Police Begin Clearing UCLA Pro-Palestine Encampment, Making Arrests
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Police began dismantling the pro-Palestine encampment at the University of California in Los Angeles early Thursday morning and arresting defiant protesters.
The Details: Officers announced repeatedly over loudspeakers that protesters would be arrested if they didn't disperse. Around 2:30 a.m. local time, officers began entering the encampment, pulling down makeshift barricades, and arresting protesters.
For Context: Fighting broke out at the encampment Tuesday night when pro-Israel protesters confronted the pro-Palestine group. The UCLA situation is one of the many ongoing pro-Palestine protests on college campuses nationwide.
How the Media Covered It: Local sources differed somewhat in how they framed the standoff between protesters and police. The L.A. Times (Lean Left bias) said officers "faced intense resistance and made dozens of arrests," and that protesters "shone lights in their eyes and challenged them to" confront them. The Orange County Register (Lean Right) said officers "faced some resistance and there were some scuffles with demonstrators," and that they "had to deal with demonstrators shining bright flashlights into their eyes."
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Massive police operation breaches UCLA pro-Palestinian encampment, makes arrests
Police moved into the pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA Thursday morning, where they faced intense resistance and made dozens of arrests.
Officers wearing body armor, helmets and face shields methodically pulled apart the barricade as protesters tried to hold together the assemblage of plywood and metal fencing. Flares arced overhead, igniting with piercing blasts, and smoke filled the air from fire extinguishers that demonstrators sprayed at the police.
Police launched flares over the encampment that set off loud blasts. Officers watched the scene from the high windows of Royce Hall, infuriating...
From the Center
UC’s president had a plan to deescalate protests. How did we get a night of violence at UCLA?
As counterprotesters tore at barricades, threw fireworks, and beat and pepper sprayed pro-Palestinian protesters at UCLA overnight Tuesday, no law enforcement officers took action to stop the violence or made any arrests. In stark contrast, by tonight, UC Police declared that anyone who remains in the “unlawful” encampment would be arrested.
The reason for such a mixed response from law enforcement: haphazard adherence to UC President Michael Drake’s 2021 UC Campus Safety Plan.
Encampments at a growing number of universities across the state and nation are sparking battles between students’ free...
From the Right
Police start dismantling pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA, some demonstrators detained
Hundreds of California Highway Patrol officers on Thursday morning began removing barricades at the week-old pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA and several protesters or their supporters were arrested.
Police methodically ripped apart the encampment’s barricade of plywood, pallets, metal fences and trash dumpsters. Officers were also pulling away some of the tents and canopies from the encampment.
The law enforcement effort came after officers spent hours threatening arrests over loud speakers if people did not disperse.
AllSides Picks
May 16th, 2024
May 16th, 2024
More News about Polarization from the Left, Center and Right
From the Left
From the Center
From the Right
