In Tampa, Florida, tensions escalated at the University of South Florida as police forcefully dispersed a pro-Palestine student sit-in, resulting in the arrest of at least 10 students.

Reports indicate that tear gas and rubber bullets were employed by law enforcement to disband the gathering, coinciding with a broader spread of protests across Florida's university campuses.

Wednesday saw confrontations at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), as pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli groups clashed amidst escalating tensions. According to televised footage, skirmishes broke out at dawn, prompting a swift response from local authorities.

On April 18, students at Columbia University in New York initiated a sit-in protesting Israeli actions in Gaza, calling on the administration to sever academic ties with Israeli institutions and divest from companies supporting the occupation. The movement gained momentum, spreading to numerous prestigious universities including Harvard, George Washington, New York University, Yale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and North Carolina.

Zach Seidel, spokesperson for the Los Angeles mayor's office, confirmed that the Los Angeles Police swiftly intervened at UCLA following requests from university authorities for assistance in managing the escalating situation. (ILKHA)