Pro-Palestinian protesters clash with police at University of Southern California

LOS ANGELES, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The University of Southern California (USC), a renowned private research university located in Los Angeles, has closed its gates amid rising tensions after pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with police on Wednesday.

A growing number of protesters, including students and non-students, started a "Gaza Solidarity Occupation" at the university's Alumni Park Wednesday morning.

Organizers of the protest, The USC Divest from Death Coalition, said in a statement that they "have set up this occupation in solidarity with the people of Gaza, empowered by the actions of our peers at different campuses across the country."

"We stand here to join the nation-wide call by students for their universities to disclose their finances and endowment, to divest from Israeli violence, and to defend Palestinians and those who speak up against Zionism," added the statement.

The USC Divest from Death Coalition said it was made of USC students, staff, faculty, alumni and Los Angeles community members.

Video from local TV channels showed protesters holding their ground and confronting police officers who tried to clear the encampment of tents.

USC urged students, staff and faculty member in an alert to "continue to avoid the center of campus unless you have a class."

The university warned that there is still significant activity at the center of its main campus due to a demonstration.

"The gates are closed, so anyone coming to campus should be prepared to show an ID at the gates for class or for business," noted the university.

USC has come under fire after the university announced last week that it canceled valedictorian Asna Tabassum's planned speech after pro-Palestinian posts, citing potential campus safety risks.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations are spreading on campuses across the United States as the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza continued. Hundreds have been arrested by police amid student protests.

All classes at Columbia University in New York went virtual starting on Monday as divisive demonstrations and debates around the conflict heated up on campus recently. According to media reports, students from Yale University, New York University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Michigan, the University of North Carolina, Brown University, and other universities also staged encampments in solidarity with their peers at Columbia University.