POLICE forcibly evicted a number of pro-Palestinian protesters at several universities on Thursday (2/5), including tearing down an encampment at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). This action shows the increasing chaos at United States (US) universities this week.
In the early hours of the morning, police wearing helmets stormed a tent set up at UCLA, using flash bang or electric grenades and riot gear. They broke through the line of protesters holding hands.
Los Angeles police said on social media that 210 people were arrested at UCLA. Hundreds of arrests were made at other universities overnight and during the day on Thursday.
“I’m a student here. Please don’t bother us. Don’t bother us,” one UCLA protester said on camera as he was led away by police with his hands tied.
Several hours later, the student, who only gave his first name as Ryan, returned to campus and vowed not to stop fighting. “We will return. We will disrupt. We will demand divestment,” he said after being arrested on charges of taking part in an unlawful rally.
In recent weeks, US police have arrested nearly 2,200 people during pro-Palestinian protests on campuses across the US. Police sometimes use riot gear, tactical vehicles and flash bangs to disperse crowds.
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An officer accidentally fired his weapon inside the administration building of Columbia University, New York, while dispersing protesters camping on campus. Students held demonstrations or set up tents at dozens of universities to protest Israel’s invasion of Gaza.
Protesters have called on pro-Israel President Joe Biden to do more to save Gaza’s remaining residents and demanded divestment from companies that support the Israeli government.
Many campuses, including Columbia University, have called in police to quell the protests. Biden broke his silence on the demonstrations by saying that Americans have the right to protest, but not violently.
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“Destruction of property is not peaceful protest. It is unlawful. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, closing campuses, forcing the cancellation of classes and graduations are all not peaceful protests,” he said at the White House.
Biden, who is running for re-election in November against former Republican President Donald Trump, has treaded cautiously in the face of criticism from both the right and the left over his policies on Israel.
Violence on campus
Meanwhile at UCLA, police repeatedly urged demonstrators to vacate the protest zone, which occupies a central plaza the size of a football field, before they entered. Dozens of loud explosions were heard from stun grenades fired by police.
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The demonstrators, some carrying shields and umbrellas, chanted, “Push them back,” and shone flashlights at officers. Live footage on television stations showed officers dismantling tents and destroying makeshift barricades.
Some protesters were seen wearing hard hats, goggles and respirator masks in anticipation of the siege a day after the campus declared the encampment unlawful. In the morning the square was littered with the remains of destroyed encampments, tents, blankets, food containers, Palestinian flags and upside-down helmets.
Police remained on guard as the area was cleared of debris from the pro-Palestinian student encampment.
Then in Portland, Oregon, police entered the Portland State University library on Thursday morning, where demonstrators had been barricaded since the start of the week. Several dozen protesters ran out of the building and charged a line of riot officers who were later arrested.
Police made more arrests at the library as demonstrators attempted to reoccupy it. A campus spokesperson said the chaos that occurred was difficult to anticipate.
Additionally, in New Hampshire, police arrested about 100 protesters at Dartmouth College and the University of New Hampshire. The demonstration on campus was met with counter-demonstrators accusing them of inciting anti-Jewish hatred.
Pro-Palestinian student groups, including some Jews who oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza, said they were unfairly labeled as anti-Semites for criticizing the Israeli government and expressing support for human rights. UCLA has canceled classes since Wednesday (1/5) following violent clashes between camp residents and a group of counter-demonstrators who carried out a surprise attack on Tuesday (30/4) evening.
UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said in a written statement that officials had allowed the encampment to remain on campus for several days. However, clashes with pro-Israel crowds became dangerous so the camp was decided to close.
“This is causing unsafe conditions on our campus and undermining our ability to carry out our mission. This must end,” he said.
Taylor Gee, a 30-year-old pro-Palestinian protester and UCLA law student, said the police operation was painful. The police should have been able to prevent attacks from pro-Israel groups.
UCLA officials said the campus of nearly 52,000 students would remain closed. Then they only gave permission to a few people to carry out limited operations on Thursday and Friday (3/5). (France 24/Z-2)
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