Violence erupts at UCLA’s Palestine Solidarity Encampment, leading to 200 arrests and legal dispute
October 24, 2024
A pro-Palestine protest at UCLA in April 2024 took a violent turn when a group of masked individuals attacked demonstrators at the Palestine Solidarity Encampment. And now, those protesters are claiming that violence is not a good enough reason to disband an encampment.
The incident occurred on April 30 and left dozens injured. It led to more than 200 arrests after law enforcement was called in to dismantle the protest site. The university’s response has sparked a legal dispute, with protesters accusing UCLA of failing to protect them from violence and using the attack as justification to clear the encampment.
The Palestine Solidarity Encampment, set up in front of UCLA’s Royce Hall, became yet another example of what has happened on campuses across the country, where protests in support of Palestine turned violent and often antisemitic.
This has been going on for quite some time. Accuracy in Media previously reported on the encampment at UCLA and found that outside agitators had proudly infiltrated the protest.
On the night of April 30, more than 100 masked individuals attacked the encampment with fireworks, bear spray, and other weapons. Protesters inside the encampment sustained injuries and several were hospitalized. According to reports from the Daily Bruin, UCLA’s student newspaper, one participant described the scene as “chaotic,” recalling that they “heard screaming” and saw fellow students “rolling in agony.”
Despite multiple calls for assistance, UCLA administrators and campus security did not intervene during the attack, according to those present. The lawsuit filed by several protesters and faculty members claims that law enforcement did not respond to protect the demonstrators and that the university allowed the violence to continue unchecked.
In the early morning hours of May 2, UCLA leadership ordered the encampment to be dismantled, citing concerns for safety in light of the recent violence. The UCLA Police Department, working alongside other law enforcement agencies, moved in to clear the area, resulting in the arrest of more than 200 people, including students, faculty, and other demonstrators.
University officials have defended their decision to dismantle the encampment, stating that it was necessary to prevent further violence. In a statement, the university emphasized that it supported peaceful protest but had to act to ensure the safety of all involved. “We could not allow the risk of continued violence,” the administration said, referencing the escalating tensions surrounding the encampment.
Protesters filed a lawsuit alleging that the university’s actions violated their rights to free speech and peaceful assembly. The lawsuit contends that UCLA used the violence as a pretext to shut down the protest. The plaintiffs allege that the university allowed the violent reactions of outside groups to influence its decision, suppressing their message in the process.
Following the arrests, UCLA introduced a new policy requiring disciplinary action for anyone arrested during the protest. Protesters and faculty members involved in the encampment now face ongoing disciplinary proceedings, which they argue are punitive and retroactive. Graeme Blair, a professor at UCLA who was arrested during the clearing, described his experience: “I was there to support the students, but now I’m facing disciplinary action for participating in what I believed to be a peaceful protest.”
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are seeking to have their disciplinary records cleared and are asking the court to prevent UCLA from declaring future protests unlawful without sufficient grounds. They also claim that the university’s handling of the situation amounted to a “heckler’s veto,” allowing the violent actions of counter-protesters to dictate the outcome of the protest.
The university’s response to the violence and subsequent clearing of the encampment has sparked a wide range of reactions from the campus community. While some faculty and students have condemned the violence against the protesters, others have criticized the university for failing to prevent the situation from escalating in the first place.
A report by the UCLA Task Force on Anti-Palestinian, Anti-Muslim, and Anti-Arab Racism sharply criticized the university’s leadership, accusing it of failing to protect students and faculty from harm. Several academic departments and faculty groups also issued statements expressing concern over the university’s handling of the incident. One such group, comprising 86 UCLA law faculty, described the university’s response as “deeply troubling,” emphasizing that peaceful protest should be protected, even in the face of opposing viewpoints.
Despite this, many members of the UCLA community have supported the university’s decision to intervene and dismantle the encampment, emphasizing the importance of ensuring safety on campus. The university itself has stood by its actions, asserting that it acted in the best interests of the entire campus community.