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25 arrested at University of Virginia after police clash with pro-Palestinian protesters

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25 arrested at University of Virginia after police clash with pro-Palestinian protesters


Twenty-five people were arrested Saturday for trespassing at the University of Virginia after police clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters who refused to remove tents from campus, and demonstrators at the University of Michigan chanted anti-war messages and waved flags during commencement ceremonies.

In Virginia, student demonstrators began their protest on a lawn outside the school chapel Tuesday. On Saturday, video from WVAW-TV showed police wearing heavy gear and holding shields lined up on the campus in Charlottesville. Protesters chanted “Free Palestine,” and university police said on the social platform X that an “unlawful assembly” had been declared in the area.

As police moved in, students were pushed to the ground, pulled by their arms and sprayed with a chemical irritant, Laura Goldblatt, an assistant professor of English and global studies who has been helping student demonstrators, told The Washington Post.

“Our concern since this began has been the safety of our students. Students are not safe right now,” Goldblatt said.

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The university administration said in a statement that the demonstrators were told the tents and canopies they erected were prohibited under school policy and were asked to remove them. Virginia State Police were asked to help with enforcement, the university said.

It was the latest clash in several tense and sometimes violent weeks at colleges and universities around the country that have seen dozens of protests and hundreds of arrests at demonstrations over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Tent encampments of protesters calling on universities to stop doing business with Israel or companies they say support the war in Gaza have spread across campuses nationwide in a student movement unlike any other this century. Some schools have reached agreements with protesters to end the demonstrations and reduce the possibility of disrupting final exams and commencements.

The Associated Press has recorded at least 61 incidents since April 18 in which arrests were made at protests, with more than 2,400 people being arrested on 47 campuses. The figures are based on AP reporting and statements from universities and law enforcement agencies.

Many encampments have been dismantled.

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Michigan was among the schools bracing for protests during commencement this weekend, including Indiana University, Ohio State University and Northeastern University in Boston. Many more are slated in the coming weeks.

In Ann Arbor, the protest happened at the beginning of the event at Michigan Stadium. About 75 people, many wearing traditional Arabic kaffiyehs along with their graduation caps, marched up the main aisle toward the graduation stage.

They chanted “Regents, regents, you can’t hide! You are funding genocide!” while holding signs, including one that read: “No universities left in Gaza.”

Overhead, planes flew banners with competing messages. “Divest from Israel now! Free Palestine!” and “We stand with Israel. Jewish lives matter.”

Officials said no one was arrested, and the protest didn’t seriously interrupt the nearly two-hour event, which was attended by tens of thousands of people, some of them waving Israeli flags.

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State police prevented the demonstrators from reaching the stage and university spokesperson Colleen Mastony said public safety personnel escorted the protesters to the rear of the stadium, where they remained through the conclusion of the event.

“Peaceful protests like this have taken place at U-M commencement ceremonies for decades,” she added.

The university has allowed protesters to set up an encampment on campus, but police assisted in breaking up a large gathering at a graduation-related event Friday night, and one person was arrested.

At Indiana, protesters were urging supporters to wear their kaffiyehs and walk out during remarks by President Pamela Whitten on Saturday evening. The Bloomington campus designated a protest zone outside Memorial Stadium, the arena for the ceremony.

At Princeton, in New Jersey, 18 students launched a hunger strike in an effort to push the university to divest from companies tied to Israel.

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One of them, senior David Chmielewski said in an email that the strike started Friday morning with participants consuming water only, and it will continue until administrators meet with students about demands including amnesty from criminal and disciplinary charges for protesters.

Other demonstrators are participating in “solidarity fasts” lasting 24 hours, Chmielewski said.

Princeton students set up a protest encampment and some held a sit-in at an administrative building this week, leading to about 15 arrests.

Students at other colleges, including Brown and Yale, launched similar hunger strikes earlier this year before the more recent wave of encampments.

Meanwhile in Medford, Massachusetts, students at Tufts University peacefully took down their encampment without police intervention Friday night.

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School officials said they were pleased with the development, which wasn’t the result of any agreement. Protest organizers said in a statement that they were “deeply angered and disappointed” that negotiations with the university had failed.

