On June 12, “anti-Israel activists took over a campus building” at California State University Los Angeles, “barricaded themselves in, and completely thrashed the premises — forcing the president of the school to shelter-in-place in her own office,” reports The College Fix.
The activists vandalized walls, pipes, windows, and office equipment, inflicting hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage.
On June 13, the University’s President, Berenecea Johnson Eanes, reported that four people were assaulted by activists during a melee (three employees and a student). The activists smashed windows, painted graffiti on windows, walls and doors, knocked over and destroyed security golf carts, and stole or smashed desks.
“I am saddened, and I am angry,” Eanes said. “For all those who sheltered in the Student Services Building, who had to leave in that chaos, thank you for being brave and resilient. Thank you for showing your professionalism and care – both for each other and for our students. I appreciate your care shown even to those who pursued intimidation and destruction.”
“To the three employees and one student whose assaults were reported (one as protesters gained entry to SSB, another as they were leaving, another who was surveying damage, and one accosted on a walkway) I am so sorry. Know that this will not stand.”
She belatedly ordered the anti-Israel encampment on campus to leave after previously letting it stay there for 40 days: “The Encampment has crossed a line. Those in the Encampment must leave.”
A crowd from the anti-Israel encampment broke into the building to seize and trash it on June 12 before voluntarily leaving in early on June 13. No arrests were made, reports The College Fix.
“Protesters … started piling up furniture, overturned golf carts and tables to create barriers in front of the Student Services Building and surrounding plaza. They also removed copy machines and furniture from inside the building to continue reinforcing the barricade late into the evening,” according to ABC News 7. “The college was asking employees in the Student Services Building to shelter in place, while employees elsewhere on campus were instructed to leave.”
“After a takeover of a Cal State L.A. building by pro-Palestinian activists, who smashed windows, trashed offices and left graffiti, we’re getting a first look at the damage. Why were they allowed to loot the building for hours?,” asked ABC 7.
The Los Angeles Times reported the “building was deemed a crime scene by authorities and multiple windows were defaced with messages in red paint. Tables, hard-shelled umbrellas and rope still blocked the entrances and exits. … there was ‘significant damage’ on the first four floors of the student services building, including extensive graffiti and paint, as well as damage to equipment, walls and pipes.”
“The main pro-Palestinian encampment at CSULA — which has been up for 40 days — has yet to be booted from campus; it has a ‘fortified barrier around it,’ and officials are working to activists to resolve the situation,” reports The Campus Fix.
Recently, protesters at Stanford University spray painted the message “Fuck Amerikkka” on a memorial to veterans killed in the line of duty, and spray painted other messages such as “death to Israel,” “kill cops” and “Burn this shit down.”
Occupations of campus buildings sometimes last weeks and inflict major economic harm. Left-wing protesters forced California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, to shut down for the semester, reported the Chico Enterprise-Record:
Cal Poly Humboldt officials are closing the campus for the remainder of the semester with classwork continuing remotely, as pro-Palestinian student activists refuse to end their occupation of two academic buildings….The far Northern California campus had already been shut down since Monday, when dozens of students set up an encampment inside Siemens Hall, an academic and administrative building, at the Arcata school in an act of “solidarity with those … in Gaza,” organizers said. They demanded that the university divest from Israeli companies.
According to one report, the buildings were “completely trashed with graffiti plastered all over the walls,” and protestors had “attempted several times to break into multiple locked buildings with the intention of either locking themselves in, vandalizing, or stealing equipment. Vandalism and theft … continued across campus.” According to one source, “Administrators estimate the damage to be in the millions. Why are universities letting criminals take control of their campuses?”
