On Wednesday, chaos erupted at the University of California, Irvine, as hundreds of anti-Israel protesters took over the campus. Local law enforcement agencies were quick to respond, and students were ordered to leave immediately for their own safety.
According to UC Irvine, the protesters entered the campus at around 2:30 pm and began to barricade a building. The university put out a call for help, and the Irvine Police Department and Orange County Sheriff’s Department responded swiftly to the scene.
UC Irvine students have just stormed & occupied a university building, and now #UCI is reporting an escalation of violence.
Who could have predicted this?! It’s not like this JUST happened at UCLA…#CALeg pic.twitter.com/nTMezScFVx
— Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez (@AsmKateSanchez) May 16, 2024
Footage from the protest showed law enforcement clashing with the protesters, who were seen holding umbrellas and chanting anti-Israel slogans. Authorities later confirmed that at least one protester had been arrested.
BREAKING: UC Irvine’s Pro-Palestine encampment has overtaken the science lecture hall on campus.
An EVACUATION ORDER has been issued and the law enforcement is seen preparing to arrest these domestic terrorists. pic.twitter.com/NK9P1fzJxl
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) May 16, 2024
The situation escalated when the protesters joined an existing encampment on campus, which had been in place since April 29. In response, the university advised students to take shelter and avoid the area for their own safety.
One student, Beto Mendez, described the scene as “shocking” and revealed that many of the protesters were not even students at the university. He also expressed concern about the presence of children at the protest.
.@UCIrvine — Far-left extremists trashed the campus for Gaza at their direct action to try to besiege part of the university. pic.twitter.com/Q5vtS3wGxs
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) May 16, 2024
Classes for the day were canceled, and the situation was closely monitored by the university. In fact, the school announced that classes would be fully remote the next day due to ongoing protests.
In the midst of all this chaos, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer issued a statement warning that any violence or vandalism would not be tolerated. He also reminded the public that while peaceful assembly is a constitutional right, criminal activity will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted.
.@UCIrvine — Incredible drone footage by @camhigby captures the tense scenes on campus as far-left rioters mobilized to try to besiege part of the campus “for Gaza.” pic.twitter.com/XOFngxIY1S
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) May 16, 2024
As conservatives, we believe in the freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, but we also believe in the rule of law. The protest at UC Irvine crossed the line when protesters resorted to violence and vandalism, which is completely unacceptable.
UCLA and UC Irvine are only about 50 miles apart. But the fact that the latter cleared out the cosplay terrorists in about an hour while the former took a week, tells you all you need to know about quality of life in Los Angeles vs Orange County. pic.twitter.com/n2EUF9zXRd
— David Pivtorak (@piv4law) May 16, 2024
We commend the swift response of local law enforcement and the university in handling the situation and ensuring the safety of students. We also stand with Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer in denouncing criminal activities and supporting the right to peaceful assembly.
Several people were arrested at UC Irvine as a pro-Palestinian protest took a tense turn. A woman who said she is a professor at UCI spoke to reporters as she was being escorted off the campus: “We cannot have a genocidal foreign policy in a democracy.” https://t.co/MXtMT6Gc58 pic.twitter.com/Du71sPkOSO
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) May 16, 2024
As the situation at UC Irvine continues to evolve, we urge everyone to stay away from the campus until further notice. Let us remember that we live in a country where we can peacefully express our opinions and beliefs, but we must do so within the confines of the law.
