As RedState reported earlier on Thursday, police are conducting an ongoing (as of this writing) raid of the pro-Hamas encampment at UCLA. Initial reports indicated heavy resistance, with officers having to retreat and regroup.
READ: 'We're Going in,' Riot Police Move to Liberate UCLA From Terror 'Encampment' (UPDATED)
One video showed the illegal trespassers lined up on the perimeter shouting "We're not scared." They would be eating those words soon enough.
UCLA 🚨 : Multiple bangs going off, police continue trying to break through to no avail, protestors chanting “We’re not scared!” pic.twitter.com/ZVzuRgdPBU
— Anthony Cabassa (@AnthonyCabassa_) May 2, 2024
About an hour after the confrontation above, police breached one side of the encampment. Shortly after, the main "gate" was also torn down, signaling a full-scale collapse of the trespassers' make-shift defenses. The day prior, the terrorist encampment had gathered helmets, gas masks, and plywood in an attempt to prepare. Those preparations didn't offer much resistance when push came to shove.
Apocalyptic scenes unfolded as police marched through the encampment, making arrests and clearing debris.
UCLA BREAKING 🚨 : CHP RIOT POLICE HAVE BROKEN THROUGH, POLICE HAVE BREACHED THE ENCAMPMENT. PEOPLE BEING DETAINED. pic.twitter.com/uxcAOReRp5
— Anthony Cabassa (@AnthonyCabassa_) May 2, 2024
UCLA 🚨: CHP Police have broken through the entire front barrier tearing down makeshift walls and metal bars. There is now nothing standing in between exposed protestors and Riot Police. pic.twitter.com/QpC5pjFuUx
— Anthony Cabassa (@AnthonyCabassa_) May 2, 2024
UCLA 🚨: Police breach hallway barricade to clear the area of protestors and barricades. Arrests being made. pic.twitter.com/rDmRiHp3vz
— Anthony Cabassa (@AnthonyCabassa_) May 2, 2024
Royce Hall, one of the buildings the Hamas supporters had seized, was also liberated during the raid. It's unclear how many arrests were made in the process. Police initially used a loudspeaker to warn people to disperse and leave the area, giving some of them ample opportunity to escape the consequences of their participation in the encampment. Clashes are still ongoing within the center of the yard.
CHP riot police made another breach at the UCLA encampment, shoving occupiers out of the way and tearing down the “No Genocide” banner at Royce Hall. A few people in the crowd threw objects at the police. pic.twitter.com/rllrFBtmlE
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) May 2, 2024
As I and others have pointed out several times, none of this ends until charges are brought and jail time is given. If this raid only succeeds in clearing the encampment, it will be reconstituted in short order. There must be heavy legal repercussions to serve as a deterrent going forward. Expulsions of students who participated are also in order.
Will any of that happen? Only time will tell, but given the political dynamics at play in Los Angeles, it's hard to believe the hammer will be dropped.
This is a developing story.
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