Day 10: Friday, May 10
Day 9: Thursday, May 9
Day 8: Wednesday, May 8
Day 7: Tuesday, May 7
Day 6: Monday, May 6
Day 5: Sunday, May 5
Day 4: Saturday, May 4
Day 3: Friday, May 3
Day 2: Thursday, May 2
Day 1: Wednesday, May 1
UC San Diego’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter established a “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” outside the Student Health and Wellness Center along Library Walk Wednesday shortly before noon. The encampment joined a nationwide movement across university campuses demanding divestment from Israel.
In a post on Instagram, SJP at UCSD shared the following demands:
“1. BREAK THE SILENCE.
Affirm Palestinians’ right to life and safety, condemn the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and call for a permanent immediate ceasefire.
2. AMNESTY FOR ALL.
Ensure amnesty for all those associated with the Gaza solidarity encampment at UCSD, and stop the repression of Palestinian activism on our campus.
3. CAMPUS-WIDE BOYCOTT.
Permanently sever all institutional ties to Israel and other entities that render our university complicit in the Gaza genocide, including research partnerships with the Israeli Defense Ministry, U.S. Dept of Defense, and private defense contractors.
4. DIVEST FROM DEATH.
Immediately divest all of the University of California’s financial holdings from weapons manufacturers and companies that enable and profit from Israeli apartheid, occupation, and genocide.”
The Triton will provide live updates below throughout the encampment’s duration:
9:20 p.m. update
An internal document titled “Encampment Executive Summary 5/9/2024” reveals UCSD administration’s perspective on the timeline of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, outlines their reasoning for clearing the encampment, and shares their opinions on events that followed.
Multiple claims in the document appear to contradict previous reporting. For instance, the document claims that on May 5, in response to an organized counterprotest, the encampment “deliberately added a 3pm program to escalate the situation,” despite SJP having posted their programming for May 5, including the 3:00 p.m. program, on Instagram the previous day, May 4, 10:44 p.m.
The document considers May 4 a “turning point,” listing several reasons. Among them that “Non-affiliates including members of the Black Panthers, Antifa, and the Communist Revolutionary Group arrived at the camp site … and trained the camp participants in physical techniques to resist arrest.” The Triton’s reporters present at the encampment along with The UCSD Guardian note that the Black Panthers only announced a “self-defense lesson.”
The document also discusses the community and student response in the aftermath of the encampment being cleared. It states:
“Associated Students (AS) is in disarray and struggling to be a content-neutral governing body.”
Following the clearing of the encampment, several AS offices released statements condemning the University’s handling of the encampment. At their general body meeting on Wednesday, May 8th, AS approved several actions, including the introduction of a vote of no confidence on Chancellor Khosla, a resolution condemning the University’s actions, a resolution calling for the boycott of all study abroad programs in Israel, and a request for a meeting with UCSD administration.
The document also details the status of the ongoing conduct processes against students and faculty. It notes that SJP has received a Cease and Desist notice, along with “additional sanctions for continued violations of the student code of conduct.” The document makes claims that “[v]erbal threats and harassment of SAMs and professional staff members began during the camp and continue by emails, social media posts, in person, and in speeches.” They do not specify the specific nature of these alleged threats.
Moreover, the document shows the University still plans to put protestors through the full student conduct process. It states “58 students will begin moving through the student conduct process” and “[a]ll applicable faculty rules and processes will be followed in the adjudication of faculty conduct cases. As of May 9, 2024, these processes have not yet begun.”
A separate email sent by Executive Vice Chancellor Elizabeth Simmons obtained by The Triton quotes the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life: “We are moving on from Interim Suspension (the emergency student conduct process) to the administrative resolution process (the regular student conduct process) for the remaining students who have been arrested. This decision is driven by the fact that the encampment has remained down and the threat to health, safety and related intimidation for many associated with its presence has ceased. If the encampment is re-established, we will revisit the use of Interim Suspension as appropriate.”
The document appears to have originated from Associate Chancellor Kelly Kish in an email sent at 11:05 a.m. today and was recirculated by Executive Vice Chancellor Elizabeth Simmons at 11:28 a.m.
The Triton will have further coverage regarding this document in the coming days.
2:25 p.m. update
FJP held a press conference and campus walkout on Sixth Lawn beginning at 11:30 a.m. Faculty and organizers spoke up in support of students arrested on May 6, called for the resignation of Chancellor Khosla, and led chants in support of Palestinian liberation.
The press conference led into a march to the Audrey Geisel University House, the residence of Chancellor Khosla, where more speakers—including BT Werner, one of the faculty arrested—echoed their support of SJP’s demands.
UCPD and SDPD officers blocked roads as the demonstrators marched, briefly halting traffic as they marched to and from the Chancellor’s house. The march has ended and all roads are now open.
8:50 p.m. update:
99 faculty members from UCSD joined over 500 faculty members across the UC system to express concerns over the “safety and well-being of Jewish students and faculty as antisemitism continues to spiral out of control on our campuses” in a letter sent to the UC Board of Regents Wednesday, May 8.
