University of California President orders independent review of overnight violence at UCLA
University of California President Michael V. Drake addressed the ongoing protests at UCLA that "turned violent" overnight, announcing in a statement on Wednesday an "independent external review" has been ordered.
The university summoned mutual aid from LAPD officers to "restore control" to the protest, according to Drake, who noted, there were 15 injuries, including one hospitalization, that stemmed from the protest.
"My office has requested a detailed accounting from the campus about what transpired in the early morning hours today," Drake said.
"But some confusion remains, therefore we are also ordering an independent external review of both UCLA’s planning and actions, and the effectiveness of the mutual aid response," Drake said.
UCLA's own chancellor, Gene D. Block, also promised an investigation.
"We are still gathering information about the attack on the encampment last night, and I can assure you that we will conduct a thorough investigation that may lead to arrests, expulsions and dismissals," Block told the campus community in a note Wednesday afternoon.
Block, in his note, said it was "a group of instigators" who came to Royce Quad to "forcefully attack the encampment that has been established there to advocate for Palestinian rights."
He called the overnight violence "utterly unacceptable."
"However one feels about the encampment, this attack on our students, faculty and community members was utterly unacceptable. It has shaken our campus to its core and — adding to other abhorrent incidents that we have witnessed and that have circulated on social media over the past several days — further damaged our community’s sense of security," his letter read.
