California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers keep watch near a pro-Palestinian encampment, the morning after it was attacked by counter-protestors at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus, on May 1, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) UCLA announced on the morning of May 1 that they are canceling classes following a night of clashes between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protesters.
According to reports, the clashes began at around 11 p.m. on April 30 when pro-Israel counterprotesters arrived at the pro-Palestinian encampment on campus that the university had deemed “unlawful” and in violation of university policy earlier that day. The counterprotesters appeared to try and tear down parts of the encampment. Video footage showed physical fighting, as The Guardian that there were “fistfights and shoving, kicking and using sticks to beat one another” and that “at one point a group piled on a person on the ground, kicking and beating them with sticks until others pulled them out of the scrum.” Additionally, mace was sprayed, and water bottles, chairs and various other objects were thrown between the two sides. The barricades around the encampment also appeared to be used as weapons, according to ABC 7.
MACE AND FIGHTS BREAKING OUT NOW AT UCLA
— Cam Higby 🇺🇸 (@camhigby)
ARMED STANDOFF
— Cam Higby 🇺🇸 (@camhigby)
UCLA War Zone
— Cam Higby 🇺🇸 (@camhigby)
UCLA CHAOS 🚨: Fights breaking out, dozens more sprayed, assaults happening on both sides, crowds growing larger, ZERO law enforcement present. A woman was just struck in the head. Utter Chaos and lawlessness.
— Anthony Cabassa (@AnthonyCabassa_)
UCLA 🚨: FIGHTS continue through the night. Dozens injured , multiple bleeding, still ZERO law enforcement present. Both sides drag their wounded and fresh protestors replace them on the front. Total Anarchy.
— Anthony Cabassa (@AnthonyCabassa_)
The Daily Bruin posted on X that four of their reporters “were followed and then assaulted.” Five to six assailants “also sprayed reporters with an irritant,” the student paper wrote. “As some reporters went to help a reporter that was pulled to the ground, assailants began to record on their cellphones.”
Shortly before 3:30 a.m., four Daily Bruin reporters were walking on campus when they were followed and then assaulted.
— Daily Bruin (@dailybruin)
Five to six assailants also sprayed reporters with an irritant. As some reporters went to help a reporter that was pulled to the ground, assailants began to record on their cellphones.
— Daily Bruin (@dailybruin)
“More than two hours of clashes passed with no uniformed campus police or LAPD officers on scene,” ABC7 . “The officers did not move in to disperse the crowd until around 3 a.m. Once law enforcement moved in, it appeared that the situation calmed down. Mutual aid that responded to the campus were seen pulling out of the area around 4 a.m., including Santa Monica and Culver City police.”
No arrests were made, and it was not immediately clear how many protesters were injured, per ABC7.
UCLA announced on X, “Due to the distress caused by the violence that took place on Royce Quad late last night and early this morning, all classes are cancelled today. Please avoid the Royce Quad area.”
Due to the distress caused by the violence that took place on Royce Quad late last night and early this morning, all classes are cancelled today. Please avoid the Royce Quad area.
— UCLA (@UCLA)
Mary Osako, vice chancellor for UCLA Strategic Communications, told The Daily Bruin “horrific acts of violence occurred at the encampment tonight and we immediately called law enforcement for mutual aid support. We are sickened by this senseless violence and it must end.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) called the clashes “absolutely abhorrent and inexcusable” in a post on X.
The violence unfolding this evening at UCLA is absolutely abhorrent and inexcusable.
LAPD has arrived on campus.
— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA)
California Gov. Gavin ɫom (D) issued a statement condemning the violence at UCLA. “The right to free speech does not extend to inciting violence, vandalism, or lawlessness on campus. Those who engage in illegal behavior must be held accountable for their actions––including through criminal prosecution, suspension or expulsion.”
“The right to free speech does not extend to inciting violence, vandalism, or lawlessness on campus. Those who engage in illegal behavior must be held accountable for their actions — including through criminal prosecution, suspension or expulsion … the limited and delayed law enforcement response at UCLA last night was unacceptable — and it demands answers.” – Gov. Gavin ɫom
Governor statement on the violence that unfolded at .
The right to free speech does not extend to inciting violence, vandalism, or lawlessness on campus.
— California Governor (@CAgovernor)
ɫom’s office issued a follow-up statement that said “the limited and delayed law enforcement response at UCLA last night was unacceptable — and it demands answers.”
Additional Information
— Governor ɫom Press Office (@GovPressOffice)
Two journalists who covered the clashes in person expressed anger at the lack of security around the area.
“What I witnessed tonight is like nothing I have ever seen in my life,” independent journalist Anthony Cabassa posted on X. “Complete lawlessness, anarchy, body’s [sic] dragged away after scuffles, blood, mace after mace after mace spray, fires, explosives, the list goes on. The school and the city failed the students tonight. Insanity.”