The protests stem from the conflict that started Oct. 7 when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking roughly 250 hostages.

Vowing to destroy Hamas, Israel launched an offensive in Gaza that has killed more than 34,500 Palestinians, around two-thirds of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory. Israeli strikes have devastated the enclave and displaced most of its inhabitants.

___

Marcelo reported from New York. Lavoie reported from Richmond, Virginia. Associated Press reporters Ed White in Detroit, Nick Perry in Boston and Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, contributed.

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COMPLETE COVERAGE: Storm damage across southwest Virginia

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COMPLETE COVERAGE: Storm damage across southwest Virginia


ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – Strong storms caused widespread damage throughout many of our hometowns Sunday night. Below is a compilation of WDBJ7′s coverage.

Salem storm damage consistent with EF-1 tornado, NWS says

A team from the National Weather Service surveyed damage in Salem on Monday. The agency confirmed an EF-1 tornado hit the area.

WATCH STORY HERE: https://www.wdbj7.com/2024/05/27/salem-storm-damage-consistent-with-ef-1-tornado-nws-says/

Storm rips roof off Roanoke business, damages another

Sunday evening’s storm ripped the roof off of a Roanoke asphalt business. The entire roof had blown off of one building and onto another causing significant damage, according to Roanoke Fire & EMS.

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WATCH STORY HERE: https://www.wdbj7.com/2024/05/27/storm-rips-roof-off-roanoke-business-damages-others/

Trees fall on cabin, campers, vehicles at Jellystone Park

Trees fell on a cabin, two campers, and two vehicles at a Rockbridge County camping site. Despite the damage, officials say no one was injured.

WATCH STORY HERE: https://www.wdbj7.com/2024/05/27/trees-fall-cabin-campers-vehicles-jellystone-park/

Funnel cloud spotted moments before damaging storm hit Salem

Moments before the damage, Tyler Anderson was out watching the storm with his children and captured what looked like a funnel cloud on camera. Shortly after, video shows what may have been debris being lofted into the air in what may have been a brief tornado.

WATCH STORY HERE: https://www.wdbj7.com/2024/05/27/widespread-damage-after-storm-hits-salem/

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“I don’t wish it on anybody” People in Salem speak out after tornado damages their homes

The aftermath of an EF-1 tornado left people in Salem stunned. Salem residents spoke out about the storm damage on their homes.

WATCH STORY HERE: https://www.wdbj7.com/2024/05/27/i-dont-wish-it-anybody-people-salem-speak-out-after-tornado-damages-their-homes/

EF-1 Tornado strikes Northview Apartments in Salem, damaging homes and trapping cars

An EF-1 tornado hit the Northview Apartments in Salem last night, causing significant damage to homes and vehicles and trapping several cars under fallen trees.

WATCH STORY HERE: https://www.wdbj7.com/2024/05/27/ef-1-tornado-strikes-northview-apartments-salem-damaging-homes-trapping-cars/

Narrows Fire Department offers light of hope to residents after a day without power

Narrows Fire Department opened their doors to the public for charging and cooling while waiting for the power to come back on.

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WATCH STORY HERE: https://www.wdbj7.com/2024/05/27/narrows-fire-department-offers-light-hope-residents-after-day-without-power/

Storm knocks out power to more than 100,000 people

More than 100,000 people in Virginia and West Virginia who use Appalachian Power lost power due to Sunday’s storm.

As of Monday morning, about 25,000 Virginia customers were still without power.

Crews were in the field Monday assessing damage, including downed wires and broken poles.

There were more than 1,660 locations where repairs needed to be made in order for power to be restored, the company said in an update at 11:30 a.m. Monday.

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Appalachian Power said it requested an additional 1,000-plus storm response workers to help, with teams coming in from Alabama, Michigan and the Carolinas to assist in restoration efforts.

Power is expected to be restored late Monday night for people in Bedford, Carroll, Franklin, Floyd, Grayson, Henry and Patrick counties, the company said, with all other areas of Virginia having power back by late Tuesday night.

Charging and cooling stations opened in Giles County

To help those impacted by power outages caused by Sunday’s storms, charging and cooling stations were opened in Giles County.

As of 7:30 p.m. Monday, there are still 2,482 customers without power.

