Antisemitic protesters take over building at University of California, Irvine: Students asked to evacuate

Antisemitic protests returned to college campuses, this time at the University of California, Irvine. Hundreds of protesters entered the Physical Sciences Lecture Hall and later blocked the building. Authorities released a statement encouraging students to seek shelter while they called local police, who arrived at the scene shortly after.

Shortly after protesters carrying Palestinian flags broke into the building, authorities issued a statement advising students to evacuate.

"Anyone currently in buildings in the vicinity of the protest are advised to exit buildings & leave area at this time. Please disregard all previous orders to shelter in place. Please disregard all previous orders to shelter in place. If able, please leave immediately & continue to avoid the protest area until further notice," announced U.C. Irvine, and classes were canceled for the remainder of the day on May 15.

Among the chants that emerged from the protests were those of "Free Palestine," "Long live Palestine" and "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."

As reported by Fox News, the Irvine Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Department intervened on the campus, with at least one person arrested.

Todd Spitzer, Orange County district attorney, assured that any type of vandalism "will not be tolerated."

"The right to peaceful assembly is a constitutional right, and we encourage protesters to exercise their right to peaceful assembly; however, criminal activity which transcends peaceful assembly, including violence and vandalism of any kind, will not be tolerated. Any evidence of criminal activity, including failure to obey lawful orders to disperse, will be investigated and thoroughly reviewed to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime was committed," he added on X.

The scenes resembled those at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where clashes between protesters and police were even more heated.

More than 130 protesters were arrested in what was described as "an encampment," in which authorities eventually managed to regain control of the campus and return students to their classes.