Protests in support of Palestinian people turned into chaos at the University of South Florida on Tuesday.
Protesters were reportedly dispersed from campus with tear gas and 10 people were arrested after law enforcement declared an unlawful assembly Tuesday afternoon.
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Police say students lined up with umbrella and wood shields, as well as signs supporting the people of Palestine.
The university reported that between 75 and 100 protesters took part in the demonstration. Some were students, while others were not.
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It’s unclear how many of the arrests were students, but in a message to students, USF said one of the protesters was found with a gun in their possession.
In a statement, the school emphasized that the expression of free speech must remain peaceful.
"The University of South Florida values the right to free speech and protecting the constitutional right for individuals and groups on campus to express themselves,” a USF spokesperson said in a statement to WFLA, an NBC6 affiliate.
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“This includes peaceful protests and demonstrations that occur regularly on USF’s three campuses without incident and are part of the public discourse of a university. However, the expression of free speech must remain peaceful and not violate the law or USF policies. The university has been clear the violence, threats, harassment and disruptions will not be tolerated" the statement continued.
Tuesday marked the first arrests in Florida during college campus protests, with at least nine people also under arrest at the University of Florida.
UF says protestors are not allowed to use amplified sound, block pathways, camp on university property, issue threats, or cause violence and students and employees could even be suspended or fired.
The university released a statement saying: “The university is not a daycare, and we do not treat protesters like children — they knew the rules, they broke the rules, and they'll face the consequences.”
A peaceful protest that had no clashes with law enforcement took place at The University of Central Florida on April 26.
