May 18 (UPI) -- Police in Philadelphia and Chicago ended attempts by pro-Palestinian protesters to take over buildings at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Chicago Friday.
Protestors gathered around 8 p.m. Friday in the University City area of West Philadelphia and entered Penn's Fisher-Bennett Hall at Walnut and 34th streets local media reported.
Penn Gaza Solidarity members said they intended to occupy the university building before police arrived.
University police and Philadelphia Police stopped the attempted takeover and arrested several protesters, some of whom fought with police.
University officials said 19 people were arrested, including six Penn students.
A dozen of those arrested received citations for failing to follow police commands and disperse, while another seven remained in custody on felony charges, including one for assaulting a police officer.
A university spokesperson said police officers found tools for picking locks and homemade metal shields.
Exits were secured with barbed wire and zip ties and barricaded with desks and metal chairs, while newspaper and cardboard covered windows.
The protestors also used bike racks and metal chairs to create makeshift barriers to block the outside entrances.
Shortly before the attempted takeover at Penn, pro-Palestinian protestors briefly occupied the Institute of Politics building at the University of Chicago's campus in Hyde Park.
Some protesters wore face masks, goggles and helmets as they surrounded the building at about 5 p.m. and used chairs to barricade entrances on one side.
The protesters sprayed paint on security cameras and hung a banner listing demands, which include the university divesting itself of any investments in entities supporting or doing business in Israel.
Another banner declared "bring the intifada home," the Chicago Tribute reported.
University and Chicago police cleared the building by 6 p.m. There is no indication of how many protesters, if any, were arrested.
The attempted takeover happened during the start of the university's alumni weekend.
Protesters included students and alumni, one of whom identified himself as a member of a group calling itself the University of Chicago Alumni for Palestine.
The attempted takeover happened during the university's alumni weekend, and protesters included students and alumni, one of whom identified himself as a member of a group calling itself the University of Chicago alumni for Palestine.
12 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested for occupying vacant building near UC Berkeley
Image of a previous student encampment continues to occupy the area in front of Sproul Hall at the University of California Berkeley campus in Berkeley, California on May 2. An off-campus protest led to 12 arrests on Thursday.
Image of a previous student encampment continues to occupy the area in front of Sproul Hall at the University of California Berkeley campus in Berkeley, California on May 2. An off-campus protest led to 12 arrests on Thursday.
Photo by John G. Mabanglo/EPA-EFE
May 17 (UPI) -- Authorities arrested 12 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had occupied a vacant building near the University of California Berkeley campus.
Campus police and officers from other law enforcement agencies made the arrests Thursday night and used force to remove others who were not arrested from Anna Head Hall, which is officially off campus but owned by the university.
The university said it believed up to 20 people had occupied the building before law enforcement either removed or arrested them.
University of California Vice Chancellor Dan Mougulof said potential charges could include trespassing, vandalism and destruction of property.
"We are treating this as what it is, and it's a crime scene," he said.
Some protesters entered the building while squeezing through holes in the fencing surrounding the structure, but most demonstrators crowded a grass area outside to erect signs and spray paint slogans on the building.
The university said the building, which was barricaded after a fire years ago, remains unsafe.
No injuries were reported during the protests or the arrests.
The university said the group that occupied the building was different from protesters who erected encampments near Sproul Plaza on campus several weeks ago before they were taken down after an agreement between protesters and university officials.
More than 19,000 University of California teaching assistants, researchers, tutors and other student workers represented by the United Auto Workers Union earlier this week approved plans for a strike over the university's response to the protests at its various campuses that could begin as early as Friday.
The union, Local 4811, authorized the strike on Thursday, accusing the university of "intimidation and retaliation" over their free speech rights.
May 17 (UPI) -- Authorities arrested 12 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had occupied a vacant building near the University of California Berkeley campus.
Campus police and officers from other law enforcement agencies made the arrests Thursday night and used force to remove others who were not arrested from Anna Head Hall, which is officially off campus but owned by the university.
The university said it believed up to 20 people had occupied the building before law enforcement either removed or arrested them.
University of California Vice Chancellor Dan Mougulof said potential charges could include trespassing, vandalism and destruction of property.
"We are treating this as what it is, and it's a crime scene," he said.
Some protesters entered the building while squeezing through holes in the fencing surrounding the structure, but most demonstrators crowded a grass area outside to erect signs and spray paint slogans on the building.
The university said the building, which was barricaded after a fire years ago, remains unsafe.
No injuries were reported during the protests or the arrests.
The university said the group that occupied the building was different from protesters who erected encampments near Sproul Plaza on campus several weeks ago before they were taken down after an agreement between protesters and university officials.
More than 19,000 University of California teaching assistants, researchers, tutors and other student workers represented by the United Auto Workers Union earlier this week approved plans for a strike over the university's response to the protests at its various campuses that could begin as early as Friday.
The union, Local 4811, authorized the strike on Thursday, accusing the university of "intimidation and retaliation" over their free speech rights.
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