By: Hannah E. Williams
)All Photo Credit: Hannah E. Williams)
50 UCI students and faculty were arrested for “disrupting university operations in violation of university policy and state laws” in participation in the encampment protest for Palestine.
University Chancellor Howard Gilman called it a “sad day for the university,” explaining that he needed to protect the “academic freedom of others” and “protection of students.”
Zotalerts went out around 2 P.M. May 15 about a “violent” protest, but students found that to be misleading as they went to check it out and saw it remained peaceful like all other days.
Gillman questioned the safety of students when it came to the encampment, meanwhile students questioned their safety with the amount of police force called to a peaceful protest.
Here are the comparisons:
—WEDNESDAY MAY 15, 2024 2:51 pm—
As students received this message further away from the UCI Gaza Solidarity Encampment, it caused worry of the unknown. They’d have to take the university's word for it being “violent.”
However, for those standing at or around the encampment at this time it was confusing to say the least.
Here is the “violent protest” the university warned us about at that time:
Protestors were seen packing up supplies, urging students that if they didn’t want to be part of the protest to leave now or risk being arrested. A protestor walked by pushing a stroller with her two children inside and carrying a “Free Palestine” sign amidst the “chaos.”
That morning the encampment expanded its borders, taking over the Physical Science Lecture Hall in an attempt to “reclaim” that building. The reclaim, as far as others could tell, was hanging the Palestine flag, “UC Divest from Genocide”, “Drop suspensions of students” and others.
— WEDNESDAY MAY 15 3:09 P.M.—
“zotALERT Demonstration protest has escalated near Physical Science QUAD. Avoid the area. If you are in the area, shelter in place for your own safety until further notice.”
Students recall hearing the helicopters patrolling at around 1 p.m., four were counted at 3 p.m. and were witnessed circling until arrests were complete. One drone was accounted for as well, assumed to be controlled on top of the physical science’s building where a girl asked around if it was a sniper. It was not.
Several CSC private security in blue shirts scattered across the quad and began locking themselves in the buildings. With this quad usually having four entrances and exits, they blocked it off to the stairs to Aldrich park where another woman in a stroller stood in the middle observing. Safety concerns were brought to her.
A pregnant woman jetted by and offered people water.
Behind the encampment some began chanting and banging on buckets.
Student protests continued warning viewers that if they did not want to be arrested to leave now. Other students still in the surrounding buildings held up a Palestinian flag in support looking down at the encampment below.
What looked to be water canisters and student school bags from inside the encampment were carted out in several trips. Homemade food was laid out for protestors and others.
——WEDNESDAY MAY 15 3:25 P.M.——
(Parents with stroller watch a man strut by with an American Flag).
A bald man who seemed to be in his 40’s strided onto the scene with a mischievous smirk, clearly not student or faculty, and began instigating peaceful protestors while carrying a huge American flag. He wore a black hoodie and black pants with his phone chest level for the duration of his visit. Student protestors encouraged others to ignore and focus on the bigger issue at hand, even as some tried to steal his flag. He was seen leaving about an hour or so of no luck of uprise. Estimated 2pm-4pm.
—-WEDNESDAY MAY 15 4:14 P.M.—
“ZotALERT 3: Protest update continues civil unrest near physical science quad. Avoid area and shelter in place.”
Student protests continued their rounds to bystanders encouraging them to leave if they didn’t want to have the possibility of being arrested. Some asked us to hold up peace signs in participation to show we are peaceful.
— WEDNESDAY MAY 15, 2024 5:05P.M.—-
To the right of the encampment many were seen in prayer just feet away from the police who had blocked off one of the exits. This was the first sighting of them on the sides as the front force began their move in. Students could see them in full riot gear, some with their face shields up and laughing.
“In my opinion the zot alerts labeling it as “violent” was complete bullshit when in reality it was the police who made it violent,” said Sahar Ahmed, a UCI student and participant of the encampment. “I've been active in the encampment since it started up and it was so peaceful and filled with kids/families. Even before the police raided it everyone was just linking arms and staying strong, there was no resistance or fighting back. Police used max force on people and I saw four police officers taking down one girl. They abused their power and didn't even allow people to peacefully pray. The police made it violent coming in riot gear, not us.”