Charging and cooling stations were opened at the Narrows Fire Department Activity Building located at 133 Center Steet in Narrows and at the Giles Lifesaving and Rescue Squad Building located at 175 Industrial Park Drive in Pearisburg.

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Charging and cooling stations at Narrows Fire Department and Giles Rescue will close at 9:00 p.m.

Pembroke Fire Department will remain open until 11:00 p.m.

Residents in need of assistance are encouraged to call (540) 921-3842.



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West Virginia Receives Bid for the NCAA Tournament

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West Virginia Receives Bid for the NCAA Tournament


Monday afternoon, the West Virginia University baseball program earned its second consecutive at-large bid for the NCAA Baseball tournament and will head to Tucson, Arizona, to take on Dallas Baptist in the first game of the opening round.

The selection bid marks the first time in program history it earned an at-large bid in back-to-back seasons and it’s the first time in 40 years the Mountaineers have earned consecutive postseason appearances since a four-year run from 1961-64.

West Virginia finished the season 33-22 and 19-11 in Big 12 Conference play.

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Junior JJ Wetherholt led the Mountaineers at the plate with a .356 batting average with eight home runs and 30 RBI in 31 appearances.

Senior Reed Chumley hit a team-high 15 home runs and 14 doubles and 45 RBIs.

Derek Clarks leads the team on the mound. The senior holds a 7-2 record with a 3.05 ERA and 73 strikeouts.





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Charlottesville Selected as Host Site for NCAA Baseball Regionals

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Charlottesville Selected as Host Site for NCAA Baseball Regionals


CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Disharoon Park will serve as one of the 16 regional host sites for the 2024 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. Virginia will host a four-team, double-elimination tournament May 31 – June 4.

Two games will be scheduled for Friday (May 31), Saturday (June 1) and Sunday (June 2). If necessary, a single game will be played Monday (June 3). Regional game times will be announced in the afternoon on Monday (May 27).

The remaining at-large teams, top-eight national seeds and first-round regional pairings will be announced at noon Monday (May 27) on ESPN2. The selection committee will set the entire 64-team bracket through both the regionals and the first round of the Men’s College World Series.

  • Athens, Georgia – Georgia (39-15)
  • Chapel Hill, North Carolina – North Carolina (42-13)
  • Charlottesville, Virginia – Virginia (41-15)
  • Clemson, South Carolina – Clemson (41-14)
  • Bryan-College Station, Texas – Texas A&M (44-13)
  • Corvallis, Oregon – Oregon State (42-14)
  • Fayetteville, Arkansas – Arkansas (43-14)
  • Greenville, North Carolina – East Carolina (43-15)
  • Knoxville, Tennessee – Tennessee (50-11)
  • Lexington, Kentucky – Kentucky (40-14)
  • Norman, Oklahoma – Oklahoma (37-19)
  • Raleigh, North Carolina – NC State (33-20)
  • Santa Barbara, California – UC Santa Barbara (42-12)
  • Stillwater, Oklahoma – Oklahoma State (40-17)
  • Tallahassee, Florida – Florida State (42-15)
  • Tucson, Arizona – Arizona (36-21)

By virtue of being awarded a regional, all 16 host institutions also have been selected to the 64-team championship field. All 16 regionals are scheduled for Friday, May 31 to Monday, June 3.

Virginia has been a host institution for NCAA Regionals 11 times (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010-2014, 2016, 2023, 2024). The Cavaliers will be part of the NCAA Tournament field for the 21st time overall and 18th under head coach Brian O’Connor.

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TICKET INFORMATION

Regional all-session general admission tickets will go on-sale Monday May 27th at 9 a.m. on UVATix.com. Single session tickets (sessions 1 – 6), if available, will go on-sale later this week. Please note the ticket office will be closed Monday for Memorial Day and reopen on Tuesday at 9 a.m. 

PARKING INFORMATION

Daily parking can be purchased online at UVATix.com or upon drive up for spaces in the JPJ South and West Lots $15 in advance or $20 upon drive up. We are sold out of regional all-session parking passes. Spots are first come, first served. Parking passes must be purchased using a valid credit/debit card; cash will not be accepted on site.

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