There were arrests early this morning. The police gave notice hours earlier – lots of 15 minute warnings beginning at about 9:00 p.m. Most of the students chose to leave. A couple dozen were peacefully arrested with mild civil disobedience. The only moment of stupidity came when an officer illegally detained a KRCT reporter – apparently he was not briefed as to Penal Code section 409.7 which allows reporters to be there. She was later released without arrest. Here is some additional coverage.
The campus has been cleared. Some of the protesters may face charges for simple battery of officers or vandalism. Also “conspiracy.” But most will probably just face charges of trespass and illegal assembly reduced to infractions.
More as I have it.
Sohum Parlance II 
32 comments
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April 30, 2024 at 8:33 am
Anonymous
Looks like all the cosplayers’ “barricades,” homemade shields and the like were abandoned and left unused. But I suppose it was fun to pretend for a while that they were brave guerilla fighters defending their land from the forces of evil, so in that sense the props served a purpose.
Kudos to the students who remained peaceful as the arrests they chose to undergo took place, and to the officers who appear to have behaved professionally and humanely toward them.
April 30, 2024 at 9:11 am
Eric Kirk
I was up there trying to encourage students to be nonviolent in their resistance. I was concerned about a few who were obviously from off campus who were talking tough. The students apparently didn’t listen to them. I’m really glad for that.
When this is all done, we need to set up some nonviolence trainings on campus for future demonstrations.
April 30, 2024 at 9:21 am
John
Now watch what happens.
The demonstrators will only be cited, charges will later be dropped and no students will be expelled.
The millions of dollars of damage & costs of the protest & shut down of the campus will ultimately be paid by the taxpayers.
April 30, 2024 at 9:38 am
Jon Yalcinkaya
I mean, who should pay for the damages John? On a public college? The students? Good luck with that but I guess you could go that route and put them into jail for nor paying. Sounds like something our capitalist system would support.
That’s both the benefit and the responsibility of being a student at a public university. If you destroy property, you are destroying what is ours, what is yours and that should be taken into consideration when organizing protests but I’ll let you all, or perhaps just our only named Republican in SoHum go after the students for paying back property damages as part of any sentencing.
If this is the case, what about the landscaping charges when protests are held outside the County courthouse on 5th & I?
April 30, 2024 at 10:08 am
Anonymous
Isn’t it pretty routine for sentencing to include being ordered to pay restitution for property damage that you’ve caused in the course of committing a crime?
And unless I’m mistaken, those given such sentences are generally allowed to pay for this over a long period of time, not all at once.
Seems like the main problem would identifying which students were actually responsible for what property damage.
It might well be that those who were arrested this morning did not commit the acts of vandalism that would warrant that kind of restitution.
But if they can identify and prove who did specific acts of vandalism and they are among those arrested, or are arrested later, I see absolutely nothing wrong with holding them accountable for their actions. In fact it would set a really lousy precedent not to, as it would invite more of the same in the future.
It is quite likely that the taxpayers will still end up picking up the tab for most of the damage done by the tantrum-throwers who trashed “Intifada Hall,” but that’s probably unavoidable.
April 30, 2024 at 10:21 am
Anonymous
My guess is that most of the vandals and the “we-will-resist-the-fascist-pigs-with-our mighty-garbage-can-lid-shields-and-impenetrable-chair-barricades!!!” resistance cosplayers immediately high-tailed it when the cops showed up, leaving their fellow protesters high and dry.
That’s usually how these things work…the toughest talkers usually turn out to have “a bulldog mouth and a hummingbird ass” as one fellow protester memorably put it as he watched some of these types turn tail and run just as the cops were arriving.
Still I wouldn’t rule out some of them eventually being charged and held responsible…at least those foolish enough to let themselves be filmed committing acts of vandalism.
April 30, 2024 at 10:26 am
Eric Kirk
You can only be held responsible for what you actually do. It may be that the DA tries to tie everyone together in a “conspiracy” to commit the vandalism, but that’s a stretch and probably will not survive reasonable doubt. They will have to identify the actual individuals who did it.
April 30, 2024 at 11:12 am
Anonymous
That sounds right to me. My guess is that most of those arrested will end up with minor trespassing charges and the like, and that very few students, if any, who were just arrested for refusing to disperse, will face any serious academic disciplinary consequences. Probably lots of “warnings.”
But if identified, the actual vandals and others who barricaded themselves inside “Intifada Hall” and unlawfully denied access to others, might face more serious charges.
And if they are students, these folks could potentially face fairly substantial on-campus consequences, including suspension or expulsion…but that will be a judgement call on the University’s part. My guess is that even among the most culpable, very few, if any, will actually get expelled.
All in all, I expect most will get off very lightly, assuming they don’t re-escalate the situation by committing additional crimes.
April 30, 2024 at 1:19 pm
Henchman Of Justice
The millions of dollars of damage & costs of the protest & shut down of the campus will ultimately be paid by the taxpayers.
April 30, 2024 at 1:53 pm
bolithio
“It is quite likely that the taxpayers will still end up picking up the tab for most of the damage done by the tantrum-throwers who trashed “Intifada Hall,” but that’s probably unavoidable.”
What till you find out what tax payers dollars was used for in Gaza.
