It has been nearly a year since the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. Rosh Hashanah festivities have started on USC’s campus, and memorials remembering those who passed are planned for Monday, the one-year anniversary. Pro-Palestine students also plan a walk out to commemorate lives lost in Gaza.
The Department of Public Safety will be increasing security measures to ensure all students feel comfortable on campus. DPS Assistant Chief David Carlisle explains how DPS will do its part to maintain a peaceful situation.
”We will be present and highly visible on campus,” Carlisle said. “We’ve also coordinated with LAPD to have additional resources from LAPD stationed around campus to make sure that the campus itself is being safe for students, faculty, staff and visitors.”
DPS will also be stationed throughout places of worship on campus. This includes the Catholic Center, where additional security will be stationed over the weekend “in anticipation of demonstrations,” Carlisle said.
The resources Carlisle expects to receive from the LAPD include additional officers on campus Monday night. Carlisle clarifies that DPS will only be there to mitigate potential conflicts, saying, ”We are not going to intervene in demonstrations or take sides in any way.”
He cites an memorial event last fall after the attacks in Israel, which he says drew pro-Palestine protesters. He said, “Our role in that case was to make sure that the two groups did not come into conflict with each other... That’s our posture on campus. It will be either visible, and we will only intervene if necessary.”
Carlisle says he’s hopeful that things will remain peaceful.