On June 18th, officials cleared a pro-Palestine encampment that had been protesting for over 40 days on the campus of California State University, Los Angeles. This was due to demonstrators occupying a school building and destroying offices, which occurred last week.
According to Berencea Johnson Eanes, the president of the university, the California Highway Patrol took charge of clearing the area at 1:20 p.m. on Monday. Thankfully, no one was injured and no arrests were made during the process.
Several encampments, similar to the one erected at universities in the United States and Canada, were set up to demand divestment from companies and institutions associated with Israel’s actions in Gaza and the occupied territories.
Protesters took over the initial four floors of the CSULA’s Student Services Building on Wednesday, causing extensive damage, as per Eans’ account the following day. The protestors wrecked offices, stole property, and created chaos.
In a statement issued on Monday, Eanes made it clear that any unlawful behavior that endangered the staff and students in the SSB, such as assault, vandalism, destruction of property, and looting, from those associated with the encampment left no other option for the safety of the entire campus community but to disband and disperse the encampment.
“Our stance is clear – we do not engage in negotiations with individuals or groups who resort to destructive and intimidating tactics to achieve their objectives.”
In an Instagram statement, the CSULA chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine reported that the administration gave no prior notice before sending in approximately 150 officers in riot gear to dismantle the encampment.
According to the statement, the police instructed the individuals present within the encampment to gather their belongings and vacate the area verbally. However, those who were not present at the time of the “dispersal” were prohibited from entering the area to retrieve their possessions within the given 5-minute timespan.
Towards the end of April, the CSULA chancellor’s office made it clear that they had no plans to modify their current investment policies concerning Israel in light of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The CSU stands in support of the expression of diverse viewpoints by the members of our community. However, the act of divestment in this manner negatively affects the academic freedom of our faculty and students, as well as the free exchange of ideas on our campuses. As mentioned in their statement, the CSU firmly believes in upholding these values.
On Wednesday, CSULA announced that its main campus would be conducting all classes and operations virtually.
Eanes expressed his sympathies and pledged to take all necessary measures to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. “I share in your sorrow, and I am determined to do whatever it takes to ensure that this never happens again,” he stated.
Police have dismantled several encampments, with the CSULA protest being one of the last to remain standing.