They write, “Unfortunately, UC faculty continue to play a pivotal role in encouraging, supporting and even participating in the pro-Hamas rallies and illegal encampments that are fueling vicious antisemitism on many of our campuses.”
The signatories allege that UCSD’s Ethnic Studies Department “[has] embraced efforts to dismantle the Jewish state as core elements of their discipline” through the department’s statement posted April 17 that states, in part, “…as a department committed to an internationalist stance on liberation, our employment at UCSD requires us to heed calls for UC divestment and participate in a definitive academic and cultural boycott of the settler Israeli apartheid state…”
The statement goes on to say that “the academic boycott of Israel … is nothing less than an attempt to completely purge UC campuses of Zionism and Zionists.”
The statement also calls on the UC Regents to “ensure campus administrators are held accountable for addressing violations of university policy regarding faculty abuse.” The signatories add, “Departments that commit themselves to academic BDS [Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions] and the genocidal aspiration of destroying the Jewish state are in flagrant violation of their scholarly mission and university regulations, and should be shut down. Administrators unwilling to enforce UC policy should themselves be sanctioned for dereliction of duty.”
The 503 signatories end the statement warning that the “unchecked political activism of faculty and departments” is indicative of “Judenrein,” a term used by the Nazi party during The Holocaust to indicate regions where all of a Jewish population had been removed. The term translates from the German to “clean of Jews.” The larger quotes reads: “If you cannot curb the unchecked political activism of faculty and departments, the University of California will soon become Judenrein – wholly inhospitable and unsafe for its Jewish members – and the University will lose a vital part of its research and teaching staff and its student body, and suffer irreparable reputational and financial harm.“
7:15 p.m. update:
More than 50 undergraduates in the UCSD Department of Literature signed a statement sent to every faculty member of the Department of Literature expressing disappointment in the department’s latest statement. Along with the more than 50 undergraduate signatories, UCSD’s two literary magazines Grays and Hues Zine and Maximalist Magazine also signed the statement.
Furthermore, the signatories write the following:
“We demand that the Literature Department calls for the immediate resignation of Pradeep Khosla. If the Department acknowledges Khosla’s willingness to “use violence against UCSD students and faculty” and believes that these actions are “unacceptable under any circumstances,” then it should be clear that he is unfit to serve the university and its students.
We demand that all Literature Department faculty unequivocally demand boycott and divestment from public and private sources that support Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.
We demand that the Literature Department demands complete and immediate amnesty from any and all disciplinary action taken against all students, faculty, and staff associated with the encampment and the protests following the raid. While the statement released on May 8th demands the reversal of student suspensions, this demand is too narrow and may not encompass other disciplinary actions the university may take.
We demand that the Literature Department calls for an immediate and permanent removal of police presence on campus.”
3:45 p.m. update:
Members of the Department of Visual Arts at UCSD released a statement today to “condemn the violent and repressive police actions carried out by order of the administration against students, staff, and faculty exercising their right to peacefully protest on campus on May 6, 2024.”
The statement rejects the description of the demonstration as a “dangerous protest” by campus administration and states, “There is no evidence of violence on the part of protesters.” The statement goes on to say, “The administration’s authoritarian actions have disrupted teaching, learning, and research more than the encampment ever could have.”
The signatories demand, “That the UCSD administration immediately reverse its decision to suspend student protesters … That the administration grant full amnesty to students and student organizations who participated in the non-violent protest and that all misdemeanor and criminal charges against those who were arrested be dropped immediately … And, we echo our colleagues in Ethnic Studies to demand that police be removed from campus immediately and permanently.”
The full statement and a list of signatories can be found here.
1:00 p.m. update:
16 organizations and 48 leaders from throughout San Diego County released a statement today “standing in solidarity with students after peaceful protestors were brutalized by UC San Diego administration & over 200 police officers on May 6, 2024.”
The 64 leaders and organizations call on Chancellor Khosla and San Diego District Attorney (DA) Summer Stephan “to immediately release and drop all academic and legal charges against these peaceful protestors, and to refrain from further escalatory actions.” The signatories also “call upon our local leaders, including Mayor Todd Gloria, the San Diego City Council, and the San Diego Board of Supervisors, to condemn the actions of the UC San Diego administration, the violence of the police officers, and its effects on peaceful student protestors.”
The full statement and a complete list of signatories can be found here.
12:00 p.m. update:
On Monday, May 6, faculty affiliates, staff, and students of the Latin American Studies Program released a statement to “condemn the recent escalation of measures against students, staff, and faculty exercising their right to engage in nonviolent protests on campus.”
The signatories call on UCSD to “1. Establish spaces for dialog with student protestors; 2. Reverse suspensions of students who engaged in protest; 3. Provide support to students who experienced mental and physical trauma in connection to the events of May 6.”
The full statement and all signatories can be read on the UCSD Latin American Studies Instagram page.
9:55 p.m. update:
UCSD Department of Literature Faculty forwarded a statement on behalf of Chair Kazim Ali on the clearing of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment on the morning of May 6, and the subsequent arrests of forty students and two faculty members.
