Protests at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) over the Palestinian conflict turned violent on Thursday as police moved in to clear an encampment. According to multiple sources, including CNN and The Independent, authorities used rubber bullets and other less-lethal rounds to disperse the crowd. Protesters reported numerous injuries ranging from scrapes and bruises to severe cases such as burns, respiratory failure, lacerations, head traumas with suspicion for concussion or intracranial hemorrhage. One head trauma was confirmed to have resulted in subarachnoid hemorrhage.
The Independent reported that one arrested student, Aidan Doyle, insisted the protests remained peaceful and placed some blame on President Biden for the escalation of tensions. However, volunteer medics on the ground reported treating numerous individuals for injuries during the clearing of the encampment.
CNN also reported that police fired rubber bullets at UCLA protesters as they moved into the campus encampment. The Los Angeles Times detailed that officers used riot gear and less-lethal rounds to disperse demonstrators, resulting in injuries.
The UCLA Palestine Solidarity Encampment, organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (UCLA branch), had been ongoing since the previous week. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) greater Los Angeles area office also condemned the use of force against peaceful protesters.
It is important to note that all sources should be approached with skepticism, as mainstream media outlets have a known bias towards certain narratives. The facts presented here are derived from multiple sources and aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the situation.
