Violence Erupts at UCLA as Protests Over Israel’s War in Gaza Escalate Across the U.S.
Violent clashes erupted on the campus of the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) as tensions escalated between rival Gaza protest groups. Here are the key details:
Fireworks were set off during the clashes, and both journalists and protest organizers claimed that pepper spray or other irritants were used. It took hours before law enforcement officers were able to restore calm. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the violence, calling it “abhorrent and inexcusable.”
Incident at UCLA:
-
- Counter-demonstrators attempted to tear down barricades surrounding a pro-Palestine protest encampment.
- Aerial footage showed people wielding sticks or poles to attack wooden boards used as makeshift barricades to protect pro-Palestinian protesters.
- UCLA administrators called in law enforcement officers to quell the violence, which is the worst since counter-protesters supporting Israel set up a rival protest area near the pro-Palestinian encampment.
- UCLA Chancellor Gene Block had previously declared the pro-Palestinian encampment “unlawful,” and students who remained faced disciplinary action.
Statement from UCLA Vice-Chancellor Mary Osako:
“Horrific acts of violence occurred at the encampment tonight, and we immediately called law enforcement for mutual aid support. The fire department and medical personnel are on the scene. We are sickened by this senseless violence, and it must end.”
New York’s Columbia University:
-
- The police also removed a protest encampment that the Ivy League school had sought to dismantle for nearly two weeks.
- The police also removed a protest encampment that the Ivy League school had sought to dismantle for nearly two weeks.
These incidents come in the wake of the 7 October attack on southern Israel by Hamas militants from Gaza and the ensuing Israeli offensive on the Palestinian enclave. The situation has sparked significant student activism across the U.S., reminiscent of the anti-racism protests of 2020. As tensions continue to escalate, UCLA has canceled classes for today. We’ll keep you updated on further developments.
