CHP Raids UCLA Pro-Palestinian Encampment; Protesters Arrested

WESTWOOD, LOS ANGELES, May 2 (KNN) — After a night of violent encounters, an encampment –containing barricaded students and people in support of Palestinians in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East – was raided by the California Highway Patrol overnight as explosives sounded over the heads of an estimated several hundred people within the encampment,

CHP officers raided the location in the heart of the UCLA campus around 3 a.m. Thursday. It was reported that at least dozens of protesters were taken into custody and possibly more before the night was over.

There was still resistance as officers dismantled the week-old encampment as they pulled away barricades and plywood. Flash bangs were deployed as officers continued their raid deeper into the encampment.

On a KNN video from the scene around 6 p.m. Wednesday evening, a police dispersal announcement was heard broadcasted continuously with warnings of arrests if the orders were not met to disperse. The presence of law enforcement en masse Wednesday night was in complete contrast to Tuesday night’s lack of officers during a violent clash where many students were injured while an attempted attack on the encampment took place.

Many protesters defied those orders Wednesday night as they faced off with a large response from authorities that included the CHP, the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Campus police.

The campus was ultimately cleared by the early morning hours.

Austin Dave, Video Journalist / KNN

City News Service contributed to this report.