They state, “The administration is charged, among other things, with maintaining the conditions of safety for all students, as well as cultivating the atmosphere of mutual respect where learning can happen. The presence of riot police and the surveillance of armed police stationed on top of the Student Health Building stands in direct contradiction of these dual mandates. The end result is that students and faculty are less safe and that paths for a mutually beneficial conversation toward a resolution of the encampment were destroyed. Once armed riot police were in place and snipers were stationed on the roof, Chancellor Khosla made clear that he was willing to use violence against UCSD students and faculty. That is unacceptable under any circumstances.”
Furthermore, they call upon the administration to “1) meet with student representatives to discuss their demands 2) reverse the suspension of students who engage in protest 3) drop any forthcoming charges for students and faculty.”
8:45 p.m. update:
ASUCSD unanimously approved a resolution condemning administrative campus action and introducing a vote of no confidence on Chancellor Khosla at their regularly scheduled meeting tonight. The resolution “denounces the decision of Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla to call CHP, Sheriff, and UCPD forces to violently disband the Gaza Solidarity Encampment.” AS also states the University “must drop all interim suspension, code of conduct allegations, and any other institutional sanctions against students immediately and must demand that all criminal and legal charges are immediately dropped against students.”
ASUCSD ends the resolution by writing “LET IT BE FINALLY RESOLVED, the Associated Students affirms a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Kholsa’s ability to serve the campus community, especially the students, and we call for his immediate resignation or removal from office.”
A full list of ASUCSD/campus supporters, professors, alumni, and student organizations who supported this resolution is available on pages two and three of the resolution.
In a twenty-six for, zero against, and two abstentions vote, ASUCSD voted for a resolution calling for the boycott of study abroad programs in Israel. Erika Yu and Jacqueline Chang were the only two representatives to abstain.
ASUCSD unanimously voted to request a meeting with UCSD administration, citing “a significant disconnect between the administration and student government, despite the close connections [AS is] supposed to have with [administration].” They propose to discuss “1) Detailed explanations regarding the student conduct violations faced by the participants of the protest, with a focus on reconsidering or dropping these charges. 2) Clarification of the rationale behind the decision to deploy law enforcement, as opposed to exploring avenues for dialogue and de-escalation. 3) Improvement of communication and negotiation strategies with student organizations, especially those representing marginalized groups.”
The administrators they are requesting to meet with are, “Chancellor Pradeep Khosla, Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Life Patty Mahaffey, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Alysson Satterlund, Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Elizabeth Simmons.”
7:30 p.m. update:
At 6:35 p.m., Associated Students UCSD released a statement “[denouncing] the police militarization undertaken by the UC San Diego administration at Library Walk on May 6, 2024.”
ASUCSD summarized the events of the clearing of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment on the morning of May 6 before writing, “In the last few days, Chancellor Pradeep Khosla and members of his cabinet have made statements that proudly tout their dismantling of the peaceful protest on Library Walk. We take these statements made by the campus administration as egregious and unacceptable. These statements made by campus administration continued to prove that they are only ‘student-centered’ in name; that if students stand up to demand better from the campus, administration will use all their efforts to suppress the voice of our student community.”
ASUCSD stated that they plan to aid the student body by:
- “Calling for a Vote of No Confidence against Chancellor Pradeep Khosla at our Senate Meeting on May 8, 2024.
- Moving for an Academic Boycott of the UCEAP Study Abroad Programs:
- Termination of the HINE 137GS Global Seminar
- Termination of Study Abroad Programs hosted with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
- Empowering the AS Office of Student Advocacy to help students find a resolution regarding student conduct cases made against them, while also advocating for these cases to be dropped. Book an appointment or learn more information through their website.
- Calling for all high-ranking faculty members of UC San Diego, such as Provosts, Deans, etc., to support students who were wrongfully suspended or dismissed for exercising their right to free speech.”
The Triton is at the AS meeting underway now where over a dozen students have shared their concerns over the actions UCSD administration took on May 6. Multiple UCSD administrators are present, two of whom have beverages from Starbucks, despite SJP’s repeated calls to boycott the coffee company.
4:50 p.m. update:
The following items were found at the encampment by UCSD’s EH&S personnel and UC San Diego Police, according to an emailed statement to The Triton by Matt Nagel, a spokesperson for UCSD:
- “One sword – black, ninja style (photo attached)
- Two propane cooking stoves (fire code violations)
- Two propane tanks (fire code violations)
- Uninterruptible power supplies with extension cords (fire code violations)
- Motor oil
- Multiple small and large wooden shields
- Aerosol paint cans”
Additionally, the statement addresses the status of arrestees with on-campus housing: “Students engaged in the current student conduct interim suspension process related to the May 1 illegal encampment will continue to have access to their on-campus housing until the student conduct process is completed.”
3:30 p.m. update:
Nearly 200 UCSD faculty members from numerous departments have signed a letter to Chancellor Khosla urging him and the “Regents [to] drop any criminal charges and [to] make sure there are no suspensions and no marks on the arrested students’ academic records.”
The letter describes the environment of the encampment prior to Monday and states, “From all we saw since Wednesday, the encampment was entirely peaceful.” The signatories also “reject any dismissal of the peaceful encampment as antisemitic” and “attest to the fantastic cultural programming that was put on since Wednesday at the encampment.”
