Pro-Palestine vs. Pro-Israel Clashes Erupt at UCLA amidst Campus Encampment, Demand for Boycotts Ignites Fundraiser Response

Pro-Palestine and Pro-Israel protesters clashed at UCLA on Sunday after days of demonstrations that have seen growing numbers of supporters camping out on campus. The Israeli American Council sponsored a rally to show support for Jewish students, while the Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice organised a protest in response to requests from other groups. Fights broke out between members of both factions at Dickson Plaza as protesters breached barriers put up by university officials separating them. City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky closely monitored the situation and communicated with UCLA leadership and city authorities, while a phalanx of campus police was later deployed to keep groups apart. The growing number of Pro-Palestine protesters has been met by equally fervent counter-protestors who have raised over $64,000 for Bruins for Israel through GoFundMe – twice the initial target amount. UCLA’s Palestine Solidarity Encampment issued a list of demands calling on divestment from companies linked to Israel and an academic boycott by UC against Israeli universities. The University of California has opposed calls for boycotts or divestments, stating that such actions impinge upon the freedom of students and faculty members at its institutions.