The office of California‘s governor has strongly condemned the police handling of recent violence at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), criticizing their response as inadequate and ineffective in maintaining student safety.
A shocking incident of violence unfolded on campus when a masked group, identified as pro-Israeli, attacked a student camp supporting Palestinian rights, prompting a swift police response to restore order.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s spokesperson denounced the police handling of the campus incident as “limited and delayed”, deeming it “unacceptable” and sparking calls for improved response protocols.
After a prolonged period of intense fighting that lasted over two hours, a massive police contingent was deployed to the campus in the early hours of Wednesday, successfully ending the violence and reestablishing order in the previously volatile environment.
State officials and university leaders have said they immediately deployed security personnel to the tent camp on Dickson Plaza when clashes erupted just before midnight on Tuesday.
But several people on site said law enforcement did not act quickly enough.
“Law enforcement simply stood at the edge of the lawn and refused to budge as we screamed for their help,” UC Divest at LA, a group involved in the encampment, said in a statement.
The press has reached out to UCLA and LAPD for more information on the situation, following concerns about the delayed police response to the violence.
The university declared the pro-Palestinian encampment, in the shadow of its Royce Hall, an illegal gathering on Tuesday.
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Footage online shows that, as midnight approached on Tuesday, a large pro-Israeli group donning black outfits and white masks arrived on campus and attempted to dismantle barriers.
A resilient group of campers, sporting goggles and helmets, and wielding placards and umbrellas, mobilized a spirited defense of their makeshift settlement, refusing to back down.
According to Daily Bruin reporter Dylan Winward, counter-protesters unleashed a barrage of projectiles, including fireworks, a scooter, water bottles, and even tear gas, in a chaotic bid to disrupt the demonstration.
Four Daily Bruin reporters were subjected to a vicious attack early Wednesday, with assailants spraying them with an irritant and recording the incident on their phones, the publication revealed in a disturbing social media post.
A Palestinian rights advocate told the BBC that tonight’s events marked a disturbing escalation, as some individuals began to provoke and encourage violent behavior.
As the sun rose over the besieged protest site on Wednesday morning, demonstrators began to disperse, leaving behind a scene of chaos and destruction. Police had finally gained control, but the question remained: had anyone been held accountable for the violence?
Governor Newsom broke with protocol, using his personal X account (formerly Twitter) to issue a scathing condemnation of the violence, amplifying his office’s official denunciation with a direct and forceful message.
“The law is clear,” he said. “The right to free speech does not extend to inciting violence, vandalism or lawlessness.”
He maintained that those responsible should be called to account, with possible outcomes including criminal liability, official censure, or separation from their responsibilities.