Pro-Palestinian protesters at California State University, Los Angeles, made headlines on Wednesday as they entered and barricaded the Student Services Building on campus. The incident, captured on video, involved a group of 50 to 100 demonstrators who barricaded the exits on the first floor and blocked off areas around the building, according to university spokesperson Erik Frost Hollins.
The university took precautions by asking employees on the upper floors to shelter in place, with a small group of staff members staying overnight to manage the situation. Despite the tense situation, a protester clarified that it was not a hostage scenario but rather a demonstration to express frustration with university officials.
The escalation of the protests was attributed to dissatisfaction with the university's handling of encampments, with protesters claiming that the message sent by officials was a reiteration of previous statements made 20 days ago. Video footage showed protesters rearranging furniture on the first floor, displaying signs on windows, and spray-painting messages on plywood, such as 'The time to escalate is now!' and 'CSU stop funding genocide.'
Notably, the office of Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes is located in the Student Services Building, and she was reported to be among the staff members inside the building during the protest. In response to the situation, the university contacted the Los Angeles Police Department for assistance. Police officers are working on a plan and increasing their presence on campus, although specific tactical details have not been disclosed.
This incident at Cal State LA follows a similar event at UCLA, where 27 individuals were arrested for setting up pro-Palestinian encampments deemed unlawful by the authorities. The ongoing protests highlight the tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the activism taking place on college campuses in California.
