TL/DR –
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the University of California, Los Angeles, formed a new encampment and took over a campus building before police officers in riot gear disbanded the efforts. The protesters were calling for the university to divest from companies seen as enabling Israel’s war in Gaza, an issue that had seen the university’s chancellor, Gene D. Block, grilled in a hearing on Capitol Hill over his handling of a similar protest. Additionally, no arrests were made in the attack on the pro-Palestinian camp by pro-Israel counterprotesters last month, and the university’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine critiqued the hearing as a “political theater” conflating calls for Palestinian liberation with antisemitism.
Pro-Palestinian Protests Break Out at UCLA, Campus Building Occupied
Pro-Palestinian supporters took over a building at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) following a brief encampment, before being dispersed by riot police. The demonstration coincided with the UCLA chancellor’s Capitol Hill hearing regarding a previous campus protest.
Details of the Protest
Approximately 70 protesters penetrated Dodd Hall, an academic building on campus, barricading doors with computer cables and jackets. However, police intervention occurred soon after the occupation began, contrasting the delayed response criticized during the April protests.
Initial Encampment and Subsequent Actions
The demonstrators initially formed a small camp at the Kerckhoff Patio, but quickly evacuated as the police advanced. The protesters then gathered near Murphy Hall, with their numbers swelling to around 300 before some moved into Dodd Hall.
Agenda of the Protesters
Student activists have been urging the university to divest from companies perceived as supporters of Israel’s Gaza war. Their April demonstration was among the most prominent campus protests this year. Despite over 200 protesters being arrested following a pro-Israel counterattack, none of the counter-protesters have been caught.
University Response
The university officials stated that the demonstrators were causing disruptions by blocking a campus area. They warned that failure to disperse could lead to arrest, disciplinary action, and a week-long ban from campus for anyone involved, irrespective of their university affiliation.
Chancellor’s Stand
UCLA chancellor, Gene D. Block, testified before a Republican-led House committee about allegations of antisemitism at UCLA. Dr. Block defended his handling of the April encampment but voiced concern over rising antisemitism across the nation’s campuses. He admitted that the university should have been better prepared to dismantle the encampment if community safety was threatened.
Students for Justice in Palestine Responds
The UCLA chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine described the hearing as political theater, conflating calls for Palestinian liberation with antisemitism. The group, which advocates for pro-Palestinian movements, condemned what it labeled as a “McCarthyist” effort to silence protesters.
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