What I witnessed tonight is like nothing I have ever seen in my life. Complete lawlessness, anarchy, body’s dragged away after scuffles, blood, mace after mace after mace spray, fires, explosives, the list goes on. The school and the city failed the students tonight. Insanity.
— Anthony Cabassa (@AnthonyCabassa_)
Journalist Cam Higby posted to X, “Shame on CHP, LAPD, [UCLA Chancellor Gene Block] and other organizations for not clearing the camp. UCLA was anarchy tonight. Complete lawlessness. You all stood by while this happened, your school’s private security aid the campers. They routinely assault students, journalists, and members of the public on campus. I personally have been assaulted and witnessed countless assaults. You expect the victims wouldn’t respond? Now there are more victims on both sides and the camp remains.”
He accused Block of lying when he claimed that “that barriers had been removed, and that staff had been placed in the quad where the encampment was. After receiving the email, I went back to UCLA and it was exactly how I left it earlier that day.”
I have never, ever in my life seen something as bizarre as what I saw tonight. I am beyond surprised that there were no fatalities.
Shame on CHP, LAPD, and other organizations for not clearing the camp. UCLA was anarchy tonight. Complete lawlessness. You all…
— Cam Higby 🇺🇸 (@camhigby)
The Daily Bruin quoted UC Divest at UCLA as saying: “The life-threatening assault we face tonight is nothing less than a horrifying, despicable act of terror. Law enforcement simply stood at the edge of the lawn and refused to budge as we screamed for their help.”
“The life-threatening assault we face tonight is nothing less than a horrifying, despicable act of terror,” UC Divest at UCLA said in the statement. “Law enforcement simply stood at the edge of the lawn and refused to budge as we screamed for their help.”
— Daily Bruin (@dailybruin)
UCLA Hillel Executive Director Dan Gold told the Journal, “The Jewish students at UCLA and our Hillel condemn all forms of violence on our campus and the Jewish students are requesting and asking that all agitators from the outside of any kind stay off campus and help work toward a safe and welcoming environment for all students. Jewish students and all students just want their campus to be calm and a place where they can learn, they can live and they can be themselves. And we’re hoping that the sense of calm will come from the rules being followed, the policies being observed … and all outside groups refrain from creating chaos.”
He added that “the agitators that came to campus last night … are not student groups, they’re not encouraged by students and the students are not asking for that type of involvement. Any member of the Jewish community from outside of campus should do so in the way students are asking, which is to support Jewish student life and to help advocate for their rights in productive and civil ways.”
Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair Rick Chavez Zbur, whose district includes UCLA, released a statement: “The horrific acts of violence against UCLA students and demonstrators that occurred on campus last night are abhorrent and have no place in Los Angeles or in our democracy. No matter how strongly one may disagree with or be offended by the anti-Israel demonstrators’ messages, tactics, or goals, violence is never acceptable and those responsible must be held accountable.
“For days, I have been requesting increased security on campus, after my staff and I witnessed rising tensions between demonstrators and counter-protestors and ourselves felt unsafe on campus. I have pled with the UCLA Administration to take necessary steps to protect students from violence, harassment, and intimidation.”
He added: “Yesterday, my staff witnessed the violent assault of a Jewish student on campus, just one of many antisemitic incidents that have occurred in the last week and in recent months. Hours later, a violent mob attacked protestors at the encampment with fireworks, pepper spray, and blunt objects, reportedly injuring students and reporters. In both instances, University security failed to prevent the assaults or respond in a timely manner, despite Chancellor Block’s assurances of adequate security on campus. While we continue to gather all the facts, one thing is abundantly clear: the UCLA Administration has failed in their most important duty — to protect the safety, wellbeing, and civil rights of all students on campus.”
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles said in a statement that they’re “appalled” at the clashes that took place. “The abhorrent actions of a few counter protestors last night do not represent the Jewish community or our values,” the organization said. “We believe in peaceful, civic discourse.”
The Federation blamed the violence on “the lack of leadership from the Chancellor and the UCLA administration. The Chancellor has allowed for an environment to be created over many months that has made students feel unsafe, allowed for illegal encampments in violation of its own laws, refused to censure faculty and staff who flouted UCLA’s Code of Conduct, and has been systemically slow to respond when law enforcement is desperately needed. His failed leadership has enabled the chaos we witnessed last night.”
The Federation called for the university “to immediately close the encampment” as well as for Chancellor Block “to meet with leaders of the Jewish community and with elected officials to articulate how UCLA will ensure Jewish safety and safety for all on campus, and establish long-term security plans to prevent any future violence.”
This is a developing story.
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