Around 5:50 p.m. on Wednesday, students, faculty and staff participants of the Palestine solidarity encampment in Dickson Plaza were first ordered to disperse by UCPD. By 1:20 a.m. on Thursday, police officers began sweeping the encampment, with their first detainment of a protester occurring at 1:55 a.m.
The encampment received another dispersal notice from authorities at 12:30 a.m. on Thursday that could be heard from across Dickson Plaza – it urged protesters to exit between Royce Hall and Kaplan Hall. A medic in the encampment said LAPD told medical staff and doctors in the area, who would be treating basic injuries such as pepper spraying, to be prepared by 1 a.m.
“You risk serious injury,” an officer said through the megaphone during the dispersal announcement.
Police officers in the area entered the encampment via Janss Steps at 1:20 a.m., while individuals remaining in the encampment shouted, “We’re not leaving!” and “Who do you protect?”
The encampment sweep follows counter-protesters’ attacks on the encampment Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Around 100 to 200 counter-protesters attempted to seize the encampment’s barricade and force entry as they launched fireworks, metal barriers and tear gas toward the encampment. On Tuesday, the university released a statement saying that the Palestine solidarity encampment was unlawful, and UCLA-affiliated participants may face disciplinary actions such as suspension and expulsion.
Police presence, mostly consisting of officers from LAPD, steadily increased on campus Wednesday. Thousands of protesters in support of the encampment gathered in Portola Plaza and on the Janss Steps lawn Wednesday evening.
A few hours before the sweep began, Graeme Blair – an associate professor of political science and member of Faculty for Justice in Palestine at UCLA – said via text message that professors involved in the encampment planned to be arrested alongside students.
More here from the Daily Bruin
