UCLA Protests: Over 2000 Arrested Nationwide, UC Administrators Criticized for Handling of Violent Clashes at UCLA

Los Angeles, California United States of America
Cleanup crews faced longer process for graffiti removal after encampment cleared.
Dozens of protesters injured during clashes, no significant injuries to police reported.
FUPOA President Wade Stern criticized UC administrators for handling of situation and decision making.
Over 2000 people arrested during US campus protests related to Israel's assault on Gaza since April 2024.
UCLA Chancellor Gene Block cancelled classes due to safety concerns after violent clashes.
Violence broke out at UCLA on May 5 between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and counter-protesters.
UCLA Protests: Over 2000 Arrested Nationwide, UC Administrators Criticized for Handling of Violent Clashes at UCLA

Since the beginning of April 2024, over 2000 people have been arrested on US campuses during protests related to Israel's assault on Gaza. The response by law enforcement to these protests has come under heightened scrutiny due to the excessive use of force and disparities in training and understanding of protest handling.

On May 5, at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), violence broke out during a pro-Palestinian encampment. The encampment had been allowed to remain on campus for several days before the situation escalated into violent clashes between demonstrators and counter-protesters.

According to reports, counter-protesters attacked the encampment with fireworks and chemical irritants, causing injuries to both sides. The violence prompted UCLA Chancellor Gene Block to cancel all classes on May 5 due to safety concerns.

The union representing campus police officers at UC schools has criticized the university administration for its handling of the situation. FUPOA President Wade Stern stated that senior UC administrators are solely responsible for the University's response to campus protests, and they decided on the objectives while campus police were only responsible for implementing those objectives.

The upcoming probe by UC President Michael Drake into the university's planning, actions, and response by law enforcement must consider these guidelines. The union also noted that UCLA administrators own all fallout from the response and lack of response to this protest.

Dozens of protesters were injured during the clashes, but no significant injuries to police officers were reported. The encampment was eventually cleared, revealing extensive graffiti damage and piles of garbage left behind. Cleanup crews moved in quickly to remove the garbage but faced a longer process for graffiti removal.

Campus security maintained a presence on campus amid fears that protesters might return to the scene and try to re-establish the encampment.

Civil rights groups have criticized the excessive police response to these protests, citing disparities in training and understanding of protest handling. The events at UCLA are just one example of a larger issue affecting universities and colleges across the nation.


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Confidence

96%

Doubts
  • Was there any communication or negotiation between UCLA administrators and protesters before the encampment was cleared?
  • Were all injuries reported during the clashes between demonstrators and counter-protesters?

Sources

94%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Police tactics at campus protests reveal disparities in approaches to public order and lessons learned post-George Floyd

CNN News Site: In-Depth Reporting and Analysis with Some Financial Conflicts and Sensational Language Emma Tucker Sunday, 05 May 2024 09:00
  • Unique Points
    • Since mid-April, over 2000 people have been arrested on US campuses.
    • Civil rights groups criticize excessive police response to protests.
    • Police tactics reveal disparities in training and understanding of protest handling.
  • Accuracy
    • Over 2000 people have been arrested on US campuses.
    • 2,000 students have been arrested nationwide during similar campus pro-Palestine protests.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

94%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

UCLA announces new campus safety office after violent protests

The Hill News Site: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate-seethe-republicans-call-for-israeli-elections/ Nick Robertson Monday, 06 May 2024 00:14
  • Unique Points
    • UCLA will create a new office focused on campus safety.
    • New Office of Public Safety will have oversight over campus police and emergency response.
    • Former Sacramento police chief Rick Braziel will lead the new office.
    • Dozens of protesters were injured during a pro-Palestine protest encampment last week.
  • Accuracy
    • 200 UCLA students were arrested last week.
    • 2,000 students have been arrested nationwide during similar campus pro-Palestine protests.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains a few informal fallacies and appeals to authority. It also presents a dichotomous depiction of the pro-Palestine protest encampment. No formal fallacies were found.
    • . . . police fired rubber bullets at the protesters Thursday while making arrests.
    • The new Office of Public Safety will have oversight over campus police and emergency response, he said. The office is to be led by former Sacramento police chief Rick Braziel.
    • Hundreds of college campuses have seen similar protests in recent weeks, with more than 2,000 students being arrested nationwide.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

95%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Campus police union blames UCLA for encampment response

