Police detained at least a dozen pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the University of California, Irvine, as they cleared an encampment in front of a lecture hall on Wednesday.


“A group of several hundred protesters entered the UC Irvine campus and began surrounding the Physical Sciences Lecture Hall at around 2:30 p.m.,” the university stated in an emergency update. The university issued a mutual aid call to local law enforcement and received assistance from the Irvine Police Department and Orange County Sheriff’s Department.


Aerial footage from CNN affiliate KABC showed authorities clearing at least half of the student protesters at the encampment. Law enforcement used zip ties to restrain protesters and escorted them away from the area towards a parking lot.


The encampment was broken up shortly after 5:10 p.m. Wednesday, according to aerial footage. The footage depicted a large cluster of police officers surrounding the tents outside the hall and detaining several protesters.


Protesters appeared to attempt to reestablish a barrier previously dismantled by law enforcement by piling wood panels and tents on top of one another. Live images from KABC showed law enforcement dismantling these structures.


Signs at the encampment included messages such as “UC Divest from genocide” and “drop suspensions defend students.” Another large sign read “Alex Odeh Hall,” referencing the Palestinian activist and West Coast regional director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.


The encampment had been established on April 29, when the university called in local law enforcement to assist campus police. Chancellor Howard Gillman later stated that the university would continue negotiating with pro-Palestinian students regarding divestment issues. The protesters demanded the university divest from companies with financial ties to Israel.


The university presented a proposal to student leaders, who responded with a counterproposal in early May. Chancellor Gillman expressed concerns over the counterproposal, stating that it called for ending numerous external partnerships that support students and facilitate research collaborations. He argued that these demands would violate principles of academic freedom and non-discrimination.


Gillman thanked the student protesters for ensuring their encampment remained peaceful and minimally disruptive to university activities. He stated that law enforcement would only be involved to ensure safety.


Classes were canceled for the rest of Wednesday, and the university urged people to stay away from campus. Initially, the university had asked those in the area to shelter in place but later advised them to leave.


Irvine Mayor Farrah N. Khan criticized the response to the peaceful protest, stating on X, “It’s a shame that peaceful free speech protests are always responded to with violence. Taking space on campus or in a building is not a threat to anyone. UCI leadership must do everything they can to avoid creating a violent scenario here. These are your students with zero weapons.”