—WEDNESDAY MAY 15, 2024 5:12PM—-
Officers have moved into less than 100 feet of the encampment. Some students removed themselves from the scene, but those in the encampment stood their ground, linked arms and remained unmoved.
Those on the front lines passed over tents to shield themselves from the gaining police forces.
—WEDNESDAY MAY 15, 2024 5:25 P.M.—
“ZotALERT: Advisory to leave buildings in the Vicinity of Protest Anyone currently in buildings in the vicinity of the protest are advised to exit the building and leave the area at this time.”
Police forces overtake the second floor of the physical science hall and begin taking down the hung Palestine flag as well as others, some smiling during this action. Students booed and continued chanting “why are you in riot gear? There is no riot here.”
The only news source that seemed to be allowed up with the police was Fox News, as was cross examined with their live footage angles.
“I feel like it was an extremely exaggerated situation,” expressed Alexis Hernandez, a UCI Law student. “Dozens of departments were apparently called and arrived in full riot gear pointing guns at us while we were compliant, peaceful and non-violent. As the front line of officers and protesters was created you could clearly see many protesters linking arms, passing out flowers, and chanting for divestment while officers were gripping their guns in preparation to shoot. For hours, helicopters circled the campus because of a rumor, the university would rather continue wasting money by calling departments to arrest students and faculty than come to an agreement through negotiations. It’s ridiculous and not what I want to expect of my school.”
—WEDNESDAY MAY 15, 2024 5:37 P.M.—
Police forces had breached the left side of the encampment closest to the physical science lecture halls.
It is unknown if they were students, but two young men began circling the inside of the encampment. One had a megaphone preaching about Jesus and how Palestinians are murdered as his friend recorded him. Megaphone man wore a short sleeved blue shirt while the cameraman sported a white hoodie with red writing. Both mischievous smiles. Protestors inside and outside of the encampment gave no reaction.
Meanwhile, police forces kept within their line. Protestors, approximately 12, linked arms in the middle of the now destroyed encampment. A protester wrapped in a Palestine flag walked up to the lined policemen and offered a red flower in an assumable peace offering. It was not taken.
—WEDNESDAY MAY 15, 2024 10:24P.M.—
“ZotALERT: Final: protest update police activity has concluded.”
Students expressed confusion around the encampment wondering what the reason was. It was known to be peaceful, so receiving those ‘zotalerts’ spooked a few students to check it out, and became distrusting of their school when they saw it was not in fact ‘violent.’ Here, Niaz Jahanbin, explains her entire routine when the alert went out:
“In the beginning, I went with a friend in the general area because we were curious after receiving alerts about a threat on campus. Overall, the campus didn’t seem to be filled with people running and freaking out, which is why we wanted to go there. While walking we noticed a few helicopters in the sky and one that was closer to us, circling the campus and shouting something through the speaker for everyone to hear. Still no one seemed to panic and at that point my friend had to go to class so that's when I continued to walk towards Aldrich park and to another part of the encampment near Rowland Hall. There I see people huddled around the campus, but in a peaceful way. I was shocked to see all this urgency for police and emails telling people to stay away from the area when it looked exactly like how it did the past month. I was more scared about the police than the protestors because they surrounded the area, had them on the roof, wearing riot gear and standing at the front of the encampment. There were even parents and children there, which I noticed were scared due to the police presence. After staying for about an hour and half, I saw the same few people warning those remaining in the area that they were at risk of being arrested. I got closer to the front of the encampment where police stayed and they continued to inch closer and closer. At the front of the encampment, where the police were standing and the protesters were more agitated, I realized that it was going to get worse so I decided it would be best for me to leave. I also wanted to leave because they began clearing out other buildings, shutting down streets, and I wanted to make it home without any problems. I heard from a friend that she got pulled over on the way from school because they suspected she was apart of the protest. How can you pull someone over for that?”
Students definitely questioned their safety, but not towards the encampment protestors. It tended to be because of the police and over exaggerating alerts from the school they are supposed to trust.
The following day, students held a hearing in protest to release and un-suspend the students involved in the protest and continue walkouts during finals week.
No encampment has been rebuilt so far.
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