April 30, 2024 at 2:18 pm
Anonymous
I’m pretty sure that before it got trashed Siemens Hall wasn’t being used to launch rocket attacks and as a base from which to commit mass murder, torture, rape, and kidnapping, and as far as I know there were no hostages being held in the basement.
April 30, 2024 at 2:36 pm
Jon Yalcinkaya
Co-signing bolithio’s 1:53
April 30, 2024 at 4:19 pm
Just Trollin
How REAL governor handled the protesters…..
https://www.newsweek.com/pro-palestinian-protests-university-florida-response-not-daycare-1895434
April 30, 2024 at 4:38 pm
Anonymous
I support the students in their action to bring light and voice to the slaughter and murder of Palestines.
April 30, 2024 at 5:16 pm
bolithio
Also this idea that there are “millions in damages” is preposterous. My brother works at the university. He said the extent of the “damage” was some overturned trashcans and graffiti. Not even a broken window.
April 30, 2024 at 5:50 pm
Anonymous
Source: Trust my bro!
April 30, 2024 at 7:08 pm
Anonymous
Looks like the resistance cosplayers who trashed Hamilton Hall at Columbia have been cleared out, reportedly about 100 arrests, 40 from inside the briefly “occupied” building, no injuries reported.
Earlier in the day a spokesperson for the protesters warned that the brave occupiers (who had been in the building for several hours at that point) were at risk of dying from “starvation and dehydration” but thankfully that worst-case scenario was averted.
April 30, 2024 at 7:12 pm
Anonymous
https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExbnk0bjhtbHRueWc0aWx2ejZmbG9qNWNlc2xzODlzZzBzbHF4ODJ4eiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/kSlJtVrqxDYKk/giphy.gif
April 30, 2024 at 7:24 pm
Eric Kirk
Yeah, I saw some graffiti, 90 percent of it in chalk. I didn’t see any other damage, but then I didn’t go into the building.
May 1, 2024 at 3:58 am
Anonymous
Violent clashes at UCLA overnight, after a female Jewish student was reportedly beaten unconscious by a group of “pro-Palestinian” protesters (inexcusable) and then “pro-Israel” protesters clashed with protesters the encampment, including at least one and possibly several reportedly throwing fireworks into the encampment (also inexcusable).
A violent melee ensued, in which “protesters” (now combatants) on both sides can be seen on video attacking each other using various items as clubs and projectiles.
From the videos, it’s clear both groups resorted to serious violence, while on social media each blamed the other for starting the violence, with the “pro-Israel” crowd pointing to the earlier assault on the Jewish student who was hospitalized, and the “pro-Palestine” crowd pointing to the fireworks throwing by members of the “pro-Israel” crowd.
Where was the LAPD during all of this? They did eventually intervene to separate the protesters, but not fast enough to prevent a significant amount of violence from taking place in the meantime.
A terrible, ugly scene all the way around, and while I fully expect both sides to solely blame the other (sound familiar?), none of the violence is justified and all those who attacked others should face charges, and if students, should face expulsion.
Not clear yet how many people were injured and how badly, or how many arrests made.
But the level of chaos and violence definitely made the situations at Cal Poly Humboldt, and even Columbia, look like proverbial walks in the park by comparison.
May 1, 2024 at 5:22 am
Just Trollin
Governor DeSaviour handles business…..
May 1, 2024 at 7:29 am
Eric Kirk
Is Governor DeSantis still relevant to anything?
Anonymous – I’m looking for a media reference to the woman being beaten. Can you share your source?
May 1, 2024 at 8:29 am
bolithio
Watch as they drop kick the “Jews for Palestine” wall, then pull someone out and beat the shit out him.
May 1, 2024 at 9:01 am
Just Trollin
I wonder how Jews would have dealt with someone carrying a “Jews for Hitler” sign the morning after kristallnacht…..
May 1, 2024 at 9:23 am
Just Trollin
vang asks….”.Is Governor DeSantis still relevant to anything?” Only to show how the job should be done. But your governor prettyboy proves the old adage…..” no man is completely worthless. He can always serve as a bad example”…..
May 1, 2024 at 9:43 am
Henchman Of Justice
Boy, immigration is sure a success… World War within a single country called USA…
May 1, 2024 at 9:45 am
Eric Kirk
Sure. How the job should be done if you don’t believe in the first amendment and you’re basically a fascist.
May 1, 2024 at 10:02 am
Just Trollin
When all else fails, whip out the “FASCIST” label. So predictable…..
May 1, 2024 at 12:29 pm
Eric Kirk
Forceful cracking down on dissent; vehement nationalism; book burning; extreme control of women’s bodies; hating on immigrants; and even anti-business that doesn’t tow the line – pretty much all the elements of fascism.
May 1, 2024 at 12:51 pm
Anonymous
If you were a good little liberal, you’d throw in a little racist, misogynist, bigot, homophobic, and nazi. And in your case, a lot of “ums” and “uhs”…..
May 1, 2024 at 3:44 pm
Anonymous
Furious that the left wing anti-Semites were having all the fun, Marge just had to jump in with her OG blood libel style anti-Semitism…
May 1, 2024 at 4:36 pm
Anonymous
Hamas rejects ceasefire…yet again.
https://twitter.com/Jerusalem_Post/status/1785792890653802676