Students at UCLA created a new pro-Palestinian encampment while Chancellor Block faced scrutiny over the handling of previous protests and antisemitic incidents.
On May 23, 2024, students at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) formed a new pro-Palestinian encampment while Chancellor Gene D. Block testified before a House committee in Washington, D.C. The testimony addressed the university’s handling of previous encampments and antisemitic incidents. By the early afternoon, protesters had barricaded the Kerckhoff Patio using umbrellas, tables, and wooden slabs.
In response, officers from the Los Angeles Police Department and Santa Monica Police Department, equipped with riot helmets and batons, arrived on campus. They aimed to prevent more protesters from joining the encampment. An officer declared the assembly unlawful, indicating possible clearance actions.
University officials stated that the encampment was disrupting campus operations and warned protesters of potential arrests and disciplinary action if they did not disperse. The UCLA chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine called the demonstration “Encampment 2.0.”
Chancellor Block, testifying before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, was criticized for not clearing the previous encampment sooner and for failures in protecting students during clashes with pro-Israel counterprotesters. The police had eventually dispersed that encampment, arresting over 200 protesters in early May.
Northwestern University President Michael Schill and Rutgers University President Dr. Jonathan Holloway also testified. Their negotiations with protesters, instead of authorizing police clearances, drew both praise and rebuke. The hearing highlighted widespread investigations into antisemitic incidents but noted limited immediate consequences.
