The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) announced the creation of a new office focused on campus safety after violence erupted at a pro-Palestinian protest encampment last week.
Dozens of demonstrators were injured Wednesday night when protesters stormed the encampment for hours without police intervention, and on Thursday police fired rubber bullets at demonstrators during arrests. did.
Premier Gene Bullock said on Sunday: Message to students “We need urgent changes to the way we manage our security activities,” he said, adding that he would undertake a “thorough review of our security processes.”
The new Department of Public Safety will oversee campus police and emergency response, he said. The department will be led by former Sacramento Police Chief Rick Brazil.
Bullock said violence at recent protests had “eroded trust within the community,” but he did not mention specific incidents.
The university also announced that students would return to class on Monday after all classes were canceled last week due to protests.
More than 200 UCLA students were arrested last week, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The UCLA clash was the most violent of the nationwide pro-Palestinian campus protests. Similar protests have taken place on hundreds of university campuses in recent weeks, and more than 2,000 students have been arrested across the country.
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