Democracy Dies in Darkness

25 arrested at U-Va. after clashes with police

Virginia State Police used pepper spray to disperse demonstrators and help clear an encampment in Charlottesville.

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Updated May 4, 2024 at 8:18 p.m. EDT|Published May 4, 2024 at 10:42 a.m. EDT
Authorities detained and forcibly removed pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the University of Virginia on May 4. (Video: The Cavalier Daily, Photo: Justin Ide for The Washington Post/The Cavalier Daily)
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Authorities arrested 25 pro-Palestinian demonstrators during a sustained confrontation at the University of Virginia on Saturday, university officials said, after dozens of law enforcement officers in riot gear surrounded a student encampment and used pepper spray to disperse people from the area.

The clash, which U-Va. President James E. Ryan described in a letter to the school community Saturday evening as “upsetting, frightening and sad,” marked the latest escalation during the past several weeks of protests on campuses over the Israel-Gaza war. In a separate statement, the university said that it was still waiting for confirmation on how many of the 25 arrested were affiliated with U-Va.