Hundreds of anti-Israel demonstrators flocked to and barricaded a building at the University of California, Irvine, prompting local law enforcement to respond and tell students to “shelter in place” on Wednesday. commanded.
A UC Irvine spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital that after hundreds of protesters entered the Physical Sciences Lecture Hall on the California campus at 2:30 p.m. PT and began barricading the building. , said the campus was in chaos.
The university notified local law enforcement and received immediate assistance from the Irvine Police Department and Organge County Sheriff’s Department.
Video from the campus showed law enforcement wearing protest gear and wielding machine guns clashing with anti-Israel agitators.
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Police stand in front of anti-Israel agitators at the University of California, Irvine on Wednesday.
Demonstrators could be seen holding umbrellas and chanting “Free, Free Palestine”.
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” they could be heard shouting. “Long live Palestine.”
Police stand in front of anti-Israel agitators at the University of California, Irvine on Wednesday. Demonstrators continue to flock to college campuses across the United States to protest the war between the Jewish state and Hamas. (Fox News)
The protesters who entered the campus on Wednesday afternoon joined an existing encampment that had occupied the campus since April 29, authorities said.
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in ×postThe University of California, Irvine told students to “shelter in place” as police descended on campus.
“Protests are escalating near the Physical Sciences Quad. Please avoid the area,” the social media post reads. “If you are in the area, please shelter in place for your safety until further notice.”
Police stand in front of anti-Israel agitators at the University of California, Irvine on Wednesday. Demonstrators continue to flock to college campuses across the United States to protest the war between the Jewish state and Hamas.
The University of California, Irvine said classes for the rest of the day have been canceled and it is monitoring the situation.
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“We continue to monitor the situation and strongly urge people to stay away from campus,” the school said in a statement.
