After UCLA declared a pro-Palestinian camp illegal, a clash between dozens of protesters and counter-demonstrators resulted in one person being driven away in an ambulance. The victim's injuries are unclear.
Law enforcement appeared to flee after paramedics treated the victim. The Los Angeles Police Department said the University of California Police (UCPD) was handling the situation. UCPD said all available officers were dealing with the incident on campus.
“The mayor has spoken with Chancellor Block and Chief Choi. LAPD is responding immediately to Chancellor Block's request for campus support,” Mayor Karen Bass' office said in a statement.
However, hostilities between the two sides were apparently not prevented by the police.
“Horrible acts of violence occurred at the camp tonight and we immediately called law enforcement for mutual aid support,” Vice Chancellor Mary Osako said in a statement. “Firefighters and medical personnel are on the scene. We are sickened by this senseless violence and it must stop.”
KCAL News
Protesters continued to fight each other well after 11:30 p.m., throwing fireworks at the camps as hand-to-hand fighting broke out beyond the barriers. In one of the bouts, a person swung what appeared to be a skateboard.
Counter-protesters also threw traffic cones, a scooter, wooden pallets and what appeared to be smoke bombs at people along the camp's barrier.
Pieces of the makeshift barrier appeared broken, and some protesters carried a metal fence to separate themselves from counter-demonstrators.
The protesters appeared to push the metal fence surrounding the camp past the quad to create a buffer between the two groups.
However, people began pulling the camp's metal barriers, dragging them away from the area as others tried to break down a makeshift wooden fence. Another group began to fight along the wooden barrier as the objects flew over.
One person at the camp said they were pepper-sprayed amid the chaos.
Nearly two hours after the hostilities began, LAPD officers were gathering in a nearby parking lot. However, they did not immediately move into the scrum as the two sides continued to battle each other.
At 1 a.m., no officers were seen at the camp.
What led to the crash?
It's been nearly a week since protesters built a tent city at UCLA, but on Tuesday night, university leaders declared the encampment illegal, ordering everyone to leave or face arrest.
“The established camp is illegal and violates university policy,” the university wrote. “Law enforcement is prepared to arrest individuals in accordance with applicable law. Non-UCLA residents are advised to leave the camp and leave campus immediately.”
The administration also asked students, staff and faculty to leave.
“Those who choose to stay, including students and employees, could face sanctions,” the university wrote. “For students, these sanctions could include disciplinary action such as provisional suspension which, after due and appropriate process through the student conduct process, could result in dismissal.”
The protesters issued a statement insisting they would not comply.
“We will not leave. We will stay here until our demands are met. You justify the mistreatment of students in the camp in the same way you justify your complicity in the Palestinian genocide,” the protesters wrote in a statement.
They also appealed to students and “other members” of the community to join their movement.
“The administration wants you to believe this move is pointless,” they wrote. “While the administration publicly condemns us, privately they negotiate with us because the collective power of the unified students threatens them.”
Demands include divestment from Israel.
UC President Michael Drake expressed support for UCLA's decision while saying he respects matters of free speech.
“But when such expression blocks students' ability to learn or express their own views, when it significantly disrupts the operation of the University, or when it threatens the safety of students or anyone else, we must act.” , he wrote.
Earlier Tuesday, protesters and Jewish students clashed after the camp blocked the road library in the middle of the semester.
“It doesn't make any sense to me that students on our campus can simply bully you by standing there, holding your arms out and blocking you,” Declan Foley said. “I have no passionate feelings about this situation. I just want to go to class.”
Tom Wait
