(The Guardian) ‘It was terrifying’: UCLA students describe violent attack on Gaza protest encampment
When Meghna Nair, a second-year student at the University of California, Los Angeles, saw a masked group of people headed toward the pro-Palestine encampment on campus late Tuesday evening, she expected trouble.
But the violence that unfolded on the public university’s campus overnight and the slow response from authorities shocked Nair and other UCLA students. -- I knew where they were going. I had an idea what they planned to do. I didn’t know what to do.”
Late Tuesday night, a masked group surrounded the encampment in solidarity with Gaza, throwing fireworks and violently attacking students.
Noah, a law student who preferred to use only his first name, said he was horrified by the violence, which he described as akin to a battle. -- This is like sacred ground to me. It reminded me of January 6. It was terrifying.”
Daniel Harris, a fourth-year student, said he stopped to observe the demonstrations on Tuesday evening, after the university chancellor said the encampment was “unlawful”, and could see tensions rising anew. Counter-protesters used speakers to play recordings of a crying child at a loud volume. A masked man attempted to hop the fence surrounding the encampment but was forced out by security.
Shortly after Harris witnessed a large group of people wearing black, with white masks that he said were like something from The Purge marching toward the encampment. -- I was on the phone with my girlfriend, and I was like, what the fuck is happening right now? What the actual fuck? I’ve never seen this in real life. This is stuff that only happens in movies.”
When Meghna Nair, a second-year student at the University of California, Los Angeles, saw a masked group of people headed toward the pro-Palestine encampment on campus late Tuesday evening, she expected trouble.
But the violence that unfolded on the public university’s campus overnight and the slow response from authorities shocked Nair and other UCLA students. -- I knew where they were going. I had an idea what they planned to do. I didn’t know what to do.”
Late Tuesday night, a masked group surrounded the encampment in solidarity with Gaza, throwing fireworks and violently attacking students.
Noah, a law student who preferred to use only his first name, said he was horrified by the violence, which he described as akin to a battle. -- This is like sacred ground to me. It reminded me of January 6. It was terrifying.”
Daniel Harris, a fourth-year student, said he stopped to observe the demonstrations on Tuesday evening, after the university chancellor said the encampment was “unlawful”, and could see tensions rising anew. Counter-protesters used speakers to play recordings of a crying child at a loud volume. A masked man attempted to hop the fence surrounding the encampment but was forced out by security.
Shortly after Harris witnessed a large group of people wearing black, with white masks that he said were like something from The Purge marching toward the encampment. -- I was on the phone with my girlfriend, and I was like, what the fuck is happening right now? What the actual fuck? I’ve never seen this in real life. This is stuff that only happens in movies.”
