Pro-Palestinian Demonstration Continues on UCLA Campus, Police Storm Campus Again

As at Columbia University, UCLA students fought back. US police storm the campus again where there is a pro-Palestinian demonstration.

AFP/ETIENNE LAURENT

The police clashed with pro-Palestinian student protesters at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in Los Angeles, California on Thursday (2/5/2024).

LOS ANGELES, THURSDAY — Students and pro-Palestine protesters on the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus, < a href="https://www.kompas.id/label/amerika-serikat?open_from=automate_body_url">The United States, rejected the disbandment of the apparatus and continued to demonstrate in support of Palestine until Thursday (2/5/2024) early morning local time. Their action was temporarily stopped after Los Angeles police officers stormed into the campus, broke up the demonstration, arrested a number of protesters, and dismantled their camps.

The pre-dawn attack on UCLA was the latest spark of tension on campuses across the United States (US), which have been hit by pro-Palestinian demonstrations. A similar scene occurred previously at Columbia University, New York City. With the approval of the Chancellor of Columbia University, the New York Police attacked protesters on campus.

Also read: Police Raid a Number of United States Campuses

Protesters on campuses in the US opposed Israel's indiscriminate attacks on Gaza in response to the Hamas group's attack on Israel, October 7 2023. Until Thursday (2/5/2024 ), according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, more than 34,500 Palestinians in Gaza were killed, while 77,800 people were injured. In Israel, around 1,200 people were killed in Hamas attacks and around 250 Israelis were held hostage in Gaza, some of whom were freed or killed.

At UCLA campus, hundreds of protesters tried to hold their ground and ignored police calls to disperse. In its live broadcast, local TV station KABC-TV estimated that 300 to 500 protesters were holding out within a barricade made up of tents, while around 2,000 other people were outside the barricade to support them.

Ray Wiliani, a resident living near the UCLA Campus, came on Wednesday night to support the pro-Palestine demonstrators. "We have to take a firm stand. Enough is enough," he said.

After midnight, around 03:15 local time, the police stormed the campus and arrested protesters who refused to disperse. At the same time, the sound of helicopters from the authorities could be heard roaring in the sky. Loud explosions were heard several times.

AP/RYAN SUN

A police officer fires a smoke bomb to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), in Los Angeles, California, Thursday (2/5/2024).

"Where were you last night," protesters shouted at police.

A spokesperson for Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, criticized the minimal and slow enforcement actions taken by campus law enforcement against the masked group's attack. Such sluggishness is unacceptable, he said. UCLA's Chancellor, Gene Block, promised to investigate the incident that happened on Tuesday night.

"The community needs to feel safe that the police protect them, not allow others to attack them," said Rebecca Husaini, Head of Staff of the Muslim Public Affairs Council in a press conference at the UCLA campus on Wednesday.

Apart from happening at UCLA, police raids also occurred at California State Polytechnic University, North Carolina State University, University of Texas Austin, and Florida State University Tallahassee.

In addition to urging a ceasefire in Gaza, the students on those campuses generally demand that university officials terminate their relationships with companies supplying weapons to Israel. Students also demand that they cease research funding from Israel for projects that support the Israeli military and that they be more transparent about funding from Israel.

Successful dialogue at three universities

In the midst of the arrests of pro-Palestinian student protesters, three universities emerged as examples of successful dialogue between the rector and students. Brown, Northwestern, and John Hopkins universities issue agreements with protesters to stop camping on campus and at the same time open a space for discussion of university divestment from parties who support Israeli apartheid against the Palestinian people.

John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, became the third university to reach an agreement with student protesters on Wednesday (1/5/2024) local time or Thursday (2/5/2024) morning Indonesian time. "We have had constructive and productive dialogues. The students have agreed to dismantle their camp. Protests are allowed to continue as long as they adhere to university regulations," said a joint statement by John Hopkins University's President Ron Daniels and Vice President for Academic Affairs Ray Jayawardhana.

Also read: Police Raid a Number of United States Campuses

Reported by the Baltimore Sun newspaper, John Hopkins University students asked the campus to divest from companies, including Elbit Systems, BlackRock, Northrop Grumman, Palantir, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, and Google. They are accused of supporting the Israeli government's colonization and genocide of the Palestinian people.

AFP/NOAH BERGER

Google office scene in Mountain View, State of California, United States, June 27, 2022.

This campus follows Brown University in Providence, State of Rhode Island, and Northwestern University in Chicago, State of Illinois, promising constructive dialogue with students. On Tuesday (30/4/2024), Brown University Chancellor Christina Paxson issued a written statement on official website that students promised to disband the camp that day at 17.00.

He said that the tragedies and loss of life in the Middle East have prompted many parties to call for meaningful and immediate change. At the same time, all parties must strive for realistic ways to achieve this goal. The commitment of Brown University since its establishment has been to resolve all differences of opinion through dialogue, debate, and active listening.

Also read: Facing Official Brutality, Student Protests in the US Are Increasingly Fiery

"I do not allow student camping in the campus area as it violates regulations and I am concerned about the increasing spread of hate speech. However, I am committed to facilitating responsible freedom of expression. The campus thanks the students for their efforts in de-escalation," said Paxson.

Divest from Israel

An important aspect of the agreement between Brown University and its students is to quickly hold a meeting between the rectorate, dean's office, and five student representatives in May. The student side will present ideas for divesting Brown University from individuals, institutions, and companies that support the Israeli Government's colonization of Palestine.

Paxson requested that the University Brown's Resource Management Advisory Board publish the study's results on divestment recommendations by September 30, 2024. The study's findings or ideas from students will be presented to University Brown's sponsoring companies in October 2024. The university is also investigating all allegations of hate speech, whether anti-Semitic or anti-Muslim, and ensuring that those responsible are sanctioned.

"We are glad that the campus is willing to listen and wait for Brown's promise to divest from warfare, colonization, and death," said Sam Theoharis, one of the protesting students.

AFP/GETTY IMAGES/ KENT NISHIMURA

George Washington University students in Washington DC, United States, hold a pro-Palestinian demonstration on April 27, 2024.

Meanwhile, at Northwestern University, the student camp also disbanded according to the agreement. The campus allows students to continue demonstrating in accordance with the rules, namely that they must disband every day at 17.00. The campus statement was signed by Northwestern University Chancellor Michael Schill, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Susan Davis, and Academic Vice Chancellor Kathleen Hagerty and published on the campus' official website.

Also read: Four US State Department Bureaus Say Israel Violates Human Rights

They said that the agreement is continuous and sustainable in finding ways to fulfill the demands of the students for the university to divest from Israel. Northwestern University also expresses support for Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian students. According to them, their presence enriches diversity and strengthens the academic community.

"The majority of reports of anti-Semitic or anti-Palestinian hate speech are performed by protesters from outside the campus. We do not allow this to happen and it should not continue. Any academic community member caught making hate speech will be punished," the statement read.

The path taken by the three universities prioritizes opposing dialogue compared to that of Columbia University. However, these New York universities are the ones that sparked pro-Palestine protests on campuses throughout the US.

Also read: Hamas Ready to Recognize Israel and Lay Down Weapons

Columbia University's rector, Minouche Shafik, stated that they will not divest from Israel and instead choose to invest in the community in Gaza. At this alma mater of former US President Barack Obama and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's teaching, at least 100 students were arrested by the police.

The US Jewish Committee criticized the decision of the universities. According to them, the rectors instead succumbed to the demands of protesters and made the campus unsafe for the Jewish academic community. (AP/AFP/REUTERS)