Los Angeles, CA — At the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), a complaint by students and community members alleges serious misconduct and lack of protection during a spate of violence at a campus protest. Filed on March 19, the lawsuit accuses UCLA and multiple law enforcement agencies of failing to safeguard pro-Palestinian demonstrators from assaults by counter-protesters during events earlier this spring.
Attorney Thomas Harvey, representing the plaintiffs, detailed the gravity of the alleged assaults at a press conference. He indicated that some protesters were severely injured, necessitating ongoing medical care. He criticized local law enforcement for ostensibly standing by during the incidents.
Central to the allegations is an April 25 anti-genocide encampment set up by protesters. The lawsuit claims that despite receiving multiple reports of violence, including physical assaults by pro-Zionist groups, university officials did not intervene effectively.
Moreover, the lawsuit names twenty individuals believed to be involved in the most severe violence, which reportedly took place from the evening of April 30 into the early hours of May 1. Efforts to expand the lawsuit are underway, with aims to identify more participants.
Additionally, the lawsuit implicates the UCLA Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department, and California Highway Patrol. These agencies are accused of conducting a harsh crackdown on the peaceful encampment on two occasions — the first on May 1 and a subsequent incident during a June 10 memorial march.
Describing the May 1 encounter, the lawsuit outlines a scene where police used excessive force, including kinetic impact projectiles and flashbangs, allegedly leading to over 200 wrongful arrests. Similarly, the June 10 response is detailed with accusations of pointless brutality and false arrests by militarized police forces.
Highlighting individual cases, Thistle Boosinger, a local taiko drum instructor, asserted that her hand was broken during the May 1 skirmish. Despite multiple surgeries, she claims to have lost the ability to perform music professionally, resulting in substantial financial and emotional distress. Her assailant, identified as Isaac Bokhoor, remains uncharged despite evidence presented in the lawsuit.
The narrative extends to journalists as well, with Catherine Hamilton of UCLA’s Daily Bruin recounting denied access to a campus building while seeking refuge from the violence, further alleging assaults by counter-protesters.
The plaintiffs suggest that the attacks have inflicted long-lasting psychological and physical harm, complicating their educational and professional lives due to unresolved trauma and injuries.
At the crux of their legal battle, the lawsuit calls for UCLA to divest from entities supportive of what the plaintiffs describe as problematic behaviors, and enact policies that ensure the safety and free expression rights of students and community members.
This legal challenge throws into sharp relief the broader tensions and conflicts on college campuses over issues of speech, safety, and the extent of institutional responsibility to protect such rights under contentious circumstances. As the case progresses, it will potentially set precedents about university accountability and police response during highly charged political protests.