Live updates: University protests at Columbia, Michigan, UCLA amid Israel's war in Gaza (2024)

As universities and colleges across the US turn to police to clear their campuses of protests over Israel’s assault on Gaza, the response by law enforcement is under heightened scrutiny after thousands were arrested since mid-April.

Footage captured from the physical - andin some cases violent- confrontations between police and protesters reveals a gamut of tactics used to disperse demonstrators from occupied school buildings and take down on-campus encampments.

The wide range of police tactics seen on campuses nationwide reveal the disparities between police agencies in their training and understanding of the generally accepted best practices in dealing with protests and crowd control issues, law enforcement experts told CNN.

Still,the experts said, police were largely measured in their approach and showed restraint in using force – a direct result of lessons learned during the widespread protests after the police killing of George Floyd nearly four years ago. Those protestswere bigger, fiercer and more sustainedthan prior demonstrations.

“You have a balancing act here between universities wanting the police to come on board and then you have police decision makers who are having to determine what response is appropriate,” Wexler said.

Read the full analysis here.

“Saturday Night Live” took on one of thetop news stories of the past weekon its latest episode, when cast members played concerned parents of New York City college kids involved in protests in the cold open over the weekend.

Michael Longfellow played a talk show host who welcomed parents played by Heidi Gardner, Mikey Day and Kenan Thompson. Longfellow remarked that it’s been a worrisome time on university campuses throughout the country, and sought comment from his guests.

While Gardner and Day’s characters expressed concerns about their children’s activities in the protests against Israel’s war against Hamas, Thompson said he was supportive of the efforts.

But when Longfellow asked Thompson how he felt about his daughter, a Columbia student, specifically getting involved, the latter responded, “What’s that now? When whose daughter is out there? No man, you buggin’!”

“Alexis Vanessa Roberts better have her butt in class. Let me find out that she’s in one of those damn tents instead of the dorm room that I paid for,” he added.

At Columbia University on Tuesday,dozens of protestersentered the university’s Hamilton Halland barricaded themselves inside before the institution asked for the New York City Police Department’s assistance. A total of 282 people were arrested at the pro-Palestinian protests atColumbia as well as The City College of New York, according to the NYPD.

Read the full story.

From New York to Los Angeles, traditional university graduation ceremonies – many beginning this weekend – will take place on the heels of escalating confrontations over the war in Gaza, withpolice entering campuses to make mass arrestsand rip apart encampments.

A time of sun-drenched pomp and circ*mstance, esteemed speakers, academic robes and decorated mortarboards arrives amid anxiety and exasperation for graduates, faculty and university officials.

An important personal milestone for many young adults will be reached against a backdrop of police barricades and heightened law enforcement presence, metal detectors and other security measures. Trained staffers will be on hand to manage disruptions.

US colleges have been using law enforcement – along with academic suspensions and expulsions– toquell student demonstrations sinceHamas’ October attack on Israelleft more than 1,200 dead and dozens taken hostage. Israel’s devastating response in Gaza – with more than 34,000 Palestinians killed, according to its health ministry – has further fueled deeply held views of students and faculty on all sides.

Read more aboutpreparations universities are makingas commencement ceremonies get underway.

The University of Mississippi has opened a student conduct investigation after actions of “hostility and racist overtones” were portrayed during a demonstration on campus.

On Thursday, about 30pro-Palestinian protesters weredemonstrating on campus in a barricaded zone when they were surrounded by an estimated 200counterprotesters, some holding American flags, several Trump flags and somedressed in red, white and blue.

While there are multiple videos circulating online showing the protest at varying times, one video in particular shows a group of mostly young Whitemen in the counterprotest yelling at a Blackwoman, at least one counterprotester is seen on video making what appears to be monkey gestures at the woman — although CNN has not confirmed that is the case—as she records the group on her phone.

Jaylin R. Smith, 24,confirmed to CNNshe is the woman seen in the video.

“One thing that will never break me is people taunting me or making monkey noises at me,” the journalism and new media graduate student told CNN on Friday.

The video viewed by CNN shows a large group ofcounterprotesters yelling at Smith as she walks toward them while holding her phone. Law enforcement appeared to be telling her to “go back” to where other pro-Palestinian protesters were rallying. Smith is heard in the video saying, “I’m not so peaceful” repeatedly as police usher her away from the counterprotesters.