NBC Los Angeles Media Inc. City News Monday, 06 May 2024 03:35
  • Unique Points
    • The union that represents campus police officers at the 10 University of California schools is blaming UCLA administrators for the much-criticized response to violence that broke out at the Westwood campus this week.
    • The upcoming probe by UC President Michael Drake into the university’s ‘planning, actions and response by law enforcement’ must consider the UC’s own guidelines for response to campus protests, according to FUPOA President Wade Stern.
    • Police moved in and cleared a week-long pro-Palestinian encampment early Thursday, arresting 209 people. Most of those arrested were booked on suspicion of unlawful assembly, then released from custody with instructions to appear in court at a later date.
    • No significant injuries to protesters or the hundreds of police officers who took part in the raid were reported.
    • The raid came after the situation peaked overnight Tuesday and early Wednesday, when the pro-Palestinian encampment was attacked by counter-protesters supporting Israel who set off fireworks and allegedly deployed pepper spray or bear repellent. The violence prompted a cancellation of all classes at UCLA on Wednesday.
    • UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said that while many of the protesters at the encampment remained peaceful, ultimately, the site became a focal point for serious violence as well as a huge disruption to the campus. Several days of violent clashes between demonstrators and counter-demonstrators put too many students in harm’s way and created an environment that was completely unsafe for learning.
    • Roughly 300 people who had been inside the campus left the area voluntarily before the mass arrests began.
    • The clearing of the encampment revealed extensive graffiti damage to the front of Royce Hall and Powell Library, as well as piles of garbage left behind. Cleanup crews moved in on Thursday morning, quickly removing the garbage but facing a longer process for graffiti removal.
    • Campus security was maintaining a presence on the campus amid fears that protesters might return to the scene and try to re-establish the encampment.
  • Accuracy
    • ]The upcoming probe by UC President Michael Drake into the university's 'planning, actions and response by law enforcement' must consider the UC’s own guidelines for response to campus protests, according to FUPOA President Wade Stern.[
    • Police moved in and cleared a week-long pro-Palestinian encampment early Thursday, arresting 209 people. Most of those arrested were booked on suspicion of unlawful assembly, then released from custody with instructions to appear in court at a later date.
    • Roughly 300 people who had been inside the campus left the area voluntarily before the mass arrests began.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

56%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

How Counterprotesters at U.C.L.A. Provoked Violence, Unchecked for Hours

The New York Times Neil Bedi, Friday, 03 May 2024 22:17
  • Unique Points
    • On Tuesday night, violence erupted at an encampment that pro-Palestinian protesters had set up on April 25 at UCLA.
    • Counterprotesters shot fireworks toward the encampment at least six times, according to videos analyzed by The Times. One of them went off inside, causing protesters to scream. Another exploded at the edge of the encampment.
    • Some counterprotesters sprayed chemicals both into the encampment and directly at people’s faces.
  • Accuracy
    • ] counterprotesters tried to dismantle the encampment's barricade.[
    • Counterprotesters shot fireworks toward the encampment at least six times.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article reports on a violent clash between pro-Palestinian and counterprotesters at UCLA. While the authors do not make any overtly deceptive statements, they do engage in selective reporting by focusing solely on the actions of the counterprotesters and ignoring any potential instigation or violence from the pro-Palestinian side. This is evident when they state 'Except for a brief attempt to capture a loudspeaker used by counterprotesters, and water bottles being tossed out of the encampment, none of the videos analyzed by The Times show any clear instance of encampment protesters initiating confrontations with counterprotesters beyond defending the barricades.' This statement is misleading as it implies that only the counterprotesters were instigating violence, when in fact there are no clear instances shown in the article of pro-Palestinian protesters initiating violence towards the counterprotesters. Additionally, they use emotional manipulation by describing the actions of the counterprotesters as 'attacking' and 'swarming' individuals, which creates a negative connotation and biases readers against them.
    • Except for a brief attempt to capture a loudspeaker used by counterprotesters, and water bottles being tossed out of the encampment, none of the videos analyzed by The Times show any clear instance of encampment protesters initiating confrontations with counterprotesters beyond defending the barricades.
    • Twenty minutes after police arrive, a video shows a counterprotester spraying a chemical toward the encampment during a scuffle over a metal barricade. Another counterprotester can be seen punching someone in the head near the encampment after swinging a plank at barricades.
    • counterprotesters attacked a man standing dozens of feet from the officers.
  • Fallacies (75%)
    The article contains several instances of inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority. The authors use phrases like 'violence ebbed and flowed for nearly five hours, mostly with little or no police intervention' and 'counterprotesters attacked students in the pro-Palestinian encampment for several hours' to provoke an emotional response from readers. They also quote people making statements without providing any context or evidence to support their claims. For example, they quote a university spokesperson declining to comment on the security staff's response and a statement from U.C.L.A.'s vice chancellor of strategic communications without providing any information about the content of these statements or why they are significant. These instances do not meet the criteria for formal logical fallacies, but they do contribute to an inflammatory tone that can be misleading and potentially inaccurate.
    • ]violence ebbed and flowed for nearly five hours, mostly with little or no police intervention[
    • counterprotesters attacked students in the pro-Palestinian encampment for several hours
    • a university spokesperson declined to comment on the security staff’s response
    • U.C.L.A.’s vice chancellor of strategic communications provided a statement to The Times from Mary Osako
  • Bias (5%)
    The article describes counterprotesters instigating and engaging in violent attacks against pro-Palestinian protesters for hours without any immediate intervention from law enforcement. The language used to describe the actions of the counterprotesters is not neutral and implies a bias towards their perspective.
    • At times, counterprotesters swarmed individuals - sometimes a group descended on a single person. They could be seen punching, kicking and attacking people with makeshift weapons, including sticks, traffic cones and wooden boards.
      • counterprotesters attacked students in the pro-Palestinian encampment for several hours, including beating them with sticks, using chemical sprays and launching fireworks as weapons.
        • Counterprotesters shot fireworks toward the encampment at least six times, according to videos analyzed by The Times. One of them went off inside, causing protesters to scream. Another exploded at the edge of the encampment. One was thrown in the direction of a group of protesters who were carrying an injured person out of the encampment.
          • During the rush, a counterprotester pulls away a metal barricade from a woman, yelling ‘You stand no chance, old lady.’
            • Fifteen minutes later, while those in the encampment chanted ‘Free, free Palestine,' counterprotesters organized a rush toward the barricades. During the rush, a counterprotester pulls away a metal barricade from a woman, yelling ‘You stand no chance, old lady.’
              • Just four minutes after officers arrived, counterprotesters attacked a man standing dozens of feet from the officers.
                • Some counterprotesters sprayed chemicals both into the encampment and directly at people's faces.
                  • Throughout the intermittent violence, officers were captured on video standing about 300 feet away from the area for roughly an hour, without stepping in.
                    • Twenty minutes after police arrive, a video shows a counterprotester spraying a chemical toward the encampment during a scuffle over a metal barricade. Another counterprotester can be seen punching someone in the head near the encampment after swinging a plank at barricades.
                    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication

