Los Angeles police invaded UCLA University in California, destroying the makeshift barricades that students had set up to protect their “camp.”
Officers from the special operations unit, wearing helmets and gas masks and carrying batons, entered the occupation, in a scenario of great tension.
Police removed barricades and began dismantling the fortified encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters Thursday morning on the UCLA campus. The video shows a little of what happened: https://t.co/2niUJpufb2 pic.twitter.com/vaa4sL4Ygy
— NBC10 Philadelphia (@NBCPhiladelphia) May 2, 2024
The special forces intervention took place at around 4 am Greek time on Thursday morning for the west coast of the USA.
Police made arrests, the exact number of which was not officially known.
However, the first information from sources in the student community speaks of at least 100 arrests.
🚨Tensions are high on the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus, where hundreds of police officers in riot gear have mobilized in force, ordering peaceful pro-Palestinian protesters to leave or face arrest. pic.twitter.com/5Jp0h64sgP
-Steve Gruber (@stevegrubershow) May 2, 2024
Hours before the final operation to disperse the demonstration, dozens of police officers – initially in plain clothes – began to gather
on campus as protesters chanted, among other things, “We’re not leaving!” and “Who are you protecting?”
After a standoff that lasted more than 12 hours, police, this time in riot gear and gear, tore down the makeshift barricades and moved into the main pro-Palestinian rally site.
Arrests and clashes with students followed.
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All night before, protesters chanted slogans, while scenarios about when the police would finally take action contributed to the tense atmosphere, although in the end everyone took the operation for granted.