CNN has been unable to identify any of the counterprotesters seen in the video.

At least 25 people were arrested for trespassing Saturday, the University of Virginia said, after police were called in to disperse a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus.

In a statement, UVA said those arrested were taken to the Albemarle County Regional Jail. The university said it is still waiting for confirmation regarding how many of the 25 arrested were affiliated with UVA.

The statement said the University of Virginia “responded today to a demonstration near the University Chapel following protesters’ multiple University police violations and subsequent violent conduct.”

CNN has reached out to the UVA Encampment for Gaza multiple times for comment.

When asked for examples of violent conduct from demonstrators, a university spokesperson referred CNN to its statement, which indicated during the police action Saturday, “authorities were again met with agitation, chanting and violent gestures such as swinging of objects.”

The campus was declared “stable” around 4 p.m., UVA said, after police were seen clearing protesters from the area.

Earlier this week, a group called UVA Encampment for Gaza posted a statement on Instagram calling for the university to divest from Israel.

In its statement, the university said protests earlier in the week were peaceful, with no disruptions to university activities. A request to remove tents near the UVA chapel Tuesday was honored and previous demonstrations complied with university policies, the statement said.

The statement said on Friday, UVA officials offered to continue discussions about university investments, adding, “The University agreed to the group’s final request to allow students, faculty and staff to express their support for Palestine without risking administrative discipline, provided that such expressive activity occurred within the limits of the laws and UVA policies.”

UVA said by Friday evening, “a crowd occupied the demonstration area for a vigil and began erecting several tents and canopies prohibited by University policy.”

Saturday morning, the university said its chief of police told the group they would be given 15 minutes to voluntarily remove the tents. After several further warnings throughout the day, UVA said, “Due to the demonstrators’ increasing resistance and refusal to comply with the declaration by promptly leaving the designated area, additional resources from Virginia State Police were requested to assist with enforcing the declaration of an unlawful assembly around 2:45 p.m.”

Virginia State Police referred CNN to the University and its police as the lead agency on campus. State Police were there in “an assist capacity” Saturday, a spokesperson said.

Approximately 50 people were arrested outside the Art Institute of Chicago during a demonstration on Saturday, according to the institute.

A demonstration, including some School of Art Institute of Chicago students, started on Saturday morning in the North Garden of the museum, according to an institute spokesperson.

As time went on, protesters “shoved a security officer and stole their keys to the museum, blocked emergency exits, and barricade gates,” according to the spokesperson.

Officers offered a new location to the group to continue their protest, but they refused. “During multiple rounds of negotiations, SAIC student protesters were promised amnesty from academic sanction and trespassing charges if they agreed to relocate,” the spokesperson said.

Negotiations continued for about five hours and an agreement was never reached.

Chicago Police decided to end the protest in “the safest way possible” and arrested approximately 50 people, according to the spokesperson.

CNN has reached out to the Chicago Police Department for additional information.

Police have cleared out pro-Palestinian protesters and taken down tents near the center of University of Virginia's campus.

A line of officers in riot gear approached the group of protesters Saturday afternoon, grabbing away umbrellas and tossing them aside before pushing forward to a line of tents and canopies, video from CNN affiliate WVIR showed. Officers could be seen pulling apart the structures and appeared to detain some of the demonstrators.

Around 4 p.m. ET, the university said on its website that the situation was “stable” and that “police remain on scene.”

The UVA Department of Safety and Security had earlier announced on X that the protest was declared an "unlawful assembly," and urged students to avoid the area near the Rotunda and Chapel at the center of campus.

CNN has reached out to the university and local law enforcement for further comment.

Some context: Over the last several days, pro-Palestinian protesters have gathered for demonstrations at the Charlottesville campus in a "picnic-like environment," without a significant number of tents or other temporary structures being assembled, CNN's Polo Sandoval reports. The school had previously stated that tents would be in violation of campus policy and prompt a response from officials.

In the last 24 hours or so, there have been more signs that demonstrators could be assembling an encampment similar to those seen at other universities, according to Sandoval.

Earlier this week, a group called UVA Encampment for Gazaposted a statementon Instagram calling for the university to divest from Israel.

“UVA administration has militarized our campus. But what did they do when white supremacists attacked Charlottesville in 2017? Nothing. Call and email now. Flood the lines and tell them to stand down,” the statement reads.

This post has been updated with more details about the police activity at UVA.