Los Angeles, California – Pro-Palestinian protesters at UCLA were met with police intervention on Monday, leading to several arrests. The demonstrators had been moving across campus, pausing to read out the names of Palestinians who have lost their lives in Gaza. The peaceful demonstration took a chaotic turn, with a skirmish line forming between police and private security guards facing off against protesters behind barricades.
A member of Faculty for Justice in Palestine, associate professor Graeme Blair, criticized authorities for resorting to force, claiming that students had been compliant with dispersal orders until rubber bullets were fired near Dodd Hall. Despite being questioned about arrests and the use of “less than lethal” weapons, a representative from UC Police declined to comment.
Earlier in the demonstration, police had already instructed protesters to disperse on two occasions, prompting them to dismantle their tents and barricades and relocate on campus. As the protest march continued, names of Palestinians killed were read aloud, followed by chants of “They will not die in vain” and “They will be redeemed.”
The event, organized by Students for Justice in Palestine at UCLA, saw support from several faculty members who trailed behind the crowd with a banner. This marked the third pro-Palestinian encampment at the university in recent weeks, drawing attention to the university’s handling of such events and raising doubts about its preparedness.
On Monday night, most protesters wore surgical masks for protection, while some on the periphery of the crowd brandished wooden shields or set up barricades with chicken wire for added security. The movement of the crowd shifted from Royce Hall to Tongva steps, then to Kerckhoff Hall and finally to Dodd Hall’s courtyard.
As the evening wore on, tensions escalated when an unlawful assembly was declared, leading to the formation of a police and security guard line. Protesters shouted, “Cops off campus!” to express their discontent with the intervention. UCLA professor Yogita Goyal stood in solidarity with the protesters, criticizing the university’s handling of the situation and defending the students’ right to express their political views.
Amidst the arrests made at the protest, details were scarce, leaving many questions unanswered about the extent of police intervention at the demonstrator. The clashes between the protesters, police, and security guards reflect a broader debate on the right to protest and the response by authorities in contentious situations.