Pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian protesters clash as UCLA allows both groups to express their views on campus
Protests at US universities have showed no sign of slowing over the weekend, with more arrests on campuses and a brief skirmish between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian demonstrators at California’s UCLA, where a tent encampment was set up last week.
As the size of an anti-Israel encampment at the University of California at Los Angeles expanded in recent days, counter-protesters have become increasingly vocal and visible on the campus, although both sides remained peaceful until today.
The tone turns ugly at around midday when members of two groups of protesters clashed – shoving one another and shouting, and in some cases trading punches.
Posts on social media say that at least one person was injured during the clashes.
Emergency first responders at UCLA wrap Jewish woman’s head in bandages as a Jewish student says “somebody was assaulted by the Pro-Palestinian terrorists here.”
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) April 28, 2024
Security guards attempt to keep the two sides separated, while campus police stand by and watch the brief skirmish, according to a Reuters photographer who witnessed the scene at around noon local time.
The dueling demonstrations involve at least some people from outside the university, which issued a statement saying it had allowed two groups on campus to express their views.
This is @UCLA where people have shown up in force to stand up to the pro-terror mob.
Notice there is no screaming or genocidal chants and no masks. Just a sea of Israeli and American flags. pic.twitter.com/8HdHl4DH1K
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) April 28, 2024