What to know
- Protesters set up tents and barricades near two UCLA campus buildings early Thursday.
- Some demonstrators climbed onto the roof of a building and hung banners from the side.
- A disbandment order was issued and law enforcement officers went to the area Thursday afternoon.
The school’s chancellor testified before a House committee Thursday about earlier protests and the school’s response after law enforcement officials gathered on the UCLA campus Thursday.
NewsChopper4’s video showed two tents, barriers made of wooden boards, tables, fences and other materials, and a group of people gathered on the campus between Gerkhoff and Moore halls.
A group calling itself Students for Justice in Palestine posted on Instagram that it had set up a “second camp on the Kerkhof patio.” On the roof of one building, protesters draped a large banner that read “Palestine Unity Camp” on its side.
And a line of officers in tactical gear was positioned in front of the building near the protesters.
Executive Vice Chancellor Michael Becks and Associate Vice Chancellor for Campus Security Rick Brazil issued a statement saying the protesters were ordered to leave the area immediately.
“There is reasonable cause to find that the activities of the protesters are disrupting the functioning of the campus, including erecting barricades, establishing barricades and blocking access to certain areas and buildings of the campus,” the statement said.
Once the officers moved to the area of Kerkhoff and Moore Halls, the protesters moved to another part of the campus.
The LAPD went on tactical alert across the city due to campus activity. The alert allows the department to augment the force or redistribute personnel if necessary.
Work and classes in Ackerman, Kerchhoff and Moore halls were moved online throughout Thursday. The rest of the campus remained open.
A significantly larger camp was set up on the Westwood campus in April during protests against the war in Gaza. Earlier this month, the camp was dismantled in an early-morning law enforcement operation that resulted in the arrest of 200 people.
UCLA police provide details on items found May 6 when they arrested dozens of protesters on campus. Video broadcast Thursday May 9, 2024 at 11 a.m. on NBC4 News
On April 30, counter-demonstrators attacked a pro-Palestinian camp, throwing traffic cones, releasing pepper spray and tearing down barriers. The fight continued for several hours before police moved in, and no arrests were made. At least 15 protesters were injured.
Intermittent disturbances followed the dismantling of a pro-Palestinian camp and the arrest of 200 people. The university was closed a day ago and has since shifted to online classes. On May 6, around 40 people were arrested during campus protests against the war in Gaza.
Chancellor Jean Black was one of three college presidents and chancellors who testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee about the campus protests and allegations. Black said the school should be ready to remove the original camp immediately.
Black, who is set to retire at the end of July, testified two days after the university’s police chief was fired and transferred. Chief John Thomas has faced criticism for his handling of the protests, which included an attack on a pro-Palestinian camp.
Black announced Brazile, a former Sacramento police chief, will lead the new Office of Campus Safety, which oversees the UCLA Police Department.
Israel faces global criticism over the mounting death toll and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. More than 900,000 Palestinians have been displaced by the fighting in the past few weeks alone and now lack shelter, food, water and other essentials, the UN humanitarian agency said on Wednesday.
At least 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza. According to the Ministry of HealthIt does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Israel launched its war in Gaza after Hamas’ October 7 offensive, in which the militants swept into southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people – mostly civilians – and kidnapping 250 others.
