Police dismantled the pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA early Thursday morning, just a week after it was established on campus.
Law enforcement, including LAPD and CHP, moved in on the encampment around 2:45 a.m. Officers fired "less-than-lethal" projectiles and deployed dozens of flash-bangs as they tore through the makeshift barricades surrounding the area, pulling out tents one by one.
CHP Officer Roberto Gomez told KNX News’ Jon Baird that over 250 officers responded. Gomez initially said 130 people were arrested; police now say that number is over 200.
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“They were all advised as of last night, this was given, and at that point, obviously some people did leave on their own,” he said. “But of course, there were many that were still behind and therefore we needed to respond to and therefore do what was needed to remove them from the premises.”
KNX News’ Jon Baird reported that as officers cleared through encampments, pro-Palestine demonstrators chanted “peaceful protest.”
By about 4 a.m., officers had largely dismantled the eastern front of the encampment. Hundreds of protesters, however, remained steadfast and formed a line with their arms linked, facing off with an equally long line of officers.
By 4:45 a.m., however, police had successfully cleared the area in front of Royce Hall. Some people from the encampment began to leave the area voluntarily, but a substantial number stayed behind, apparently resigning themselves to being arrested.
There was no immediate word on any injuries to officers or protesters.
One protestor who came back to help clean up the encampment told KNX News Craig Fiegener said the protestors were not trying to aggravate.
“We, the encampment in and of itself, was a solitary position that we took up. There is no aggression from our side but just trying to hold the line against police and then eventually, once people were arrested, trying to help delay that process as much as possible,” he said. “And then once we realize there is nothing to be done there, working on the next steps of how do we support the people in jail?”
Another protestor explained to Craig what the goal of the encampment was.
“We want the UC system to disclose all of their investments and divest from the companies that we're asking for, which I know the big four have been cited like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman,” she said. “We just want to deinvest all of the UC’s assets. which are like pension funds for people and tons of like endowment funds that are in stocks that go to fund companies that build war machines and build bombs and hurt people. So we're hoping to get the UC to divest and know where all of our assets are because that's where our tuition goes. “
A former UCLA student who was on campus told Jon Baird said he didn’t see anyone get hurt.
“What I did see at some point when everyone was walking back in a chain. I saw one or two people fall to the ground but they were picked up by their comrades very quickly and hoisted back into the group. It was a very great solidarity,” he said.
KTLA spoke with one man who was arrested from the encampment. He said he’s not a UCLA student, but that he felt compelled to stay.
“We're fighting for life. How can I leave when a five-year-old child can't live? When a five-year-old kid is getting shot in the head and then ran over by a bulldozer?” he said. “How can I leave when there's 10 year olds? How can I leave when there's kids walking around in wheelchairs, no limbs, no legs at 8, 9, 10 years old and there's nothing being done about it? How can I leave when these guys are standing over there and threatening us for our word?”
This comes a day after police at UCLA declared the encampment was an unlawful gathering.
Late Tuesday evening, the encampment was attacked by pro-Israel counter-demonstrators. Videos from the scene show counter-demonstrators attacking people in the encampment with sticks and poles. At least one firework was thrown into the camp.
Although law enforcement was present when the violence unfolded, officers failed to intervene for several hours. No arrests were made.
School officials wrote on X that campus operations would be limited on Thursday and Friday.
“Please continue to avoid campus and the Royce Quad area. Per Academic Senate guidance on instruction, all in-person classes are authorized and required to pivot to remote tomorrow and Friday,” the post read.
Last week, 93 protesters were arrested as police broke up a pro-Palestine encampment at USC. The university cancelled its main-stage commencement ceremony in response to the protests, which were partly sparked by the decision to bar valedictorian Asna Tabassum from delivering a commencement speech following complaints about her pro-Palestinian views.
In prepared remarks Thursday morning, President Joe Biden criticized the campus protests happening across the country, saying that students have the right to protest, but not "the right to cause chaos."
"Violent protest is not protected. Peaceful protest is. It’s against the law when violence occurs. Destroying property is not a peaceful protest. It’s against the law,” Biden said.
When he was asked if the protests had changed his mind on his policy surrounding Israel’s war in Gaza, Biden answered, “No.”
Political science professor David McCuan told KNX News Chief Correspondent Charles Feldman that the campus protests could "present some difficulty" for Biden's re-election campaign, warning that Democrats shouldn't take young people's votes for granted.
“The issues around Gaza and what's happening in the Middle East have been particularly acute across voter subsets, not just with younger voters, but with diverse voters as well as newer voters,” he said. “That means that those three states – Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin – are absolutely critical and would threaten a reelection of Joe Biden if they were to lose two of those three states.”
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office sent KNX News the following statement:
“In response to a mutual aid request from UCLA, the CHP was deployed to support local law enforcement agencies as part of the state’s Law Enforcement Mutual Aid System last night/this morning. Cal OES and the CHP can provide additional information about their support to local law enforcement.”
KNX News has reached out to Mayor Karen Bass’ office and District Attorney George Gascón for further comment.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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