The faculty members end the statement by saying to Khosla: “…we implore you to drop any criminal charges and to refrain from suspending them or otherwise applying academic sanctions on student official records.”
As of Wednesday, May 8 at 1:37 p.m., the letter has 73 signatures from faculty members who had visited the encampment and 113 signatures from faculty members who “did not visit the encampment but support the statement.”
The full statement can be read here.
3:00 p.m. update:
22 students student workers under Student Retention and Success (SRS) at UCSD have sent a letter to Assistant Vice Chancellor of SRS Maruth Figueroa “to express [their] outrage, concern, and sadness at the administration’s decision to utilize outside police forces, including riot police, to arrest and attack UC San Diego students & affiliates.”
The student workers demand “the immediate waiver of academic penalties, interim suspension, and other punishment measures being used on student protesters that are nothing more than retaliation and intimidation” and “amnesty for all people arrested at the encampment and/or for protesting on May 6, 2024.” They also call upon Figueroa to “publicly call for the resignation of Chancellor Pradeep Khosla” and “publicly advocate for the divestment demands put in place by Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace.”
The full letter can be read here.
11:00 a.m. update:
UCSD AS Concerts & Events (ASCE) released a statement on Instagram to “denounce the violent actions the UC San Diego administration took on May 6th, 2024.”
ASCE reaffirms the four original demands of SJP and urges “the administration to take accountability for their actions and fulfill the demands.”
9:00 a.m. update:
The San Diego Chicano/Latino Concilio on Higher Education, a coalition of higher education faculty, staff, and students in San Diego County, released a statement condemning “the administration of UCSD’s decision on May 6, 2024 to use violent police force to repress what was a non-violent student and community demonstration that expressed support for the Palestinian people and opposed the Israeli government’s genocidal actions.”
The statement goes on to say, “We call for the dismissal of charges against arrested students, faculty, and community members and any disciplinary action against them. We vote no confidence in the UCSD Chancellor. We call on the President of the University of California to dismiss the UCSD Chancellor.”
The full statement can be read here.
8:00 p.m. update:
UCSD Parking and Commuter Services has released an update regarding items found during the clearing of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment. They stated, “items have been secured and are being processed so that we can reunite them with their owners. They will be made available for claim and pickup through the campus-wide Lost and Found operated from the Gilman Service Center.”
They go on to state, “Claiming an item will not, in and of itself, be considered an admission of policy violations or be the sole basis for an administrative action.”
Those wishing to claim items are instructed to fill out a Lost Item Report.
5:00 p.m. update:
Faculty of UCSD’s Ethnic Studies department have called for Chancellor Khosla’s resignation following the “vicious suppression of students.” Read the full statement here.
11:50 a.m. update:
Associate Professor of Literature, Creative Writing Lily Hoàng reached out to The Triton to confirm that she, along with another professor, were arrested along with the 62 other protesters arrested yesterday. 40 students, 2 professors, and 22 unaffiliated persons were arrested, according to Hoàng.
9:00 a.m. update:
Nearly 500 UCSD graduate students have signed a statement condemning “UCSD’s Response to Student Protest.” Read the full statement here.
11:55 p.m. update:
Members of the Department of Music at UCSD have signed a letter supporting “students’ rights to engage in nonviolent protests on campus” and condemning “the gross decision to send riot police, including off-campus law enforcement to intimidate, arrest and abuse our students and colleagues,” according to an Instagram story posted by King Britt, a professor in Computer Music.
They go on to state “The use of police force on our campus undermines trust and confidence that our university administration has the well-being of our campus community at heart.”
11:40 p.m. update:
All arrestees have been released, according to The Triton’s reporters and encampment organizers outside each jail. From Las Colinas Detention Facility, the last arrestee was released shortly before 7:50 p.m. From San Diego Central Jail, the last arrestee was released at approximately 6:00 p.m.
Road closures remain in place at every entrance to UCSD’s West Campus. Students are being allowed entry under the condition that their student IDs are photographed by University officials stationed at each road closure.
The site of the former encampment has been cleared and a barricade has been established along the western side of Library Walk. A rope also lines the perimeter with signs attached that read “Landscape Area Under Renovation.”
6:50 p.m update:
UCSD’s Ethnic Studies department released a statement condemning the University’s treatment of student protestors and calling for Chancellor Khosla’s resignation. They state:
“While the Chancellor wrongly claims that the encampment threatened safety, it was the administration’s response that posed the real threat. Hostile actions by the administration and the police they ordered onto campus caused disastrous upheaval, including physical injuries and an authoritarian fracturing of peaceful student organizing and community.”
The department also states that they support SJP’s demands of the university and “will continue organizing with colleagues to hold the UCSD administration accountable for the protection of our students and their civil rights.”
5:00 p.m. update
At 4:38 p.m., Chancellor Khosla released a statement regarding the dispersal of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment and its subsequent arrests. Khosla claims in the statement that “this encampment violated campus policy and the law and grew to pose an unacceptable risk to the safety of the campus community.”
