ATLANTA — Hundreds of people protesting the Israel-Hamas war and Atlanta’s planned public safety training center set up camp at Emory University’s quadrangle Thursday morning, prompting clashes with law enforcement and the arrests of several activists.

The encampment mirrors a growing number of college protests across the country. A smaller crowd also gathered at Kennesaw State University during the lunchtime hour.

Protesters at Emory were not only protesting the war but also the construction of the police training facility at the site of the old Atlanta Prison Farm in DeKalb County.

The Jewish community is planning counter-demonstrations at 7 p.m. at the quad and in Emory Village at Ali’s Cookies.

The morning gathering at Emory prompted the university to send an alert to students and faculty to remain inside and avoid the quad.

“Early this morning, several dozen protesters entered our Atlanta campus and set up an encampment on the Quad,” university President Gregory Fenves said in an email to the campus community. “These individuals are largely not affiliated with Emory and were disrupting the university as our students finish classes and prepare for finals. This is completely unacceptable. In response to this encampment, the Emory Police Department notified these individuals that they were trespassing. When they refused to leave, law enforcement cleared the Quad.”

Earlier this week, Gov. Brian Kemp said he wouldn’t tolerate demonstrations that shut down Atlanta traffic after pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted traffic and blocked bridges in several cities, including Chicago, Miami and San Francisco.

“I know I don’t need to make this call,” Kemp said, recounting a conversation with Col. Billy Hitchens, the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety.

“You know how I feel about people blocking bridges, airports and other things like we’re seeing around the country,” he added. “I said, ‘If they do that, lock their ass up.’”

While traffic was not disrupted during the demonstration at Emory, videos posted online late Thursday morning appeared to show police officers and state troopers clashing with protesters as some people were taken into custody. Atlanta police officers carrying rifles and zip ties could be seen walking through the makeshift encampment as some demonstrators were led away with their hands behind their backs. Activists and students said police used pepper spray.

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