Missed Classes, Cancelled or Remote Graduation: UCLA Students Angry with Anti-Israel Protesters

At first, the protests on the UCLA campus in Los Angeles were simply one of the first Pro-Palestinian protests in the country. Throughout April it grew to be one of the largest in the country, with it’s encampment dwarfing even Columbia’s in New York. However, supporters of Israel and those opposing antisemitism began challenging those protesters on campus. In the first clash, both sides fought it out until police broke them up. Not wanting police to crackdown on protesters, the University held them back after the first incident.

However, only days later, a second scuffle broke out, with fireworks even being fired at protestors on campus. It took hours before police were finally amassed and brought in, delayed by the University hoping to avoid them being on campus. A total of 15 people were injured, with one hospitalized as a result. With the UCLA administration feeling pressure following the second incident, the LAPD and the California Highway Patrol finally broke up the encampment on May 2nd. This led to 210 people being arrested, and the encampment being torn down. The campus was also closed for the rest of the week as a precaution, giving protestors no where to go as a result. The encampment being torn down and the arrests made international news. Some protests still resumed, with some faculty joining in, but the University believed that they had mostly died down after that.

With the encampment gone, UCLA was poised to bring in-person classes back this week. However, that proved to be wishful thinking. Campus was closed off Monday with classes later made remote the entire week because of another major protest occurring in a parking garage. Police cleared it early Monday and arrested another 43 protesters. The University, having already set up consequences for protesters, also decided to go after counter protesters who acted violently. The LAPD will even be bringing in facial recognition software to help find those responsible.

And as of Wednesday, that’s where things stand at UCLA. Pro-Hamas, pro-Palestine protesters and counter protesters have largely been cowed away from campus because of everything going remote. Law enforcement is prevalent on campus to avoid any more big protests. UCLA’s commencement is still currently scheduled in for June 13th through June 16th, with the University fortunate enough to have not had them scheduled for May like other universities who have either had to cancel them or been disrupted. Even cross-town rival USC cancelled their commencement.

But students on campus are upset. After years of COVID restrictions and finally getting back the traditional college experience, the protests made an uncomfortable return to remote classes, with some students afraid that, after high school graduations cancelled because of COVID-19, students graduating 4 years later may now have to have the same sort of remote graduation.

Students speak out against protests

“Don’t judge UCLA students based on these protests,” said student Rachel Diaz to the Globe on Wednesday. “Most of us may feel more for the Palestinians or Israel, but we aren’t protesting or getting the police involved. We just have an opinion then go to class because we want to learn. We want to write papers, do projects and get that experience. Ok, haha, wanting to write papers is a bit of a stretch, but you know what I mean.”

“We’re paying for this, our parents are paying for this, we have scholarships or we have loans to be going here. Most of us want to get that degree. But these protesters, and counter protesters, they just are ruining everything. I understand they have a right to protest and that they feel strongly about the situation in Gaza and want the university to divest, but when they make things worse for the rest of us, they go over the line.”

“You aren’t hearing this in the media, but a lot of us are pissed at them for making us go remote again. I’d say way more than half the students here at least.”

“You should be hearing what we are saying or messaging to each other,” said Greg, another student. “A lot of us want the protesters expelled or suspended. We want their scholarships taken away. We want them to not be able to live on campus. No housing assistance. Not being able to get on-campus jobs. That’s what most of us are thinking.

“Right now, if you see what is happening, it is just some loud protesters and everyone thinks that all the students think like that. And we don’t. You know what the average student on campus is right now? They’re just going to class. Yeah, there might be talks of parties and things like that. This is college. But we also know to study and do all the upcoming work. We are UCLA too. But these protesters. Why can’t they be peaceful? Why can’t they be non-disruptive?”

A third student, Carmen, said, “I’d say more students than not were on the side of the protesters until that huge encampment thing and campus was shut down. Now more students are glad to see police on campus. I still go out around there even with remote classes and it’s finally quiet.”

“I missed my High School graduation because of COVID, and if they make me miss my graduation this year I don’t know what I’ll do. My parents just want to see me get that diploma on stage. I’ll be the first college graduate in my family in the US. These protesters cannot take this away from me or from any of us.”