Police dismantle UCLA encampment; Biden says Americans must respect the rule of law

Police in riot gear moved onto the campus of the University of California at Los Angeles early Thursday before they were pushed back by pro-Palestinian protesters, according to The Associated Press.

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Shortly before 2 a.m., about 15 LAPD officers entered through a makeshift barricade the area where protesters were gathered, The Los Angeles Times reported.

As police began to move toward the edge of the encampment, scores of protesters yelled “Shame on you!” and moved toward the officers who backed off, the AP reported.

Hundreds arrested

Update 6:45 p.m. EDT May 2: Officials with the Los Angeles Police Department said that 209 people were taken into custody, according to The Los Angeles Times.

“While many of the protesters at the encampment remained peaceful, ultimately, the site became a focal point for serious violence as well as a huge disruption to our campus,” UCLA Chancellor GeneBlock said in a statement obtained by CNN. “In the end, the encampment on Royce Quad was both unlawful and a breach of policy. It led to unsafe conditions on our campus and it damaged our ability to carry out our mission. It needed to come to an end.”

“Ultimately, about 300 protesters voluntarily left, while more than 200 resisted orders to disperse and were arrested,” he said.

-- Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Biden: We are not an authoritarian nation, nor a lawless country

Update 11:11 a.m. EDT May 2: President Joe Biden condemned the recent violent protests on college campuses and hate speech directed toward Jews Thursday, after facing criticism -- some from within his own party -- on his handling of the Israel-Hamas war and his lack of public comments about the protests for days.

He says Americans have “the right to protest, but not a right to cause chaos,” in statements made from the White House Thursday.

He also said that this is no time to play politics with the issue.

“In moments like this, there are always those who rush in to score political points,” Biden said. “But this isn’t a moment for politics, it’s a moment for clarity.”

Violence protest is not protected protest, he said, adding that “Destroying property is against the law. Dissent must never lead to disorder.”

He said as president he would always defend free speech but also the rule of law. “I understand that people have strong feelings... but it doesn’t mean anything goes.”

In answering a question from a reporter, Biden said he does not support sending in the National Guard to quell campus protests.

Police have dismantled the encampment

Update 9 a.m. EDT May 2: The encampment on UCLA’s campus has been taken down and protesters removed from the area, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Police taking back more area from protesters

Update 8 a.m. EDT May 2: An hour after police moved in, the main barricade to the encampment is mostly gone and police have taken back a good deal of the area.

Protesters are linking arms and chanting, “Don’t attack students!” and “Where were you yesterday?,” The New York Times is reporting.

On Wednesday, pro-Palestinian protesters and counter-demonstrators clashed on the campus.

Police move through Royce Hall to get into encampment

Update 7:44 a.m. EDT May 2: Police are now moving through Royce Hall to gain entrance into part of the pro-Palestinian encampment.

More protesters appear to have been detained by officers. They are being taken to waiting vans.

Police begin to dismantle camp

Update 7:38 a.m. EDT May 2: Police are ripping apart the encampment’s barricade of plywood, pallets, metal fences and trash dumpsters, the AP is reporting.

Tents are being dragged away.

They have made an opening toward the edge of the encampment after pulling down canopies and tents, according to the AP.

Protesters claim police are using rubber bullets

Update 7:08 a.m. EDT May 2: Several media outlets are reporting that protesters have said police are firing rubber bullets at them.

The claims have not been verified.

Neither the Los Angeles Police Department nor the California Highway Patrol have commented on either the use of rubber bullets or how many protesters have been arrested.

Protesters throw umbrellas, shine flashlights toward police

Update 6:52 a.m. EDT May 2: Protesters are pushing back on police by tossing umbrellas at them and shining flashlights and cellphone camera flashes in their eyes.

Protesters are holding their line, facing off with police, according to The Los Angeles Times.

About a dozen people have been arrested so far, according to CNN.

Flashbangs continue to go off.

Protesters are being arrested

Update 6:29 a.m. EDT May 2: Protesters are being arrested as officers are moving through the encampment, tossing barricades aside. Hundreds of protesters are facing off with officers.

Police begin to remove barricades on campus

Update 6:22 a.m. EDT May 2: California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers are beginning to move into the encampment and take down barricades, more than six hours after police first issued an order for protesters to leave the school or be arrested.

Continued loud bangs are being heard in the area.

Protesters briefly surround officers

Update 6:17 a.m. EDT May 2: Police officers tried to enter the staircase leading into the U.C.L.A. encampment, but protesters blocked them with wooden pallets and homemade shields, The New York Times is reporting. Chanting, “Cops go home!”, hundreds of protesters surrounded the officers for several minutes.

Original story: Some in the crowd tossed water bottles and other objects as the officers retreated. Some protesters were seen putting on hard hats, goggles and respirator masks.

According to CNN, protesters appear to overwhelmingly outnumber police, and could be heard chanting “We’re not leaving!”

Hours earlier, police said that the UCLA encampment was an unlawful assembly, a source told CNN. The protesters were told to disperse or face arrest.

UCLA has become a hot spot in the growing number of college campus protests against Israel’s bombardment of Gaza in the war with the terror group Hamas.

Hundreds of demonstrators were arrested Tuesday and Wednesday on college campuses across the United States. The majority of demonstrations have called for colleges to divest from companies that support Israel and the war in Gaza.

Police arrested more than 280 people Tuesday at Columbia University and the City College of New York as they took down barricades and cleared the protesters from the schools.

Check back for more on this developing story.

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