The office of Governor Gavin Newsom of California has denounced the police response to a violent incident that occurred on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
A masked pro-Israeli group attacked a pro-Palestinian student camp before law enforcement officers were called to the scene. The governor's spokesperson criticized the "limited and delayed" police intervention as "unacceptable."
On Wednesday, hundreds of police officers were present on campus and its perimeter. State officials and university leaders asserted that security personnel were promptly dispatched to Dickson Plaza when clashes erupted shortly before midnight on Tuesday. However, eyewitnesses reported that law enforcement hesitated to intervene despite calls for help.
UC Divest at LA, a group involved in the encampment, stated that law enforcement remained passive on the lawn's edge as pleas for assistance were made.
Efforts to obtain responses from UCLA and LAPD by the BBC are ongoing.
The confrontation subsided roughly two hours after its onset, with police gaining control as Wednesday morning dawned.
Governor Newsom condemned the violence in a separate statement, asserting that the right to free speech does not extend to inciting violence or lawlessness. He emphasized the need for accountability through legal action, suspension, or expulsion for those responsible.
According to law enforcement sources cited by the Los Angeles Times, the UCLA police officers present retreated due to being outnumbered. Additional reinforcements were summoned from the California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles, with three hours needed to restore order.
The incident at UCLA occurred shortly after police in New York City cleared a Columbia University building occupied by students protesting against the war in Gaza.
The unrest at Columbia and other universities across the United States reflects a growing movement demanding institutions sever financial ties with Israel and companies profiting from the conflict.
On Wednesday, law enforcement arrested 17 anti-war protesters at the University of Texas at Dallas and at least 15 individuals at Fordham University in the Bronx.
UCLA cancelled classes on Wednesday to de-escalate tensions, declaring the pro-Palestinian encampment near Royce Hall an illegal gathering.
Video footage captured pro-Israeli demonstrators clad in black attire and white masks attempting to dismantle barriers as midnight approached on Tuesday. Pro-Palestinian activists, some equipped with protective gear and placards, rallied to defend their space.
The situation escalated as the counter-demonstrators hurled objects, including fireworks and tear gas, according to witnesses and media reports.
Four reporters from the Daily Bruin were reportedly assaulted and sprayed with an irritant by attackers recording the incident on their phones.
UCLA Vice-Chancellor Mary Osako denounced the violence, stating that law enforcement and first responders were summoned to address the "horrific acts" committed.
A masked pro-Israeli group attacked a pro-Palestinian student camp before law enforcement officers were called to the scene. The governor's spokesperson criticized the "limited and delayed" police intervention as "unacceptable."
On Wednesday, hundreds of police officers were present on campus and its perimeter. State officials and university leaders asserted that security personnel were promptly dispatched to Dickson Plaza when clashes erupted shortly before midnight on Tuesday. However, eyewitnesses reported that law enforcement hesitated to intervene despite calls for help.
UC Divest at LA, a group involved in the encampment, stated that law enforcement remained passive on the lawn's edge as pleas for assistance were made.
Efforts to obtain responses from UCLA and LAPD by the BBC are ongoing.
The confrontation subsided roughly two hours after its onset, with police gaining control as Wednesday morning dawned.
Governor Newsom condemned the violence in a separate statement, asserting that the right to free speech does not extend to inciting violence or lawlessness. He emphasized the need for accountability through legal action, suspension, or expulsion for those responsible.
According to law enforcement sources cited by the Los Angeles Times, the UCLA police officers present retreated due to being outnumbered. Additional reinforcements were summoned from the California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles, with three hours needed to restore order.
The incident at UCLA occurred shortly after police in New York City cleared a Columbia University building occupied by students protesting against the war in Gaza.
The unrest at Columbia and other universities across the United States reflects a growing movement demanding institutions sever financial ties with Israel and companies profiting from the conflict.
On Wednesday, law enforcement arrested 17 anti-war protesters at the University of Texas at Dallas and at least 15 individuals at Fordham University in the Bronx.
UCLA cancelled classes on Wednesday to de-escalate tensions, declaring the pro-Palestinian encampment near Royce Hall an illegal gathering.
Video footage captured pro-Israeli demonstrators clad in black attire and white masks attempting to dismantle barriers as midnight approached on Tuesday. Pro-Palestinian activists, some equipped with protective gear and placards, rallied to defend their space.
The situation escalated as the counter-demonstrators hurled objects, including fireworks and tear gas, according to witnesses and media reports.
Four reporters from the Daily Bruin were reportedly assaulted and sprayed with an irritant by attackers recording the incident on their phones.
UCLA Vice-Chancellor Mary Osako denounced the violence, stating that law enforcement and first responders were summoned to address the "horrific acts" committed.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the clashes as "absolutely abhorrent and inexcusable."
Despite a heavy security presence the following morning, a small group of protesters remained at the encampment.
The identities of those involved in the violence, particularly on the pro-Israeli side, and their affiliations with the university remain uncertain.
The Los Angeles chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations attributed the violence to a "mob of pro-Israel extremists," while the Jewish Federation Los Angeles criticized the university's chancellor for fostering an unsafe environment.
Pressure is mounting on college administrators to address the spread of pro-Palestinian protests nationwide.
Earlier on Wednesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams attributed several of the approximately 300 arrests at two New York campuses to "outside agitators."
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