Pro-Palestinian protesters rally at University of California, Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES -- Hundreds of protesters gathered and built a protest encampment in support of Palestinians on Thursday at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), one of the top public universities in the United States.

Organizers of the "UCLA Palestine Solidarity Encampment" said in a statement that "We will not be silent while Gaza is being annihilated."

The group, made of UCLA students, community members, faculty, and staff, issued a list of demands that include the boycotts of Israeli universities.

"With the passing of a new funding package, the Biden administration has approved and signed off on $26.4 billion in aid for the 'israelis,' greenlighting the invasion of Rafah, where they have trapped 1.5 million fleeing Palestinians," the statement noted.

Protesters displayed signs on campus with slogans such as "Let Gaza live,""This is not war, this is genocide," "Stop the massacres," and "UCLA says free Palestine."

"Our top priority is always the safety and well-being of our entire Bruin community," said Mary Osako, vice chancellor for UCLA Strategic Communications, in a statement, adding that "We're actively monitoring this situation to support a peaceful campus environment that respects our community's right to free expression while minimizing disruption to our teaching and learning mission."

The UCLA rally came one day after another pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war at the University of Southern California's (USC) Los Angeles campus. After hours of clashing with police at the university, over 90 protesters were arrested Wednesday night by the Los Angeles Police Department.

USC announced on Thursday the renowned private research university has canceled its main stage graduation ceremony for students that had been planned for May 10.

More than 150 students of the University of California, Santa Barbara, also organized a pro-Palestine demonstration in the university's student resource building on Thursday, according to local television channels.

Despite certain US politicians branding the demonstrators as "anti-Semitic" and the subsequent arrest of hundreds of students, pro-Palestinian demonstrations are spreading on campuses across the United States as the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza continues.