Over 200 individuals were arrested for failing to comply with orders to disperse from an illegal encampment that was recently dismantled on the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus, according to a statement released by UCLA Chancellor Gene Block. Block described the encampment as a significant disruption to campus operations.
Earlier reports from the California Highway Patrol had indicated that 132 individuals were taken into custody.
In his statement, Block acknowledged that while many of the protesters at the encampment had remained peaceful, the situation escalated into instances of serious violence, causing major disruptions on campus. He emphasized that the encampment on Royce Quad was both unlawful and a violation of university policy, leading to unsafe conditions and hindering the university's ability to fulfill its mission.
Block stated that warnings were issued to those who remained in the encampment on Wednesday night, urging them to leave peacefully before law enforcement officers intervened. Despite these warnings, more than 200 individuals resisted orders to disperse and were subsequently arrested.
The Chancellor expressed that approximately 300 protesters chose to leave voluntarily, while the remaining individuals who refused to comply faced legal consequences for their actions.
