Newsom Gives Brief Comment On Protests
Violent protests erupted on Tuesday night at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, Berkeley, over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. Demonstrators clashed over their differing views on the issue, resulting in fights, property destruction, and the deployment of fireworks and pepper spray.
These protests were met with swift condemnation from California Governor Gavin Newsom and other state officials vying to replace him. Newsom tweeted that the right to free speech does not extend to inciting violence, vandalism, or lawlessness on campus.
He warned that those who engage in illegal behavior will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution, suspension, or expulsion.
LA Lt. Gov. Eleni Koualakis echoed Newsom's sentiment in a statement, saying that hate speech, violence, and destruction of property have no place on university campuses. She also acknowledged that while the right to peaceful protest is essential to democracy, the actions and language of some protesters have been shocking and abhorrent.
While many Republican officials have openly criticized the anti-Israel demonstrations, Democratic officials such as Newsom have attempted to avoid the subject. UC Regents and State Superintendent Tony Thurmon declined to comment, and State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas also refused to address the issue.
Violence erupted at UCLA late Tuesday night as anti-Israel and pro-Israel demonstrators clashed. The situation quickly escalated to fights, objects being thrown, and the deployment of fireworks and what appeared to be pepper spray. Despite this, state and local authorities were absent from the scene for the first two hours of the protests, causing concern among students and officials alike.
The violence at UCLA began when dozens of pro-Israeli counter-protesters arrived at the scene. Attempts were made to dismantle parts of the anti-Israel encampment, and police and medical personnel briefly showed up before leaving. Eventually, Los Angeles Police responded to the situation shortly after 1 a.m. local time.
The protests at UCLA came after a student attempting to walk to class on Monday was blocked by a wall of anti-Israel protesters. In a video, the student can be seen trying to pass through the barrier and explaining that he is a UCLA student.
In a statement, Vice Chancellor of Strategic Communications Mary Osako called the disruption to the teaching and learning mission at the university "abhorrent" and said the student conduct process had been initiated.
Osako also said that steps were being taken to ensure the safety of students and prevent further disruptions, including the addition of more law enforcement and personnel. The barriers used to block the student from class have also been removed, and law enforcement is investigating the incident.