COLLEGE PROTESTS UPDATES: POLICE CRACKDOWN LEADS TO HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS

UCLA announced it is instituting additional security measures amid protests on campus over the Israel-Hamas war in a statement on Sunday.

"UCLA has a long history of peaceful protest and we are heartbroken to report that today, some physical altercations broke out among demonstrators on Royce Quad," Mary Osako, vice chancellor of UCLA Strategic Communications said.

"We have since instituted additional security measures and increased the numbers of our safety team members on site," Osako said.

"As an institution of higher education, we stand firmly for the idea that even when we disagree, we must still engage respectfully and recognize one another’s humanity," Osako continued.

Addressing the physical altercations during the protests, Osako said, "We are dismayed that certain individuals instead chose to jeopardize the physical safety of the community."

Last week, the University of California rejected calls to divest from companies that do business with Israel.

The White House said Sunday that President Joe Biden respects the right of demonstrators to make their voices heard -- peacefully -- and "we don't want to see anybody hurt in the process."

"The president knows that there are very strong feelings about the war in Gaza. He understands that, he respects that, and as he has said many times, we certainly respect the right of peaceful protest. People should have the ability to air their views and to share their perspectives publicly, but it has to be peaceful," White House national security spokesman John Kirby told ABC News "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos on Sunday.

Video: Hamas is ‘considering' hostage deal on the table: John Kirby

Kirby did warn that some language heard during the demonstrations crossed a line with the administration.

"We absolutely condemn the antisemitism language that we've heard of late, and we certainly condemn all the hate speech and the threats of violence out there. These protests, we understand they're important, but they do need to be peaceful," he said.

"We'll leave it to local authorities to determine how these protests are managed," Kirby told Stephanopoulos, "but we want them to be peaceful protests and obviously we don't want to see anybody hurt in the process of peacefully protesting."

-ABC News' Tal Axelrod

The University of Southern California closed its main campus Saturday evening "due to a disturbance," the university said on X.

Los Angeles Police Department issued a citywide tactical alert due to a protest on USC's campus, urging people to avoid the area.

A tactical alert allows LAPD to keep officers on past their shifts and to move officers between divisions if they need extra staffing in one area of the city.

"There is no truth to claims of an impending lockdown or evictions on campus," Columbia University said in a memo to students Saturday evening.

The dialogue between the university officials and the student organizers remains ongoing, according to the university.

Twenty-three people were arrested Saturday at an encampment at Indiana University, the university said.

A group erected tents and canopies on the Bloomington campus' Dunn Meadow Friday night "with the stated intention to occupy the university space indefinitely," in violation of school policy, the university said in a statement.

University and state police gave the group "multiple warnings" midday Saturday to remove the structures before detaining them for charges ranging from criminal trespass to resisting law enforcement, the university said. It is unclear what their affiliation with the university is, the school said.

"The Indiana University Police Department continues to support peaceful protests on campus that follow university policy," the university said in a statement.

The IU Divestment Coalition, a Pro-Palestinian campus group that organized the protest, said many of those arrested were students.

"They are trying to intimidate us, they are trying to break our spirit and our organizing but we will continue to stand for Gaza," the group said on social media.

Ohio State University police have arrested 36 people -- 16 of whom were students -- and charged them with criminal trespassing for encampments that remained overnight.

"Well established university rules prohibit camping and overnight events. On Thursday, April 25, demonstrators, a number of whom were not students, faculty or staff at Ohio State, exercised their First Amendment rights for several hours and were then instructed to disperse," OSU said in a statement.

"Individuals who refused to leave after multiple warnings were arrested and charged with criminal trespass. Arrests are not an action that we take lightly, and we appreciate the support of all of our law enforcement partners to disperse the encampment for the safety of our university community. We have always, and always will, take the action that is in the best interest of our community," OSU said.

Arizona State University announced that campus police have arrested 69 people for trespassing after protesters refused to leave a pro-Palestinian encampment that the university says was "unauthorized."

"Encampments are prohibited on Arizona State University property. Lawful demonstrations can take place except overnight between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.," ASU said in a statement.

