On Wednesday night (May 1), hundreds of law enforcement personnel gathered inside the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus, preparing to dismantle the anti-Semitic protesters’ camp.
TV live footage showed police officers in tactical gear entering the UCLA campus in Los Angeles, standing outside the tents where demonstrators had gathered. Some activists wore hard hats, goggles, and awaited police actions.
Over 80 tents were set up on the grass field at the camp, with people bustling around.
As the police entered the campus, other anti-Semitic individuals outside the tent area shouted “You are truly shameful,” some drummed, waved Palestinian flags, and taunted the police. Many protesters wore traditional Palestinian keffiyeh headscarves.
Prior to this, the police had used loudspeakers to inform the protesters at the camp to evacuate by 8 p.m. The police warned that protesters may face “legal consequences and administrative sanctions.”
A source told CNN that law enforcement agencies had declared the anti-Semitic protests at the university as an illegal assembly. Declaring the assembly illegal is a step police usually take before issuing orders to disperse or arrest protesters.
Currently, over a hundred law enforcement personnel from various agencies have entered the campus, including a team of police officers wearing riot helmets and carrying batons.
Dozens of police cars and a mobile command post were set up in the parking lot of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Los Angeles office, about a mile away from the UCLA campus site.
According to on-site reporters, after 8:30 p.m., officers from the Los Angeles Police Department had formed long queues between the camp and the surrounding protesters.
Late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, violence erupted between protesters and a group of masked counter-protesters, leading the university to cancel classes for the day.
A law enforcement source told CNN that the Los Angeles Police Department had issued a “tactical alert” citywide regarding the illegal assembly at UCLA. During a tactical alert, some lower-priority police services may be unavailable.
The alert notified all Los Angeles Police Department personnel that they may be required to assist in resolving the current situation on campus tonight if needed.
The source also mentioned that the school hospital would be on standby to treat any potential injuries.
This wave of anti-Semitic protests has disrupted universities across the United States. The Hanover town police department in New Hampshire stated that 90 people were arrested during a protest at Dartmouth College on Wednesday for offenses such as illegal trespassing and resisting arrest.
The Hanover police said that these individuals were arrested after setting up tents on the Dartmouth green, despite warnings from campus security that such gatherings were not allowed.
The police in Hanover said, “After the tents were set up, Dartmouth security repeatedly informed the protesters that they must disperse, but they refused to leave.”
Protesters could be heard shouting “Free Palestine” while holding banners and flags.
Both the Hanover police and the New Hampshire State Police also ordered protesters to leave, stating that although some chose to leave, many remained on the scene, leading to the arrests.
The arrested individuals included students from Dartmouth College and non-students.
In the past 24 hours, hundreds of protesters have been arrested at universities across the United States. These protesters condemn Israel’s bombing of Gaza and demand that schools divest from companies supporting Israel. Here is the situation at various schools.
Fordham University: Fordham University issued a statement saying that dozens of protesters camped inside the Lowenstein building on campus, with at least 15 people being arrested. The school requested the New York Police Department to maintain security on campus until at least May 22.
State University of New York at Buffalo: The university stated that an anti-Semitic protest took place at the North Campus on Wednesday night, leading to approximately 16 arrests.
University of Texas at Dallas: School officials said that as of Wednesday night, at least 17 people have been arrested on campus.
University of Wisconsin-Madison: The university reported that around 30 protesters were summoned on Wednesday, with “several” arrests made.