Violent Clash Breaks Out Between Pro-Palestinian Activists and Counter-Demonstrators on UCLA Campus

Pro-Palestinian Activists and Counter-Demonstrators Engage in Violent Clash on UCLA Campus

May 1, 2024 TruthUSA

Clashes broke out between pro-Palestinian activists and counter-activists at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus late on Tuesday night and continued into the early morning hours on Wednesday.

The LAPD announced its officers had arrived to assist campus police in dealing with the fighting around 2 a.m. local time.

The clash began around 10:50 p.m. on Tuesday night as around 100 pro-Israel activists attempted to storm an ongoing Palestinian solidarity encampment on campus, as reported by the Daily Bruin.

Prior clashes between pro-Palestinian activists and counter-activists occurred the night before this incident on the campus, as reported.

UCLA Chancellor Gene Block expressed concerns about the violence and disruptions caused by some activists despite peaceful demonstrations, as mentioned in his statement following the Monday clashes.

Mr. Block reiterated in his Tuesday statement that the pro-Palestinian encampment was unauthorized and security measures had been increased around it.

Videos shared by local media showed the clashes between the two groups at the campus encampment, with pro-Palestinian activists creating a makeshift barricade to defend themselves.

Security Response to UCLA Clash

UCLA Police Department Chief John Thomas mentioned that initial responders arrived around 20 minutes after the fighting began on Tuesday night. The police chief stated that the first responders had to leave by 11:21 p.m. due to an attack.

Only a few campus police officers were on duty at the start of the fighting, according to the UCLA police chief.

The UCLA Vice Chancellor for Communications condemned the violence two hours into the clash.

LAPD officers assisted campus police in dealing with the fighting by 2 a.m., as announced locally.

NTD News reached out to LAPD for further details on their response timeline.

An editorial article published by the Daily Bruin criticized the delayed LAPD response to the campus incident.

Pro-Palestinian encampments have emerged on various college campuses across the country, reflecting ongoing tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Campus Protests, Clashes Continue Nationwide

The escalation of Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip has fueled activism on college campuses, with demands for institutions to divest from Israeli entities.

Recent events at Columbia University, Brown University, and Portland State University have highlighted these demands and the broader movement in support of Palestine.

Some of these protests have seen violence, harassment, and calls for expulsion of demonstrators.

Authorities took action against pro-Palestinian demonstrators at Columbia University and continued monitoring similar activities arising on college campuses nationwide.

Reuters contributed to this article.

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