UCLA's chancellor on Monday night outlined actions the school is taking following mob violence against protesters on campus last week.
Chancellor Gene Block said university police would work with Los Angeles police and the county district attorney to identify and prosecute “to the fullest extent of the law” those who attacked the pro-Palestinian camp. The university “also contacted the FBI about possible assistance,” Block said in a statement.
Shortly before midnight Tuesday, a large group arrived at the Westwood campus, some wearing masks. Some members of the mob, seen live on television and the Internet, used plastic pipes and boards to beat pro-Palestinian protesters. While those inside used pepper spray and attempted to defend the perimeter of the site, the attackers attempted to knock down barricades and throw objects. Fireworks were launched at the camp.
“This was a truly despicable act,” Block said Monday.
The violence raged unchecked for several hours before dozens of officers from the California Highway Patrol, the Los Angeles Police Department and other agencies arrived, a slow response that has sparked widespread dismay and scrutiny.
Rick Braziel, UCLA's newly appointed associate vice chancellor and chief security officer, will lead the “investigation to identify the perpetrators of the violence and hold them accountable,” Block said.
The chancellor said Brazil would also conduct “a careful review” of the UCLA Police Department’s response to the attack, as well as “an analysis of UCLA’s security protocols and a broader assessment of all acts of violence in the last 12 days, including those against counter-protesters.”
The chancellor said the Los Angeles police “have hired a detective to assist in our investigative efforts and we have also connected with the FBI about possible assistance.”
School officials have also “spoke with the Los Angeles County district. Lawyer. George Gascón,” he said, “to request his assistance in ensuring that the instigators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Block said the UCLA Police Department has been ordered to “invest all necessary resources to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation.”
Campus police are reviewing video of the incident and interviewing witnesses, he said.
“We urge anyone who saw the violence firsthand or has information about the attack to report it as soon as possible,” Block said.
The FBI said in a statement to the Times that it was “in close contact with state and local law enforcement partners.” The agency added: “We respect the rights of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights, and the FBI investigates individuals who violate federal law through violence or other criminal activity.”
