At the University of California, Los Angeles, a tense standoff unfolded early Thursday between hundreds of police officers and protesters, as discontent over Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza spills over onto US campuses.
Riot gear-clad officers began removing barricades around the protest encampment, as shown in CNN footage, leading to the detention of several protesters.
Flashbangs were used by the police to disperse the chanting crowds outside the encampment, with helicopters hovering above the scene, reported an AFP journalist present.
“This is a peaceful protest without any counter-protestors tonight, so it is deplorable to have the police intervene. The city should show support,” expressed LA resident Jack Bedrosian, who came to demonstrate his solidarity, in a statement to AFP.
The heavy police presence, including officers from the California Highway Patrol and LAPD, followed criticism of the delayed police response during violent clashes on Tuesday night when counter-protesters attacked a pro-Palestinian student encampment.
“Numerous law enforcement agencies are now present due to the prior attacks on peaceful student protesters with no protection provided. Students are now facing off against the police. We call on UCLA and city leaders to safeguard students rather than inflict further harm,” shared LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia on social media from the campus premises.
Reacting to the campus emergency, UCLA announced that classes would be conducted remotely on Thursday and Friday, cautioning students to avoid the protest area.
The presence of helmeted officers at one of the renowned US universities left some students disheartened.
“Initially, I was against the heavy police presence on campus,” expressed 22-year-old UCLA student Mark Torre to AFP as he observed the scene from behind metal barriers. “However, as time passes, I believe it’s becoming a necessary evil to maintain campus safety.”
The unrest wave saw demonstrators gathering at around 30 US universities since the previous month, frequently setting up tent encampments to protest the escalating death toll in Gaza.
On Wednesday, police dismantled a protest encampment at the University of Texas, leading to the arrest of over a dozen individuals, amidst the lingering unrest over the Gaza conflict in US university settings.
At Fordham University in New York, law enforcement detained multiple individuals and cleared out an encampment set up within a school building, while Columbia University remained on alert following widespread arrests the previous evening.
Protesters at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology remained steadfast, blocking a thoroughfare near the campus center in Cambridge during Wednesday’s rush hour.
Police actions led to the removal of an encampment at the University of Texas Dallas and the arrest of at least 17 people for “criminal trespass,” as reported by the institution.
Some students at Columbia and the City University of New York denounced the actions of the police, citing instances of aggression during the clearance of demonstrators.
Amidst approximately 300 arrests at Columbia and CUNY, Police Commissioner Edward Caban mentioned the involvement of “outside agitators.” However, Columbia students refuted allegations of external instigation.
The ongoing protests have presented a quandary for university administrators, striving to balance free speech rights with concerns of criminal activity, anti-Semitism, and hate speech.
The Biden administration, whose pro-Israel stance has triggered backlash from many protesters, has walked a fine line in managing the situation.
“We acknowledge that only a small number of students are causing disruptions, and if protests ensue, Americans have the right to do so peacefully within the confines of the law,” stated White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to the media.
Former President Donald Trump, on the other hand, extended his full support to the police response at Columbia, lauding the law enforcement’s actions during a rally in Wisconsin.
“It was a beautiful sight. New York’s finest,” remarked Trump at the rally. “To all college presidents, I say dismantle the encampments promptly, eliminate the radicals, and reclaim our campuses for the ordinary students.”
On Wednesday, Columbia students used loudspeakers to encourage protesters to persist at a camp obstructing the entrance to one of the university’s main libraries, featuring graffiti that read, “Free Gaza.”
The Gaza conflict erupted when Hamas militants launched a major assault on Israel on October 7, resulting in an estimated 1,170 deaths, primarily civilians, according to figures from Israeli authorities as reported by AFP.
In retaliation, Israel’s offensive in Gaza led to the death of over 34,500 individuals, predominantly women and children, based on information from the health ministry of the Hamas-controlled territory.
AFP