College protests updates: Police begin dismantling University of Chicago encampment
Police entered the campus encampment early Tuesday, WLS reported.
Protests have broken out at colleges and universities across the country in connection with the war in Gaza.
Many pro-Palestinian protesters are calling for their colleges to divest of funds from Israeli military operations, while some Jewish students on the campuses have called the protests antisemitic and said they are scared for their safety.
The student protests -- some of which have turned into around-the-clock encampments -- have erupted throughout the nation following arrests and student removals at Columbia University in New York City. Students at schools including Yale University, New York University, Harvard University, University of Texas at Austin, University of Southern California and more have launched protests.
Latest headlines:
- Over 300 Harvard professors sign letter urging Harvard to negotiate with protesters
- Police begin dismantling encampment at University of Chicago
- MIT students ordered to leave campus encampment
- More than 60 arrests made at UC San Diego
- Harvard president threatens 'involuntary leave' for students who continue encampment
'Student's blood on my hands': UCLA faculty member recounts violent overnight protest
The day after protests turned violent at UCLA, faculty members held a conference addressing the protests and the university’s response.
"Last night I went to bed at around 4:00 a.m. with student’s blood on my hands and I'm not speaking figuratively," UCLA Assistant Professor Nicholas Shapiro said. "I mean, a student collapsed into my hands with blunt force trauma and mace in their eyes, and I had to treat them."
The protests led to 15 injuries, including one hospitalization, according to officials.
"This is a failure of our institution and we need to put a stop to it today," Shapiro said.
UCLA Associate Professor Bharat Venkat also addressed the violent scene on campus, saying, "It felt like walking through a war zone."
"They're screaming, they're crying," Venkat said of the student demonstrators. "They're having a difficult time breathing. This shouldn't be happening anywhere and this shouldn't be happening here at UCLA."
University of California President orders independent review of overnight violence at UCLA
University of California President Michael V. Drake addressed the ongoing protests at UCLA that "turned violent" overnight, announcing in a statement on Wednesday an "independent external review" has been ordered.
The university summoned mutual aid from LAPD officers to "restore control" to the protest, according to Drake, who noted, there were 15 injuries, including one hospitalization, that stemmed from the protest.
"My office has requested a detailed accounting from the campus about what transpired in the early morning hours today," Drake said.
"But some confusion remains, therefore we are also ordering an independent external review of both UCLA’s planning and actions, and the effectiveness of the mutual aid response," Drake said.
UCLA's own chancellor, Gene D. Block, also promised an investigation.
"We are still gathering information about the attack on the encampment last night, and I can assure you that we will conduct a thorough investigation that may lead to arrests, expulsions and dismissals," Block told the campus community in a note Wednesday afternoon.
Block, in his note, said it was "a group of instigators" who came to Royce Quad to "forcefully attack the encampment that has been established there to advocate for Palestinian rights."
He called the overnight violence "utterly unacceptable."
"However one feels about the encampment, this attack on our students, faculty and community members was utterly unacceptable. It has shaken our campus to its core and — adding to other abhorrent incidents that we have witnessed and that have circulated on social media over the past several days — further damaged our community’s sense of security," his letter read.
170 of protesters arrested at Columbia and City College receive summonses
Of the approximately 280 arrests at Columbia University and City College, 170 are summonses, while the remaining people will receive desk appearance tickets or will work through the court system, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Each case would be evaluated individually, including a review of body camera footage and other evidence, Bragg said. But, he did not reveal how many of those arrested were affiliated with the colleges and how many were outside agitators.
-ABC News' Aaron Katersky
Columbia to hold final exams remotely
Columbia University announced final exams will be held remotely amid a tense campus climate, according to a letter sent out by the university's provost.
"In order to address the concerns of our members in an evolving campus environment, all academic activities for schools on the Morningside Heights campus will be fully remote for the remainder of the semester (with carve-outs noted below). Any remaining class meetings, review sessions, or office hours should be held fully remotely, and all final exams and other final assessments should be fully remote," Columbia said in a statement.
All final exams scheduled for Friday will be automatically rescheduled for May 10.
Columbia limits access to Morningside campus
Columbia University said it has limited access to its Morningside campus except to students residing in seven residential buildings, labs and employees who provide essential services.
The school has also limited access into and out of the building to one gate, closing all other campus entry points.
The restrictions will remain in place "until circumstances allow otherwise," Columbia said.
New York Police Department officers said they would not enter the property unless Columbia requests it, or there is an imminent threat.