As another anti-Israel encampment started to take root at UCLA on Thursday, police responded in force to nip the protest before it could blossom.
A small group of protesters started an encampment, but swiftly moved along after police in riot gear appeared. The protest grew, but police continued to maintain a presence until the protest was finally dispersed after students entered Dodd Hall. Police eventually dispersed them with no reported arrests, according to The New York Times.
During the hours the protest took place, police sought to maintain a perimeter blocking access. That included blocking access to people who wanted to bring food and water to the protesters, according to KABC-TV.
Even the high-tech route to sneaking in failed, as a robot trying to make a delivery was unable to find a route that did not involve the shoe of a police officer bringing it to a stop.
Supporters of the protesters and other protesters who can’t access the encampment are trying to get supplies in, even utilizing an autonomous robot delivery service, but no luck pic.twitter.com/1Id61nig1Z
— Josh Haskell (@abc7JoshHaskell) May 23, 2024
“Supporters of the protesters and other protesters who can’t access the encampment are trying to get supplies in, even utilizing an autonomous robot delivery service, but no luck,” KABC’s Josh Haskel posted on X.
The moment was a bit of levity during hours of tension before protesters finally gave up their bid to establish a camp or blockade themselves in a building.
UCLA officials were emphatic in telling protesters to leave.
At this point is virtually every person in the “Pro-Palestinian” movement actually antisemitic?
“The Office of the Administrative Vice Chancellor, in partnership with the Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Campus Safety, has withdrawn consent to remain on campus for the demonstrators on Kerckhoff patio, asking them to disperse immediately,” a college statement said.
“There is reasonable cause to find that demonstrators’ activities – including erecting barricades, establishing fortifications, and blocking access to parts of the campus and buildings – are disrupting campus operations,” the statement said.
“Demonstrators have been informed that if they do not disperse, they will face arrest and possible disciplinary action, as well as an order to stay away from campus for 7 days,” the statement said.
Although the protest ended, it highlighted campus tensions, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“It’s a very fraught, violent environment that the administration has created here,” said Vincent Doehr, a graduate student and union member. “The disruption to campus today is coming from administration shutting down this entire area due to an encampment that’s simply in the courtyard of one building.”
Sebastian Cazares, a grad student who billed himself as a civil rights organizer, said the new encampment was set up to show that “police repression could not stop this movement.”
“Despite the fact that this is a peaceful movement, they’re still learning no lessons and sending out militarized law enforcement in response,” he said.
Prior to the arrival of police, the college asked protesters to knock it off.
“Law enforcement is prepared to arrest individuals, in accordance with applicable law,” UCLA administrators wrote.
