Can we say the madness with these campus encampment protests is getting worse? It certainly seemed that way given the action on Monday.
I wrote about the craziness at the University of Texas at Austin where people resisted police and refused to leave their encampment. The police had to lift them up and cart them away while they screamed their heads off. They also tried to block the police from leaving with the arrestees and ended up getting pepper sprayed.
Columbia University is finally getting around to suspending a lot of the agitators.
READ MORE:
WATCH: UT-Austin Protestors Hit With Pepper Spray by Police, Have Meltdowns When Carted Off
FINALLY: Columbia U. Starts Suspending Pro-Hamas Student Protesters Who Refused to Disperse
There was also a lot of madness at Virginia Commonwealth University on Monday evening. Protesters tried to set up an encampment and you can see the police moving in here as the protesters attacked them with bottles and other projectiles.
Officers move in. Pepper spray has been deployed and protesters threw bottles and other projectiles at officers. pic.twitter.com/4bB2h1UiSo
— Samuel B. Parker (@SamuelParkerRTD) April 30, 2024
Police had to deploy spray after they were attacked. You can see protesters trying to push back against the police here, physically pushing and attacking the police.
Round 2. A lot more tear gas. pic.twitter.com/G2Y3ep1KnK
— Samuel B. Parker (@SamuelParkerRTD) April 30, 2024
After doing that, it looked like one of them got pushed back by a cop with a riot shield and it didn’t go well for him.
Fortunately, the police had riot gear and shields, but can we dispense with the claims that these protesters are peaceful already? At least six of them were arrested.
Arrests, part 3. At least six that I’ve seen, but hearing of more. Hard to breathe or count through the tear gas. pic.twitter.com/5zguB16UOh
— Samuel B. Parker (@SamuelParkerRTD) April 30, 2024
But despite the violence and the pushback, it looked like the police largely prevailed. They dismantled the tent encampment and most of the protesters were dispersed.
VCU released a statement, saying they needed to have safety for the students to complete the semester.
Final exams begin this week and VCU must provide students the opportunity to safely and successfully complete the semester. The gathering violated several university policies. pic.twitter.com/Kj13WtI4TM
— VCU (@VCU) April 30, 2024
They noted many of the protesters were not students, a problem in some of the other protests as well. So what are they even doing there?
Gov. Glenn Youngkin said that people can protest, “We will protect the ability to peacefully express yourself, but we’re not going to have the kinds of hate speech and intimidation that we’re seeing across the country in Virginia.”
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears also weighed in with what was going on.
Public safety officials provided the following updates:
— Lt. Governor of Virginia – Winsome Earle-Sears (@WinsomeSears) April 30, 2024
VCU Maintenance is dismantling the tent encampment.
Crowds are being dispersed.
Students and non-students have been arrested.
Protestors have thrown bottles filled with unknown substances at police. (1/2) https://t.co/p0M9a7Tg7f