"A group of people – most of whom were not ASU students, faculty or staff – created an encampment and demonstration that continued until 11 p.m. when the group was instructed multiple times to disperse. Individuals who refused to leave after multiple warnings were arrested and charged with criminal trespass," ASU said.

Northeastern University has removed an encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters, with police detaining about 100 people. The university says students who produced valid Northeastern ID were released and will face disciplinary proceedings within the university.

"Earlier this morning the Northeastern University Police Department -- in cooperation with local law enforcement partners - began clearing an unauthorized encampment on the university's Boston campus. What began as a student demonstration two days ago was infiltrated by professional organizers with no affiliation to Northeastern. Last night, the use of virulent antisemitic slurs including "Kill the Jews," crossed the line. We cannot tolerate this kind of hate on our campus," the university said in a statement.

The university added, "As part of clearing the site, approximately 100 individuals were detained by police. Students who produced valid Northeastern ID were released. They will face disciplinary proceedings within the university, not legal action. Those who refused to disclose their affiliation were arrested."

Massachusetts State Police said they responded to Northeastern's request for assistance removing protesters.

"Officers directed protesters to disperse and MSP members assisted in removing protesters who refused to leave. Approximately 102 protesters who refused to comply with orders to disperse were arrested and will be charged by NUPD with trespassing and disorderly conduct. They are being transported to the Suffolk County House of Correction to be booked and processed," MSP said in a statement.

New York University students set up a new pro-Palestinian encampment Friday, after over 130 students and faculty were arrested at an encampment earlier this week.

The protesters are calling on the university to divest and cut ties with Israel and companies profit from its onslaught on Gaza — including shutting down the NYU Tel Aviv campus and a boycott of Tel Aviv University. They are also calling for full amnesty for pro-Palestinian activism and for IOF-trained cops to leave campus.

"Despite the violent repression students have face, we will not back down. We have no reason to fear when Palestinians demonstrate their courage and resiliency in the face of far greater danger. Our fear has turned into resolve," the NYU Palestine Solidarity Coalition said in a statement Saturday.

Protesters say they were removed and arrests were made at a "100% peaceful" protest earlier this week, refuting the university's allegation that there was "antagonizing behavior" and a security breach caused it to invite New York police onto campus and make arrests, a representative for the NYU PSC told ABC News.

Protesters say they calmly entered the encampment after the university did not follow through on providing a timeline of when they would allow more students into the plaza, according to the student who was at the protest outside the encampment, but was not arrested.

Police started making arrests Monday after Muslim protesters began Maghreb prayer -- a daily Muslim prayer made during the sunset hour -- according to the student.

"Our peaceful protest was met with complete and utter violence green lighted by our university president and her administration," the student, who asked that ABC News conceal their identity for safety, said.

The university pushed back against the protester's account, saying "there is no right to create encampments of tents on the University's property."

"Despite repeatedly being told no additional protesters would be permitted on the plaza - early on Monday afternoon protesters on West 4th Street breached the barricades we had set up, nearly doubling the number of people on the plaza, with hundreds of additional demonstrators in the street," NYU said in a statement to ABC News.

"Those on the plaza urged them onwards and that Campus Safety Officers were shoved and forced out of the way by people attempting to gain entry to the plaza," NYU said.

-ABC News' Nadine El-Bawab

The Columbia University Senate is set to establish a task force to investigate the school's administration after their actions, or lack thereof, have divided the university community, the University Senate announced Friday.

The senate alleges the university jeopardized academic freedom by threatening "faculty job security," breached privacy and due process by disregarding "privacy and due process rights of individual students and faculty members."

The Senate also accuses the university of creating a violation of shared governance principles.

"The decision by the University administration to call for police intervention on campus, after the Senate Executive Committee told the administration that the Executive Committee did 'not approve the presence of NYPD on our campus at this time,' has raised serious concerns about the administration’s respect for shared governance and transparency in the University’s decision-making process," the statement read.

Actions by the university and its administration showed "little respect for clearly established protocols," the Senate said.