E-Paper
UCLA crackdown: Videos of cops firing rubber bullets go viral, eyewitnesses allege police brutality
Police have been accused of brutality after they detained dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of California, Los Angeles on Thursday, May 2
Police have been accused of brutality after they detained dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of California, Los Angeles on Thursday, May 2. Law enforcement officers reportedly broke down barricades outside the UCLA encampment, and detained protesters, taking them to buses staged in a parking lot. Some protesters were seen kneeling down, their arms zip-tied behind their backs while being arrested.
Videos surfacing on X show cops firing rubber bullets. Officers were seen in police riot gear with helmets, gas masks, zip ties. They were reportedly spotted getting their batons ready before entering the campus.
Police accused of brutality
A post on X showing police shooting rubber bullets is captioned, “Cops are shooting students at UCLA with less lethal munitions. They'd rather shoot kids than stop this genocide.”
One post says, “This is UCLA right now. The police are rioting while beating and shooting protesters with less lethal ammunition. This is America.”
Another post is captioned, “This is exactly what’s making any normal observer feel insane. A pro-Israel mob attacked these kids with slurs, fists, mace, and fireworks. Police watched for HOURS & did nothing. A day later, police instead bombard *them* with rubber bullets & flashbangs. (All in a “blue” state)”.
One user wrote, “They are not even being attacked, as someone in the back shouts - the police are just firing rubber bullets at the UCLA student protestors. These bullets can blind you, they can break your bones; they are incredibly painful. Don’t let “rubber” fool you.”
“US Police brutally attack peaceful protesters at UCLA. Several arrests reported,” one post reads.
Shortly before the raids, UCLA issued a safety alert asking students to avoid Dickson Plaza, the area where the pro-Palestinian demonstrators had set up an encampment. They also warned that if protesters “fail to leave and remain present in the encampment or unauthorized tents or structures in Dickson Plaza, regardless of your purpose for remaining, you will be in violation of the law and those who choose to remain could face sanctions.”
