestine Protesters Block UC Irvine Building After Students Receive Suspension Notices

Students temporarily occupied a building on the UC Irvine campus Wednesday, prompting university officials to call law enforcement to clear the protest in another turn in the weeks-long pro-Palestine encampment at UC Irvine.

Protesters demanding that the university divest from Israel over the Hamas war took a tense turn when campus police requested backup from Orange County sheriff’s deputies and Irvine police, among other neighboring agencies, after student protesters surrounded the physical sciences lecture hall about 2:30 Wednesday afternoon.

The move prompted Irvine’s mayor, Farrah N. Khan, to criticize the university’s response.

Students and educators were warned to avoid the area.

The protest, which includes an encampment much like what has done on campuses across the country, has been largely peaceful as the students have been negotiating with university officials.

The situation has intensified over the past week, particularly after some protesting students received suspension notices from the university, including some who were involved in negotiations with UCI administrators.

In a statement posted on social media Wednesday, the UCI Divest protest group said it is “reclaiming the university for Palestine and for the people.”

“Exactly one week ago to the day, UC Irvine issued temporary suspensions to man students in the encampment, including the majority of the student negotiation team,” according to the group.

“Students barred from returning to their own campus residence halls, cannot come to campus at the peak of midterms and finals, and are already facing the emotional toll of seeing the university militarize itself before it even accepts ending the genocide and killings of the students’ family members and friends.”

Numerous tents were erected around the physical sciences building, and banners were hung from the building’s balcony listing the groups demands for divestment. Some small skirmishes were visible on the outskirts of the encampment perimeter as at least one counter-protester tried to confront participants.

A large number of law enforcement descended on the campus, and officers and deputies in riot gear stood by in formation outside the encampment.

Shortly after 8 p.m., officers began clear the building and encampment, taking multiple people into custody, including at least two who identified themselves as UCI faculty members.

Updated at 7:01 a.m., Thursday, May 16, 2024. City News Service and Reuters contributed to this report.