University of California Police asking for more non-lethal weapons in wake of pro-Palestinian protests

Police departments across the University of California system are asking for more non-lethal weapons in a process officials call “routine,” but with memories of the handling of last spring’s pro-Palestinian protests, many are skeptical of the idea.

The police department at UCLA is one of nine schools asking University of California Board of Regents for a stockpile of weapons on Thursday. UCLA in particular is asking for pepper balls, sponge rounds, eight more projectile launchers and three drones.

A representative for the UC said that the agenda item on Thursday’s meeting was “routine” and was not at all connected to pro-Palestinian protests earlier this year. In fact, they said, regents were reviewing reports from the use of non-lethal weapons used in 2023 across UC campuses, not 2024.

Still, public comment portions of Thursday’s meeting at UCLA were full of opposition from students and faculty alike.

“Said simply, these munitions can and do cause major injuries, including lethal ones,” said UCLA Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow Jonah Walters.

The response from the UCLA community stems from pro-Palestinian protests on campus in April. Over a period of several days, students formed an encampment on campus, calling for the university to divest from Israeli-invested companies.

A large encampment of pro-Palestinian protestors gathered on the UCLA campus on May 1, 2024. (KTLA)
A large encampment of pro-Palestinian protestors gathered on the UCLA campus on May 1, 2024. (KTLA)

As time went on, the encampment was met with more hostility. At one point, in late April, the encampment was “attacked” by pro-Israeli counter-protesters, leading to a night of violence.

That night, resulting in an unknown amount of injuries, led the university to action. In the early hours of May 2, officers dismantled the encampment and deployed the use of non-lethal weapons, like the ones that UC police asked regents for on Wednesday.

At least 15 injuries were reported in those incidents, according to officials. Police used force, including non-lethal gas and non-lethal bullets, on both occassions.

A UC spokesperson indicated to the media that the request for more non-lethal weapons was essential for training operations and for maintaining operational readiness.

As of Thursday afternoon, it was not clear if the request from police would be honored by regents.

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