Over the weekend, anti-Semitic protests escalated at major universities across the United States, leading to more arrests of protesters nationwide. At the University of California, Los Angeles, there was a minor clash between pro-Israel and anti-Semitic demonstrators.
In recent days, as the anti-Semitic protesters’ camp at UCLA continued to expand, supporters of Israel also gathered on campus, with tensions rising despite both sides maintaining peace until Sunday.
Mary Osako, Vice Chancellor of UCLA, stated that when some protesters broke through the barricades that separated the two groups, the situation escalated.
Members of both groups pushed and shoved, chanted slogans, exchanged insults, and at times even resorted to physical violence. After a prolonged confrontation between the protesters, campus police wielding batons eventually managed to separate the two sides.
A video circulating on social media showed a Jewish student sustaining a severe blow to the head, resulting in head trauma and requiring medical attention and bandaging.
Osako expressed deep regret over the violent events, stating, “UCLA has a long history of peaceful protests.”
According to campus police representatives, the Los Angeles police did not intervene to quell the unrest and did not make any arrests.
In an earlier statement by UCLA, the university allowed both groups to express their views on campus.
The statement mentioned that members of the Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice support the students’ right to protest, while “Stand in Support of Jewish Students” collaborated with the Israeli-American Council to counter hatred and anti-Semitism on campus.
Over the past two weeks, anti-Semitic protests have spread to university campuses across the United States, with the arrest of over a hundred people at Columbia University igniting broader demonstrations.
School administrations, including Columbia University, stated that these unauthorized protest activities violated campus rules, disrupted the learning environment, and fueled harassment and anti-Semitism.
Protesters demanded a ceasefire in Gaza, called for the U.S. to cease military aid to Israel, and urged universities to divest their assets from companies associated with the Israeli military.
Several schools, including Washington University in St. Louis, saw over 200 people arrested over the weekend.
Washington University in St. Louis is the alma mater of Jill Stein, the 2024 U.S. Green Party presidential candidate. Stein remarked in a statement, “They sent in riot police to incite chaos at what was originally a peaceful protest. It’s truly disgraceful.”
The university announced that those arrested would face charges of unlawful entry.
The national protests have attracted the attention of President Biden. White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby stated on ABC News that Biden recognizes the strong sentiments many Americans hold regarding the Gaza conflict.
Kirby emphasized, “He respects that, as he has said many times, we, of course, respect the right to peaceful protest. People should be able to express their views openly, share their opinions, but it must be done peacefully.”
At the same time, Kirby mentioned that Biden condemns anti-Semitism and hate speech.
(Adapted from related reports by Reuters)