While workers removed pro-Palestinian protesters’ encampment at UCLA, they are still working to clean the signs of vandalism. NBC Los Angeles’ Tracey Leong reports.
UCLA facilities teams were busy throughout the morning and into the afternoon on Thursday taking down structures, removing protestors’ belongings and hauling away mounds of trash following days of pro-Palestinian protests and pro-Israeli counter-protests.
Even though the encampment was cleared by Thursday night, the area remained blocked off so crews could remove the graffiti that was sprayed on buildings and the sidewalks.
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Pro-Palestinian protestors made Royce Quad their temporary home for one week, bringing in sleeping bags, chairs, tables, supplies and food while they called for a ceasefire in Gaza and demanded UCLA cut off ties
“I care a lot about the legacy of UCLA and think both efforts to protest and demonstrate as well as efforts to keep the campus pristine reflect the values of UCLA,” said UCLA Political Science major Dane Catom.
Even though Catom supports the group’s right to protest, he was upset to see the damage left behind.
“I don’t agree with the vandalism, some people say it’s a form of protest. Me, personally, I disagree with that. I think it diminishes the arguments and the message that is pushed. And frankly, it upset me. It disappointed me,” said Catom.
The buildings surrounding the encampment were both vandalized with graffiti and parts of the scaffolding were ripped from the library, which was undergoing repairs before the protestors moved in. Pieces of plywood from the construction site were also used by the protestors to create a barrier around their camp.
“I don’t think destruction of the property is the first move, but I think if it’s what we need to do to get people’s attention and say this is not ok what’s happening it’s a way to get the public’s attention and a way to show our government we don’t like what’s happening,” said Melanie Meyer.
Meyer lives in Silverlake and drove to UCLA to check out the encampment. She said she was impressed by the protestors and felt their demonstration was an opportunity to join an important conversation.
“For some students, this is an extension of their education right, I think just because they express a strong sentiment doesn’t mean they should be barred from the community, if anything there should be a more open discussion,” said Meyer.
NBC4 reached out to the school’s administration to get the exact numbers on the amount of garbage removed and the cost of the cleanup operation. They have not yet responded.
In wake of the unrest, more than 200 people were arrested overnight.
