BOSTON — Police broke up a protest calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and divestment from Israel at Northeastern University following similar breakups at other Greater Boston universities including Emerson and Tufts and other universities around the country.

The break-up of the encampment began earlier Saturday morning on the campus’ Centennial Common. The university said that 100 people were detained by police. Anyone with a university ID was released and “will face disciplinary proceedings within the university but not legal action. Those who refused to disclose their affiliation were arrested.”

The university’s statement added that the activities of the protesters had grown to a level that the school “cannot tolerate.”

“What began as a student demonstration two days ago, was infiltrated by professional organizers with no affiliation to Northeastern,” Renata Nyul, the school’s vice president for communications, wrote in a statement shared with The Boston Herald.

“Last night, the use of virulent antisemitic slurs, including ‘Kill the Jews,’ crossed the line,” Nyul continued. “We cannot tolerate this kind of hate on our campus.”

A video of the moment shared with the Herald by the organization Massachusetts Peace Action shows that the main group of protesters did not chant the hateful remark, but that they were spurred to do so by either a counter-protester or an outside agitator. Instead of taking on the cry, the main group chanted, “We’re going to let them leave. We’re going to give them a pass.”

Massachusetts Peace Action is the state affiliate of Peace Action, an organization that describes itself as “the nation’s largest grassroots peace and (nuclear) disarmament membership organization.”

By 11:30 a.m., the Common was “fully secured” and the campus had returned to normal, a university spokesman said.

“Admissions tours are taking place, our community is enjoying the beautiful Boston weather, and graduating students are posing for photos with their families,” the spokesman said. “We want to thank NUPD, our Student Life staff, and the university’s external partners for their flawless execution this morning.”

A Massachusetts State Police spokesman said that Northeastern University Police requested their assistance along with support from Boston Police and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department.

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