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UCLA cancels all in-person classes again after more disruptions on campus

Updated on: May 7, 2024 / 9:28 AM PDT / KCAL News

New security measures at UCLA after violent protests

UCLA has canceled all in-person classes on Monday, May 6, after Israel-Hamas war protests continue on campus for a second week. All classes will be held remotely through Friday, May 10.

The campus sent out and alert saying, "Law enforcement is stationed around campus to help promote safety and actively monitor conditions. The hospital and health system, other clinical operations, and housing and hospitality facilities remain open."

The statement also said Law School exams will continue as scheduled.

Earlier on Monday, a group of 50 to 60 people were arrested inside Moore Hall after staging an apparent sit-in. It's unclear whether they were students.

The school sent out an alert saying, "Classes and work in Moore Hall will be remote today [Monday] due to ongoing disruptions. Law enforcement is stationed around campus to help promote safety. Student Affairs has staff on campus to support our students."

Authorities also detained a group of people inside a parking garage.

This comes after Chancellor Gene Block announced a newly created Office of Campus Safety to help administer policing and emergency management in the aftermath of campus unrest over pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Last week, UCLA was criticized for its response to the violence that broke out at a protest encampment last week.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and other elected officials responded, calling for investigations into the university's reaction, and some critics even calling on Block to resign ahead of his previously announced plan to step down on July 31.

"In the past week, our campus has been shaken by events that have disturbed this sense of safety and strained trust within our community," Block said in a message to the UCLA community Sunday.

"In light of this, both UCLA and the UC Office of the President have committed to a thorough investigation of our security processes. But one thing is already clear: To best protect our community moving forward, urgent changes are needed in how we administer safety operations.

Block continued to say he is taking several actions to significantly alter campus safety structure.

"Effective immediately, I am moving oversight and management of UCLA PD and the Office of Emergency Management from the Office of the Administrative Vice Chancellor to a newly created Office of Campus Safety, whose leader reports directly to me. It is clear that UCLA needs a unit and leader whose sole responsibility is campus safety to guide us through tense
times," said Block

Leading the new office as its inaugural associate vice chancellor will be Rick Braziel, who'll bring more than 30 years of public safety service to the job, including five years as chief of police for the city of Sacramento.

Braziel has also served as an instructor in community policing and has led reviews of law enforcement agencies and police responses.

Block is also creating a formal advisory group whose members include UC Davis Chief of Police and Coordinator of the Council of UC Chiefs of Police Joe Farrow, professor of psychology and of health policy and management Vickie Mays and UC Office of the President Systemwide Director of Community Safety Jody Stiger.

Police moved in and cleared the weeklong pro-Palestinian encampment early Thursday, arresting 209 people. Most of those arrested were booked on suspicion of unlawful assembly, then released from custody with instructions to appear in court at a later date.

No significant injuries to protesters or the hundreds of police officers who took part in the raid were reported.

Disputes between protesters at the encampment peaked overnight Tuesday and early Wednesday, when the pro-Palestinian encampment was attacked by counter-protesters supporting Israel who set of fireworks and allegedly deployed pepper spray or bear repellent. The violence prompted a cancellation of all classed at UCLA on Wednesday.

The clearing of the encampment gave a broader picture of the amount of damage done to the campus. The front of Royce Hall and Powell Library suffered extensive graffiti damage, some of it profane. Piles of garbage were also left behind in the former encampment area.

Amy Maetzold

Amy Maetzold is a digital producer at CBS Los Angeles. She started her journalism career in Wisconsin where she was a producer at NBC15 and Spectrum News 1. Before coming to KCAL, Amy covered news in Santa Barbara at KEYT, winning a group Emmy Award for team coverage on the Alisal Fire.