On Thursday, the Los Angeles Police Department arrested 209 individuals during an operation to dismantle a pro-Palestinian camp set up at the University of California (UCLA) in protest against Israeli government policies. Some of those arrested were students and university staff, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The arrests of 135 were formalized in the parking lot of the Los Angeles Central Court, while others were transported by buses to the Metropolitan Detention Center of the Los Angeles Police Department. They have been given food, water, and access to public services, and most have been cited and released for illegal assembly, with a court appearance required at a later date.
A group of about 250 police officers with heavy riot gear participated in the operation. The police assault began at dawn with flares being launched at protesters, who responded by using fire extinguishers against officers. After clearing out the camp, debris, garbage, and graffiti left behind by protesters on nearby buildings were cleaned up using excavators. The spokesman for the California Highway Patrol stated that there is approximately one police officer for each protester in the camp. Although no injuries have been reported yet, protesters have thrown fire extinguishers and water bottles at police officers.
Earlier that day, UCLA had announced its intention to intervene in the protests and warned those remaining in the camp that they may be committing a crime. The incidents began two days earlier when UCLA declared camping illegal and escalated when pro-Israel protesters attacked activists on Tuesday night. It took hours for police intervention to stop the violence. Discussions on various topics such as BMW nutrition diabetes advertising were also mentioned in content related to this event.
