2024-05-07 05:27:12
Police officers and students were involved in a confrontation this Thursday at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) during the clearing of barricades erected by anti-war protesters in Gaza. The day was marked by similar interventions in other centers in the United States, which resulted in numerous arrests.
The police, equipped with anti-riot devices, knocked down a wooden barricade protecting the camp established on the campus, dragging the tents.
Wearing white helmets, the protesters formed a line in front of the officers, and several of them were arrested during the altercation. The use of stun bombs by security forces sought to disperse protesters who were chanting “Leave them alone,” while helicopters flew over the area.
Student demonstrations in favor of Gaza spread
It is demonstrations have expanded to more than 30 American universities since last month, in protest of the high number of victims in the Gaza Strip due to the conflict between Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas.
University officials face the challenge of balancing free speech rights with concerns about the presence of anti-Semitic and hate elements at rallies.
Los Angeles resident Jack Bedrosian expressed his support for the students stating that the protest is peaceful and criticizing the police intervention. The University announced remote classes for Thursday and Friday due to the “emergency” on campus, urging students to avoid the protest area.
Protests at other universities
The demonstrations began two weeks ago at Columbia University and have spread to several educational institutions in USA. Similar evictions occurred at the University of Texas and Fordham Jesuit University in New York, where several people were detained.
Some students have denounced police “brutality and aggressiveness”, while local authorities have accused “external agitators” of the escalation of the conflict. President Joe Biden’s administration has tried to maintain a balance in his stance on the conflict in Gaza.
Context of the conflict in Gaza
The conflict in Gaza intensified after an unprecedented attack by Hamas in Israel on October 7, triggering an Israeli military offensive that has left a high number of civilian victims according to the Ministry of Health of the Gaza Strip as of today 34,596 people died since the start of the war.
In the last 24 hours, at least 28 deaths were recorded, the Ministry said in a statement, which also reported 77,816 injuries during the conflict.
The United Nations (UN) today reported that the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip will cost between 30,000 and 40,000 million dollars, in addition to requiring a human effort unprecedented since World War II.
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2024-05-07 05:27:12