Gaza war protests reach University of Kentucky, Jefferson Square Park in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Protests that have been held on college campuses across the nation reached Kentucky on Wednesday.

Protesters are calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to U.S. aid to Israel.

Gatherings were held at the University of Kentucky and at Jefferson Square Park in downtown Louisville, and each remained peaceful.

In Lexington, UK students and protesters gathered on the lawn of the William T. Young Library, many holding signs and flags.

The demonstration was organized by a local group called Lex-4 Palestine. Police were on hand to make sure it stayed calm.

A Palestinian woman in attendance said she just wants to see the war end.

"I'm just trying to tell everyone that Palestinians are family-oriented, we want peace, we want our own country, we do not want to eliminate Israel, we want to live in peace together," she said.

UK has several rules about student protests, including requiring they not be disruptive or block traffic, which all seemed to be followed on Wednesday.

Back in Louisville, about 100 people showed up for a "Free Palestine" demonstration at Jefferson Square Park.

Protests have erupted from coast to coast at college campuses over the past several weeks, but some have escalated this week — particularly at Columbia University and UCLA

Monday night, dueling groups of pro-Israel and pro-Palestine protesters clashed at UCLA, forcing the university to cancel classes on Tuesday.

California's governor is now demanding answers as to why it took police so long to respond to UCLA.

While President Joe Biden has yet to comment on the ongoing protests, the White House said he's being briefed regularly.

"The president is being kept regularly updated on what's happening, as you just stated, across the country," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. "He is monitoring the situation closely, so is his team."

At the University of Wisconsin on Tuesday, police removed the tent encampment and arrested more than a dozen people.

Monday night at Columbia University, police cleared out the building which protesters had overtaken on campus. Nearly 300 protesters were arrested in New York.

Officials in both New York and Los Angeles are blaming outside agitators for their involvement in fueling these protests.

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