Of the arrests he said, “Sixty-four individuals were arrested after refusing the dispersal requests. Of those, 40 were identified as students and are facing interim suspension for violation of the student code of conduct. Twenty-four are either unidentified at this time or are unaffiliated with the university. Two minor injuries were reported.”
As of the writing of this update, 11 arrestees have been released from Las Colinas Detention Facility. At San Diego Central Jail, 10 people have been released.
2:10 p.m. update:
The first arrestee has been released from the Las Colinas Detention Facility.
2:00 p.m. update:
Mejgan Afshan, a representative from the legal non-profit Borderlands for Equity, told The Triton that they have six lawyers on standby waiting for arrested protesters to be charged at both San Diego Central Jail and Las Colinas Detention Facility. As of time of publication, no arrestees have been released. Afshan stated that arrestees will be released in order of their detainment. About 40 protesters are quietly sitting outside of Las Colinas Detention Facility. Approximately 200 demonstrators are also outside San Diego Central Jail chanting phrases including “Free our students right now!” and “SDPD, you can’t hide. All your charges are a lie!”
1:00 p.m. update
Demonstrators have gathered outside the San Diego Central Jail in support of those arrested in connection to the encampment. Some drivers are honking in support as they drive by.
The demonstration comes after PYM San Diego told their followers to “mobilize at the jail where students are being held” in an Instagram post published about one hour ago. PYM states, “Join us now to demand their release!!”
As of time of publication, none of the arrestees have been released from San Diego Central Jail.
11:25 a.m. update:
The Department of Literature at UCSD has released a statement supporting “students’ rights to engage in nonviolent protests on campus.”
The statement qualifies its signatories, citing “tactics of intimidation and aggression … [used] in order to suppress nonviolent protest and organized dissent.” Only tenured faculty signed onto the statement and it appears that non-tenured faculty were not encouraged to sign on.
The Department of Literature ends the statement by calling on administration to: “1. meet with student representatives to discuss their demands, 2. reverse the suspension of students who engage in protest, 3. embrace their responsibility to protect all students, including those who protest.” 25 professors in the department have signed onto the statement, including department chair Kazim Ali.
11:20 a.m. update:
64 arrests were made in connection with the “illegal encampment,” according to Matt Nagel, a spokesperson for UCSD. “Of those, 40 were students and 24 were unaffiliated or their status is unknown at this time,” Nagel stated. The statement also addresses University punishment, “The arrested students have been or will be placed under immediate interim suspension.”
10:30 a.m. update:
At 10 a.m., two San Diego County Sheriff’s Department buses departed from Matthew’s Lane. Protesters attempted to block their passage but ultimately let them pass. It is unclear at the time of this update whether the buses contained detained students. As of time of publication, a third San Diego County Sheriff’s Department bus had arrived at Matthews Lane and protesters are blocking its path chanting “Let them go!”
9:07 a.m. update:
Protesters moved at 9:00 a.m. to Matthews Lane in front of Price Center and began chanting “let them go!” Protesters attempted to enter Price Center but were stopped by police.
8:55 a.m. update:
The Gaza Solidarity Encampment has been entirely cleared, their tents and bedding thrown into dump trucks to be disposed of. The protesters have been moved behind a barricade and are protesting in front of the target. At 8:54 a.m. they broke through the barricade for a moment before an organizer called them back, reminding them they are there to peacefully protest while chanting, “We’re not here to start a fight, we’re here for human rights.”
As of now, arrested students are being held in Price Center. UCSD is waiting for CHP to give them an exact number of detained students as of the writing of this update.
UCSD released a press statement on the clearing of the encampment saying, “At approximately 6 a.m. today, University of California San Diego Police, CHP and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department successfully and peacefully dismantled an illegal encampment on the UC San Diego campus. The decision to vacate the site was based on the danger arising from a prolonged event in terms of health, fire, safety and security. One minor injury was reported. No official number of arrests is available at this time. The campus is still an active police operation.”
7:30 a.m update:
At 5:55 a.m., Triton Alert released a notification stating that “UC San Diego’s West Campus operations are suspended from North Torrey Pines Road to Interstate 5 due to police activity.” The closure allows essential personnel to work as normal but asks that others avoid the area. While all instruction in that area will be remote, Housing, Dining, and UC San Diego Health will remain open and operational.
Shortly after, SJP posted on Instagram, calling for support, stating that “UCSD Encampment is facing police presence on its campus for a sweep.” Their caption claims that “all surrounding roads have been blocked,” and that “3 law enforcement raid buses have arrived at UCSD’s encampment.” SJP also posted to their Instagram story stating, “All hands on deck now riot police at UCSD.” The post was shortly updated to state that “Students have begun to get arrested.”
Later, SJP posted several photos of the arrests to their Instagram story, including a photo of an SDPD officer, stating “This officer dragged a student and threatened arrest for taking a video.” They also stated that officers were not allowing medics to enter the area.
An article from ABC 10News reported that police has ordered the encampments disperse, threatening tear gas if they did not comply.
