Police dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA, arrest hundreds

May 2 (UPI) -- Police have forcibly dismantled an encampment erected by pro-Palestinian demonstrators on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles, arresting more than 200 people in the process, authorities and officials said.

The encampment was erected Thursday in the Royce Quad of the school's campus as similar demonstrations were being set up at universities across the nationwide in demand that the schools divest from Israel and call for a cease-fire in the war between Israel and Iran-backed Hamas.

On Tuesday, UCLA deemed the encampment unlawful. That night, clashes erupted between protesters and counter-protesters after "instigators" attacked the encampment, the school said in a statement.

On Thursday, police in riot gear moved in on the encampment, and forcibly tore it down.

Los Angeles Police Department Chief Dominic Choi said 2010 arrests were made by ULCA police for failure to disperse.

UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said in a statement later Thursday that the encampment was ordered to be removed after it became a "focal point for serious violence."

"Several days of violent clashes between demonstrators and counter-demonstrators put too many Burins in harm's way and created an environment that was completely unsafe for learning," Block said.

"Demonstrators directly interfered with instruction by blocking students' pathways to classrooms. Indirectly, violence related to the encampment led to the closure of academic buildings and the cancellation of classes. And frankly, hostilities were only continuing to escalate."

Block reiterated that the encampment was both unlawful and a violation of school policy that led to unsafe conditions on campus while preventing it from educating students. Meetings with protesters failed to reach an agreement, Block added.

"It needed to come to an end."

Though Choi claimed no major injuries were reported in the operation, the People's City Council -- Los Angeles, which was involved in the encampment, said five students were shot in the head with rubber bullets.

"We will never stop fighting. UCLA students aren't backing down," it said on X. "This is just the beginning."

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who has called for an investigation into the Tuesday night violence, said Thursday on X that harassment, vandalism and violence "have no place at UCLA or anywhere in our city."

"Every student deserves to be safe and live peacefully on their campus," she said.