Officers who cleared the pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA arrested 210 protesters, who face misdemeanor charges of failing to disperse, according to Los Angeles Police Department Chief Dominic Choi.
No serious injuries to officers or protesters were reported.
The arrests began at 3 a.m. Thursday as a massive operation cleared the encampment. By sunrise, video and photos of the encampment revealed the plaza was filled with discarded tents, tables, bags, and heaps of garbage and debris.
The group behind the encampment also allegedly vandalized the university’s famed Royce Hall with pro-Gaza graffiti, anti-Semitic symbols, and profanity.
Chancellor Gene Block vowed to continue to investigate the violent incidents of the past few days, especially the attack on protesters by a pro-Israel group in the early hours of May 1, whom he called a “mob of instigators.”
University leadership called campus police, who called outside law enforcement, medical teams, and the fire department to help stop the violence Wednesday morning, Mr. Block said. But violence that day went on for nearly three hours.
“We are carefully examining our security processes that night and I am grateful to President [Michael] Drake for also calling for an investigation,” he said.
“The past week has been among the most painful periods our UCLA community has ever experienced,” Mr. Block said. “It has fractured our sense of togetherness and frayed our bonds of trust, and will surely leave a scar on the campus.”
Mr. Block said he plans to continue to connect with students and faculty about Palestinian rights to engage in talks that are “grounded in listening, learning, and mutual respect.”
He also plans to continue supporting the Jewish students and employees who were “reeling from the trauma” of the brutal Oct. 7 attacks and a spike in anti-Semitism worldwide, he said.
In his letter to the community Thursday, Mr. Block did not mention the anti-Semitism displayed and promoted during the university’s encampment.
He also did not say whether the university plans to capitulate to the protesters’ demands to withdraw investments from Israel and companies that support the war.
The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles said it was “relieved” by the removal of UCLA’s encampments and thanked the chancellor for securing order.
The university still has a lot of work to do, according to the federation, but it hoped it would once again be a thriving and productive place where Jewish students feel safe and can fully participate.
The university has made available counseling and psychological services to students, staff and faculty.
A request for comment about whether UCLA plans to hold its June graduation ceremonies in Royce Hall was not immediately returned.