At 6:22 a.m., UC San Diego announced that all instruction would occur remotely “effective immediately.” They state that this decision was made “out of an abundance of caution in light of current circumstances.”The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) has announced a modified service, stating that “Due to protests at the UCSD campus, all routes that service the campus and surrounding areas are currently on detour due to campus shut down.” This affects routes 30, 41, 201, 202, and 237, as well as the UCSD central campus trolley station.
10:10 p.m. update:
Two signs have been placed by the University on the north and south ends of the encampment, informing students and student organizations that they will be held “fully accountable under the student code of conduct for any and all violations, including participating in encampments on campus.”
The sign is plastered with QR codes linking to University codes of conduct and claims the encampment “can … create an environment of intimidation.”
Read the signs in full below:
“UC San Diego will hold students and student organizations fully accountable under the student code of conduct for any and all violations, including participating in encampments on campus. // While we support freedom of speech and the right to peacefully protest, unapproved tents on campus are strictly prohibited, as they can disrupt campus activities, pose serious safety concerns, and create an environment of intimidation.”
Side One
“Our campus policies that protect individuals from harassment and discrimination will continue to be enforced, and all complaints to OPHD will be investigated thoroughly. The UC San Diego Police Department will enforce laws that prohibit threats, intimidation, and tents/overnight encampments as needed.”
Side Two
6:25 p.m update:
Approximately one hour ago, SJP posted on Instagram, responding to Chancellor Khosla’s message from earlier today in which he called for the dispersal of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment. SJP writes, “We reject the false narrative painted by Chancellor Khosla of the Encampment being disruptive or potentially unsafe … students have worked around the clock to maintain the safety and support of those involved.”
They later claim that “administration and police action has demonstrated that their priority is to protect white supremacist and violent non-students over UCSD’s own Arab and Muslim student community.”
The statement also addresses Khosla’s claim that administration was “assured that the encampment had committed not to increase the size of the [encampment].” SJP writes in response, “The size of our camp grew directly following the cancellation of Sun God festival, and accommodations needed to be made for the students who the administration let down.”
SJP ends their statement, “The organized student leadership is ready at any time to discuss our demands. The camp could be dispersed tomorrow if UCSD would fully divest from the genocidal apartheid regime.”
4:30 p.m. update:
SJP has called for “Urgent Community Support” in a post on Instagram following Chancellor Khosla’s message calling for a dispersal of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment and prior reports of an organized, pro-Israel counterprotest on Library Walk.
Both Palestinian and Israeli flags can be seen flying in SJP’s currently broadcasting livestream of the gathering on Library Walk, as of time of publication. The counter protestors also appear to be flying American flags and the flag of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
3:40 p.m. update:
At 2:45 p.m., Chancellor Khosla released a second message via email to all UCSD academics, staff, and students regarding the Gaza Solidarity Encampment.
The message reads, in part, “We began communicating with participants within minutes of the camp’s establishment. Nevertheless, the encampment has tripled in size in violation of the group’s commitment not to expand the footprint. This encampment poses an unacceptable safety and security hazard on campus. … We have been met with shifting liaisons and claims that the encampment has no organized leadership with whom to reach binding agreements.”
Khosla called on the encampment to disperse, saying “the encampment poses serious safety and security hazards to those inside and outside the encampment area. … The violation of law and campus policy represented by this encampment, however, is not a peaceful protest. It has become dangerous.”
Chancellor Khosla’s response comes after representatives from EH&S and campus administrators, followed by UCPD officers, approached the encampment, but were refused entry. In a previously reported Instagram post, SJP wrote that “Students,” in response, “gathered at the camp’s entrance and chanted to ensure that no authorities entered the camp until UC administration heeds our demands.”
There have been no reported signs of violent action at the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, as of time of publication.
12:15 a.m. update:
Multiple offices, senators, and former senators which comprise AS have affirmed their solidarity with the Gaza Solidarity Encampment in a post on Instagram, including the Office of the Executive Vice President, the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs, and the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. The statement is co-signed by Triton Lobby Corps.
The statement reads, “We would like to reaffirm our commitment to supporting students lawfully exercising their fundamental rights to engage in free speech and peaceful assembly. We stand in solidarity and fully support all of the demands presented.”
The statement also makes demands of university administration, among them to “keep peaceful demonstrators safe from violent agitators” and “that all students and student-employees in the peaceful liberation zones do not receive conduct violations, suspensions, or other punitive actions…”
They go on to address potential punitive actions against members of AS who may be participating in the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, writing, “We demand that the university stop all retaliation against student employees…”
11:45 p.m. update:
The fourth day of scheduled programming concluded with demonstrators dancing in a Dabke line. Following the dance, participants chanted: “From the Sea to the River, Palestine will live forever!” and “We are the Intifada!”
Read Day 5’s schedule, which was recently released on SJP’s Instagram page, here.
6:30 p.m. update:
Tensions escalated as representatives from UCSD’s Environment, Health, & Safety (EH&S) Department and campus administrators approached the entrance of the encampment.
Demonstrators grouped together and chanted: “Students of the world unite! Palestine is our fight!” and “The students united will never be defeated!” in the direction of EH&S and the campus administrators. UCPD presence increased with about 15 officers present. Their presence has since decreased to levels observed earlier in the day.
