Video: Pro-Palestinian, pro-Israel groups clash at UC

On Wednesday, violent altercations erupted at the University of California, Los Angeles during pro-Palestinian protests, as seen in footage broadcasted by U.S. television channels. This unrest is part of a wider pattern of similar demonstrations taking place at numerous universities across the country.

CNN reported that the clashes began before sunrise, involving confrontations between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli factions.

In response to the escalating situation, the LA Police Department was promptly called to provide support on campus, as confirmed by Zach Seidl, a spokesperson for the city’s mayor, through a social media statement on platform X.

Television footage depicted protesters and counter-protesters engaging violently, using sticks and dismantling metal barricades. Additionally, individuals were recorded firing fireworks and throwing objects at each other under the illumination of laser pointers and flashlights.

UCLA Chancellor Gene D. Block had previously issued a warning about the potential for unrest, noting that both UCLA affiliates and outsiders had established a campsite on campus the preceding week. While he acknowledged that many participants had conducted themselves peacefully, he expressed concern in a letter published on the university’s website about the aggressive tactics employed by others, describing them as “shocking and shameful.”

Block highlighted that such violent incidents had significantly heightened anxiety and fear among the campus community, particularly impacting Jewish students.