Dueling groups of protesters clashed on the UCLA campus as police burst in to break up a demonstration that had paralyzed the school while inspiring others. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators created an encampment with barricades and plywood for protection, while counter-protesters tried to pull them down, resulting in fistfights, shoving, kicking, and the use of sticks between the groups. Police, wearing helmets and face shields, eventually separated the groups and quelled the violence at UCLA. Similar clashes occurred at other universities, including Columbia University and the University of Arizona.
Police responded to protests calling on universities to stop doing business with Israel or companies that support the war in Gaza, resulting in confrontations and over 1,000 arrests. At UCLA, the clashes were centered around a tent encampment and counter-protesters trying to dismantle it. Violence erupted with fireworks, chairs being thrown, and physical altercations between individuals. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the violence “abhorrent and inexcusable” and stated that police from the LAPD and California Highway Patrol were on the scene to assist.
Columbia University and the City College of New York also experienced clashes as protesters occupied buildings and faced intervention from police. After a standoff at City College, officers cleared the area and lowered a Palestinian flag before raising an American flag. Brown University reached an agreement with protesters to consider divestment from Israel as a compromise to ends protests. At the University of Arizona, officers in riot gear used non-lethal chemical munitions to disperse demonstrators, resulting in some arrests and shoving matches.
Columbia University’s police action to remove protesters from their occupied buildings occurred on the 56th anniversary of a similar incident during student protests. The university administration requested law enforcement assistance to clear the building and encampment, leading to confrontations between protesters and police. The White House condemned the standoffs at Columbia and other universities, with President Biden stating that occupying academic buildings is the wrong approach. Former President Donald Trump also weighed in on the situation, praising police for their actions.
Nationwide campus protests began in response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza, with Israel accusing protesters of antisemitism and critics claiming the allegations are used to silence opposition. Despite some protesters making anti-Semitic remarks or violent threats, organizers maintain that the movement is peaceful and focused on defending Palestinian rights. Protests have led to clashes, arrests, and disruptions at universities across the United States, with tensions running high between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli groups on college campuses. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to fuel demonstrations and confrontations at universities nationwide.
