According to on-site videos provided by American media on Wednesday (May 1st), violent clashes erupted between supporters of Palestine and a group of counter-protesters on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
The student newspaper at UCLA, Daily Bruin, reported that pro-Israel supporters attempted to dismantle a pro-Palestine protest camp on the campus which is often referred to as the “public Ivy”.
Los Angeles Mayor’s spokesperson Zach Seidl stated on X that the police responded to a request for support from UCLA Chancellor Gene Block.
Last October 7th, Hamas militants from Gaza launched an attack on southern Israel, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and more than 250 people taken hostage. Israel subsequently launched an attack on Hamas, leading to renewed clashes, the largest student activities since the anti-racism protests of 2020 in the United States.
Aerial footage from KABC, a broadcast company under ABC, showed individuals wielding sticks to strike pro-Palestine protesters and dismantle makeshift barriers, while the other side released sprays, causing chaos.
After hours of chaos between anti-Israel protesters and pro-Israel counter-protesters, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that the police had arrived at UCLA to control the situation.
“The violence that took place tonight at UCLA is absolutely abhorrent and unforgivable,” Bass wrote on X at 1:47 am local time. “The Los Angeles Police Department has arrived on campus.”
Associated Press reported that the police were wearing riot gear.
Simultaneously, dozens of universities across the United States are working to control similar protest activities on their campuses.
On Tuesday night, the NYPD arrested dozens of pro-Palestine demonstrators occupying a building on Columbia University’s campus and dismantled a protest camp the university had been trying to remove for the past two weeks.
Tulane University announced that students involved in “illegal” anti-Israel protests on its New Orleans campus were arrested and suspended.
In a letter to the community late Tuesday night, President Michael Fitts stated, “Six students involved in this illegal demonstration have been arrested, seven suspended, and disciplinary action for another student is pending.”
“We value freedom of speech and have supported multiple lawful demonstrations this year. However, we still stand against illegal occupation, hate speech, anti-Semitism, and prejudice against religious or ethnic groups,” he wrote. “Harassment, intimidation, violence, and other criminal activities on any of our campuses are not tolerable.”
“The vast majority of these protesters are unrelated to Tulane University,” Fitts wrote. “Security across the entire university remains at the highest level.”
At the University of Arizona, clashes ensued between police and protesters as anti-Israel protests continued.
According to Tucson.com, President Robert C. Robbins instructed university officials, campus police, Tucson police, and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office to “immediately enforce campus usage policies and all relevant laws without further notice.”
The statement added, “The school will continue to act in the best interest of students and faculty, ensuring their safety.”
People on campus witnessed state police with pepper ball guns and gas masks.
Initially, protesters were asked to leave by the 10:30 pm deadline or face arrest, but the arrests did not begin until late.
(This article referenced reports from Reuters and Fox News)