After hundreds of anti-Israel protesters swarmed a University of California, Irvine, campus building and set up barricades, local law enforcement responded by ordering students to leave immediately on Wednesday.
A UC Irvine spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital that hundreds of protesters entered the Physical Sciences Lecture Hall on the California campus at 2:30 p.m. PST and began blocking the building, causing chaos on the campus.
The university said it placed a call to local law enforcement and received immediate assistance from the Irvine Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
At least one protester was arrested in live video of a confrontation between anti-Israel agitators and police.
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Law enforcement officers faced off against anti-Israel agitators on Wednesday, May 15, at the University of California, Irvine. (Fox News)
Physical Sciences Lecture Hall, University of California, Irvine. Protesters blocked the lecture theater on Wednesday afternoon. (University of California, Irvine)
In a follow-up statement, students were told to “leave the area” as the protest continued.
“Anyone currently in a building near the protest is advised to leave the building and leave the area at this time,” UC Irvine said in a statement. “Please disregard all previous shelter-in-place orders. If you can, Please leave immediately and continue to avoid the protest area until further notice.”
Police stand in front of anti-Israel agitators at the University of California, Irvine, on Wednesday.
Video from the campus showed law enforcement officers wearing protest gear and carrying batons clashing with anti-Israel agitators.
Protesters held umbrellas and chanted “Free, free Palestine.”
They were heard shouting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”. “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 Jewish state’s war with Hamas. (Fox News)
Authorities said protesters who entered the campus Wednesday afternoon joined an established encampment that has occupied the campus since April 29.
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Law enforcement pulled down tents at a UC Irvine encampment on Wednesday. (Fox News)
exist OlderX PostUC Irvine told students to “shelter in place” when police descended on campus.
“Protests have escalated near the Physical Sciences Quad. Please avoid the area,” the social media post said. “If you are in the area, please shelter in place for your safety until further notice.”
Law enforcement from multiple agencies responded to the University of California, Irvine, after hundreds of protesters descended on the campus. (Fox News)
Beto Mendez, a student senator at the University of California, Irvine, told Fox News Digital that police were slowly clearing some of the encampments.
“Police are very slowly clearing some of the camps and there are about five helicopters flying above,” Mendez said.
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The college student said many of the protesters did not appear to be UC Irvine students, adding that he had seen children at the protests.
He added that the protests on campus were “shocking” and that the school administration was “very cautious and slow to act.”
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 Jewish state’s war with Hamas.
UC Irvine said classes have been canceled for the remainder of the day and they are monitoring the situation.
“We are continuing to monitor the situation and strongly urge people to stay away from campus,” the school said.
UC Irvine said in an update Wednesday evening that Thursday’s classes will be held entirely remotely, noting that protests continued into the evening.
“The University of California, Irvine will move to remote instruction on Thursday, May 16,” the university announced. “Unless otherwise instructed, all employees are expected to work remotely. Resident students will still have access to dining facilities. Protests continue. Please avoid the area until further notice.”
Hundreds of protesters entered the Physical Sciences Lecture Hall at UC Irvine and began blocking the building at 2:30 p.m. PST. (Fox News)
in a Statement about XOrange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said “any form” of violence or vandalism will not be “tolerated.”
“The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is continuing to work with law enforcement to monitor all protest-related activities in Orange County, including today’s protest at UC Irvine,” Spitzer wrote in the X post.
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“The right to peaceful assembly is a constitutional right and we encourage protesters to exercise their right to peaceful assembly; however, criminal activity beyond the scope of peaceful assembly, including any form of violence and vandalism, will not be tolerated,” he said.
“Any evidence of criminal activity, including failure to comply with lawful dispersal orders, will be investigated and thoroughly reviewed to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime occurred,” Spitzer said.
Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
