Los Angeles, California – Tensions escalated at the University of California, Los Angeles, as protests unfolded over the weekend and into Monday. Faculty members protested outside an A-list gala at the Hammer Museum on Saturday night. On Monday, several dozen students were detained as investigations continued regarding the mob attack on the pro-Palestine encampment the previous week.
Despite mass arrests and the dismantling of the encampment by police in riot gear on Thursday, pro-Palestine protests persisted on Monday at UCLA. Approximately 43 protesters were arrested and taken into custody on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary. All classes have since been moved to remote learning.
Following the protests, the UCLA faculty continued to voice their discontent by protesting outside the Hammer Museum during an event that included prominent figures like Jane Fonda and Ava DuVernay. The protests were in response to the arrests of hundreds of students and ongoing pro-Palestine demonstrations on campus.
The violent attack on UCLA’s Royce Quad, where pro-Palestine demonstrators were stationed, resulted in no immediate arrests. Investigations have been launched both by the school administration and the head of the UC system. As a response to the incident, a new department called the Office of Campus Safety has been established at UCLA.
In the aftermath of the attack, The New York Times’ video investigative team released an analysis of the events, indicating that the pro-Palestine demonstrators had been mostly peaceful. However, they were met with violence by counter-protesters, leading to a prolonged incident on campus.
Online efforts to identify the attackers have been underway, particularly focusing on a GoFundMe page raising funds for ‘counter-protests’ against the UCLA encampment. The page, titled “Fighting antisemitism on campus,” has garnered significant attention and donations as the community reacts to the events.
The controversy surrounding the attack has caught the attention of notable figures like Jessica Seinfeld and billionaire Bill Ackman, who have shown support for the counter-protest fundraising efforts. The situation at UCLA continues to evolve, with ongoing debates and investigations into the events that transpired.