According to Matt Nagel, a spokesperson for UCSD, the fire marshal and the health inspector were attempting to discuss health and safety protocols in place in the encampment.
After EH&S and campus administration walked away from the encampment, one of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment organizers who was previously speaking with EH&S and campus administrators shortly before tensions rose, gave a speech to demonstrators. “Fire marshals escorted by police attempted to enter the encampment, claiming they needed to conduct inspections. Students gathered at the encampment entrance and chanted to ensure that no authorities entered the camp until UC administration meets our demands,” the organizer said.
Later, SJP posted a statement on their Instagram in conjunction with JVP, Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) San Diego, and UCSDivest, affirming what was said by the organizer in the speech. The statement also addresses the expansion of the encampment, “The size of the Liberation Zone of the Encampment was too small to facilitate the safe and peaceful exercising of our rights.”
3:45 p.m. update:
Following the expansion of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, a member of The San Diego Black Panthers gave a speech on Library Walk, “You are one of two things: you are either reactionary or revolutionary … We have to have revolution on our minds, in our minds, and of our minds.” Members of The Black Panthers are standing around the perimeter of the newly staked encampment expansion.
His speech was followed by a representative from Healthcare Workers for Palestine, San Diego, showing support for the encampment and the wave of global student activism in support of Palestinian liberation. “You here,” referring to those gathered on Library Walk, “are part of this monumental and historical movement.”
2:50 p.m. update:
A significant expansion of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment is underway, pushing the boundary to the northern sidewalk, towards Geisel Library. Tents are being dispersed into the new area and the tarp fence around the original area of the encampment has been extended accordingly.
Demonstrators are gathered in front of the original area of the encampment, chanting: “Free, free Palestine!” “UCSD you can’t hide, you are funding genocide!” and “long live international solidarity!”
1:30 p.m. update:
Continuing into the fourth day, the protest remains peaceful and quiet. Pro-Palestine sentiments have been chalked along the stretch of Library Walk parallel to the encampment.
12:55 a.m. update:
The third day ended according to SJP’s published schedule with a showing of the film The Battle of Algiers, which concluded moments ago.
Read Day 4’s schedule, which was recently released on SJP’s Instagram page, here.
10:45 p.m. update:
Over the past half hour, demonstrators gathered for a candlelight vigil on Library Walk, where the names of Palestinian infants under the age of one killed since October 7 were read out.
9:05 p.m. update:
Graduate students in the UCSD Neurosciences Graduate Program (NGP) have released a statement expressing solidarity with the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment.” They note, “we do not speak for the whole department, in which there is a diversity of opinions, but we feel the moment’s gravity requires us to make an explicit statement of support for our students.”
As of time of publication the statement has 38 signatories, including some staff and alumni. They write, “In the spirit of solidarity and mutual support, we proactively reject any attempts by the UCSD administration to suppress or intimidate peaceful student protests.” They have also pledged to “to excuse [their] students from classroom and laboratory responsibilities.”
8:15 p.m. update:
Shabbat services began at approximately 7:30 p.m. with speeches supporting protestors and condemning the University. Following a blessing, challah and grape juice were handed out to demonstrators.
7:05 p.m. update:
Counter protestors have dispersed from the Price Center Plaza.
JVP is now setting up their Shabbat services scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
6:05 p.m. update:
Approximately 30 counter protestors are gathered at Price Center Plaza east of the encampment.
Both the encampment and the counter protesters remain peaceful, as of time of publication.
Two UCSD Health security guards are stationed above the encampment from a second story balcony of the Student Health and Wellness Center.
1:00 p.m. update:
Prayer rugs have been set up on the lawn just east of the encampment in preparation for today’s scheduled collective prayers at 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., and 9:00 p.m.
About a dozen officers from UCPD and security guards from Allied Universal, a private security company, continue to monitor the protest.
12:50 a.m. update:
The second day of scheduled programming concluded with a speech by Ismahan Abdullahi, an activist and UCSD alum.
Abdullahi looked to her side at a UCSD banner that reads, “This is where you make waves” and said, “but as soon as you start to make waves, they get a little nervous.”
The night ended with collective chants including, “Free, free Palestine!” and “From the River to the Sea, end UC complicity!”
12:20 a.m. update:
SPACES has released a statement expressing solidarity with SJP on Instagram after being “forcibly shut down” by UC San Diego administrators. They write: “As the only student-initiated and completely student-run retention & access program on campus, we are now unable to support the unique and dire needs of historically marginalized and underserved communities.”
SPACES goes on to criticize the Student Affairs and Campus Life 2024-2029 strategic plan, claiming, “UC San Diego’s abrupt & dictatorial actions against the SPACES exemplify the institution’s true intentions which are rooted in oppressive policies & practices.” The statement calls on community members, staff and faculty, campus partners, and Core-organizations for support.
10:50 p.m. update:
The SJP and Jewish Voices for Peace (JVP) chapters at UCSD have released a joint statement on Instagram in response to the cancellation of Sun God Festival, announced earlier today. The statement is co-signed by Faculty for Justice in Palestine (FJP), Black Student Union (BSU), Afghan Student Association (ASA), Muslim Student Association (MSA), General Store Cooperative, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx por Activismo (MEChA), Design Co at UC San Diego, and Iraqi Student Association (ISA), as of time of publication.
