Staff, community clean up UCLA encampment

A mess was left behind at UCLA after police tore down a pro-Palestinian encampment Thursday morning.

KNX News’ Nataly Tavidian reported the encampment took about three hours to clear and staff is at UCLA cleaning the area. A couple of people even brought their own gloves and trash bags to clean the outskirts of the encampment. Tavidian saw trucks backing out of the area with bins, coolers, tents, chairs, and other items.

She spoke to people in the area who were shocked by the LAPD’s dismantling of the encampment.

“It was just too much. When they started throwing fireworks or the rubber bullets being shot, I couldn't take it,” one person said.

The tents and barricades have all been taken down. However, there is still fencing around the encampment area as professionals are cleaning it.

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UCLA Chancellor Gene Block sent a message to the Bruin community about the events over the past week. He said they decided to dismantle the encampment because things got violent with counter-protestors on Tuesday night.

Block said the administration had communicated with and made formal requests to meet with the demonstration leaders to talk about options for a peaceful disbanding of the encampment. Those meetings did not lead to an agreement.

There were over 200 people arrested and more than 300 people ran off. Classes at UCLA are remote through Friday.

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