                    75%

                    The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
                    (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

                    A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

                    UCLA students describe violent attack on Gaza protest encampment: ‘It was terrifying’

                    theguardian.com Article URL: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/13/ pakistan-·coalition-·agrees-to-form-government Dani Anguiano Thursday, 02 May 2024 12:59
                    • Unique Points
                      • Masked group attacked pro-Palestine encampment on UCLA campus
                      • Students described the violence as terrifying and reminiscent of January 6
                      • Police looked on for hours before intervening during the attack
                    • Accuracy
                      • Thousands of pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrators clashed over the weekend, resulting in several groups breaching barriers between them
                      • Counter-protesters used loudspeakers to play recordings of a crying child during the encounters
                    • Deception (30%)
                      The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position of violence at the UCLA campus. The author quotes students describing violent attacks on the pro-Palestine encampment but does not mention any counter-narratives or perspectives from those involved in the alleged violence or law enforcement. Additionally, there is emotional manipulation through phrases like 'it was terrifying' and 'this is like sacred ground to me'. The article also contains sensationalism through phrases like 'battle' and 'chaos and complete division'
                      • It reminded me of January 6. It was terrifying.
                      • This is stuff that only happens in movies.
                      • They just let it happen. And it was up to the students to protect themselves.
                    • Fallacies (80%)
                      The author uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing the violence as 'terrifying' and 'battle-like', which is an appeal to emotion. The author also reports on students' descriptions of the events without explicitly stating whether she agrees or disagrees with their assessments, but her use of descriptive language suggests a bias against the masked group that attacked the encampment. However, no formal fallacies were identified in this article.
                      • ]The violence that unfolded on the public university's campus overnight and the slow response from authorities shocked Nair and other UCLA students.[
                      • It reminded me of January 6. It was terrifying.[
                    • Bias (80%)
                      The author uses language that depicts the masked group as 'violent' and 'terrifying', implying a negative connotation. The author also describes the actions of this group as 'attacking students' without providing any context or justification for their actions.
                      • 'It was terrifying.'
                        • The violence that unfolded on the public university's campus overnight and the slow response from authorities shocked Nair and other UCLA students.
                        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                          None Found At Time Of Publication
                        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                          None Found At Time Of Publication