The statement alleges “canceling Sun God is a clear ploy to build resentment towards this demonstration and the broader movement for Palestinian liberation.” They go on to allege, “The administration’s decision was clearly not made with the student body’s best interest in mind, rather, it was made with the intention of creating division among fellow students in the hopes of shutting down our demonstration.”
SJP and JVP end the statement assuring, “We have begun this demonstration peacefully and fully intend, and commit, to remaining peaceful.”
8:40 p.m. update:
United Auto Workers (UAW) 4811 announced plans Wednesday afternoon for a strike authorization vote “if circumstances justify” to be held “as early as next week.”
The union, which is a recent merger between UAW 2865 and UAW 5810, represents 48,000 postdocs, academic researchers, student researchers, teaching assistants, tutors, and readers across the University of California system.
In the announcement, the executive board of UAW 4811 said: “At an emergency executive board meeting this morning, our union’s leadership voted to hold a strike authorization vote as early as next week to give the Executive Board authority to call a strike if circumstances justify: should the university decide to curtail the right to participate in protected, concerted activity; discriminate against union members or political viewpoints; and create or allow threats to members’ health and safety, among others, UAW 4811 members will take any and all actions necessary to enforce our rights.”
A statement from UAW Region 6 Director Mike Miller posted today says, “UAW 4811 members are preparing to file Unfair Labor Practice charges over UC’s actions” in addition to the vote.
7:00 p.m. update:
This year’s Sun God Festival that was originally scheduled for Saturday, May 4, has been cancelled, according to a campus notice sent to all academics, staff, and students by Interim Vice Chancellor for Resource Management and Planning Maureen Harrigan.
“Due to ongoing protest activity adjacent to Library Walk, our campus security resources that would otherwise be available to ensure the safety and security of the people participating in Sun God must be deployed elsewhere to support the overall security of our students, faculty, staff and visitors, and ensure the continuity of operations and the fulfillment of our academic mission. Unfortunately, this means we cannot simultaneously provide the necessary security oversight for the Sun God Festival,” the notice states, in part.
As of time of publication, the encampment remains peaceful.
3:55 p.m. update:
UCPD has closed Hopkins Lane south of Voigt Drive.
Two portable lights have been set up by UCSD Facilities Management to the north and east of the encampment.
2:25 p.m. update:
Five presidents of student college councils released a joint statement urging UCSD administrative staff to “not pursue student conduct violations against UC San Diego students peacefully protesting.”
The statement is signed by the presidents of the Warren College, Eleanor Roosevelt College, Revelle College, and Muir College student councils and the chair of the Thurgood Marshall College student council.
The student-backed message follows a petition by University of California faculty and staff supporting “students who protest peacefully and nonviolently.” At the time of publication, 166 UCSD faculty and staff members have signed the petition.
11:25 a.m. update:
Student IDs were not checked by UCPD overnight, according to demonstrators at the encampment.
Road closures are in place for Mandeville Lane at Gilman Drive and for Muir Lane east of Scholars Parking Structure.
10:15 p.m. update:
The night of scheduled programming concluded with a speech by Palestinian activist Linda Sarsour.
Sarsour encouraged demonstrators by saying, “20 years from now, you’re going to be right and your school will probably put you on a page on their website and talk about the incredible student activism of 2024.”
The speech ended with a collective performance of the dabke, a traditional Palestinian dance.
Police presence continues to be minimal. UCPD is the only agency present.
8:15 p.m. update:
According to an information release by Associated Students (AS) of UCSD’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) citing Patricia Mahaffey, Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Life, “the UC Police Department (UCPD) will be conducting student ID checks at the encampment tonight.” UCSD students will be given Student Conduct violations, and those who refuse to show their ID or are non-affiliates are at risk of being arrested, according to the statement.
The release also notes that “Student Initiated Access Programs and Services (SPACES) community office locks were changed as a result of the encampments, leaving Student Affirmative Action Committee (SAAC) orgs without a safe community space.” AS UCSD Office of EDI states the University “was not transparent with the students about this change, and some student items have been locked in.”
5:45 p.m. update:
In a statement sent to all academics, staff, and students at UCSD at 2:42 p.m., Chancellor Pradeep Khosla expressed support for peaceful protest, but reminded students that encampments violate campus policy.
The message states, in part, “Today, at approximately noon, campus community members and non-affiliate individuals arrived on campus and set up several tents on the grass adjacent to Library Walk. This activity is in violation of campus policy, which prohibits unauthorized encampments.”
“Our focus remains squarely on maintaining a safe campus environment free from discrimination and harassment and continuing the operation of our academic mission without disruption,” the statement goes on to say.
The full statement can be read here.
Finnegan Bly is the Assistant Arts and Culture Editor for The Triton. Liam Winstead is the Managing Editor for The Triton. Maya Philipp is the Editor-in-Chief for The Triton. McKenzie Turner is the Social Media Manager for The Triton. Tate McFadden is the Arts and Culture Editor and Opinion Editor for The Triton.
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