College protests updates: Police begin dismantling University of Chicago encampment

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass addressed the protests that turned violent overnight at UCLA in a statement Wednesday, saying she met with Los Angeles police, sheriffs and other agencies.

"This morning, I met in person with LAPD, LASD, CHP, CalOES, UCPD and other regional agencies at the UCLA incident command post about the absolutely detestable violence on campus last night," Bass said.

Bass warned that any demonstrator involved in "launching fireworks at other people, spraying chemicals and physically assaulting others will be found, arrested, and prosecuted, as well as anyone involved in any form of violence or lawlessness."

The mayor noted that she's spoken to California Governor Gavin Newsom and thanked him for "his continued support."

The day after protests turned violent at UCLA, faculty members held a conference addressing the protests and the university’s response.

"Last night I went to bed at around 4:00 a.m. with student’s blood on my hands and I'm not speaking figuratively," UCLA Assistant Professor Nicholas Shapiro said. "I mean, a student collapsed into my hands with blunt force trauma and mace in their eyes, and I had to treat them."

The protests led to 15 injuries, including one hospitalization, according to officials.

"This is a failure of our institution and we need to put a stop to it today," Shapiro said.

UCLA Associate Professor Bharat Venkat also addressed the violent scene on campus, saying, "It felt like walking through a war zone."

"They're screaming, they're crying," Venkat said of the student demonstrators. "They're having a difficult time breathing. This shouldn't be happening anywhere and this shouldn't be happening here 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.

Of the approximately 280 arrests at Columbia University and City College, 170 are summonses, while the remaining people will receive desk appearance tickets or will work through the court system, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Each case would be evaluated individually, including a review of body camera footage and other evidence, Bragg said. But, he did not reveal how many of those arrested were affiliated with the colleges and how many were outside agitators.

-ABC News' Aaron Katersky