UCLA Campus Spent $500k on Police for Protests

The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) campus police and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) incurred over $630,000 in overtime expenses this spring while managing protests and a Palestine solidarity encampment, as revealed by public records obtained by The Independent. From April 25 to May 25, UCLA's police department spent approximately $389,389 on overtime, while the LAPD's costs reached an estimated $243,444 during a peak protest period from April 30 to May 7. This period saw over 200 arrests among student protesters and counter-demonstrators. UCLA political science professor Michael Chwe expressed concerns about the police's approach to the protests, noting that many of the students targeted were Jewish. He criticized the police for their lack of support when he sought assistance and described the situation as "very harsh." The LAPD, when questioned, referred inquiries back to the UCLA campus police, highlighting a lack of accountability. On May 2, police declared the encampment an unlawful assembly, leading to a significant police operation that dismantled the protest camp and resulted in numerous injuries among protesters. Complaints about police inaction were met with dismissive responses from campus police, further fueling tensions. During the protests, nearly 600 LAPD officers were reported to be present on campus, indicating a heavy law enforcement presence. By the end of May, a new group of around 70 protesters occupied UCLA's Dodd Hall but were swiftly removed by riot patrols, illustrating the ongoing conflict between student activists and law enforcement.