UCLA Administration Criticized for Handling of Protests
Independent Report Highlights Institutional Paralysis and Inability to Protect Students
UCLA’s administration suffered from "institutional paralysis" and "an inability to effectively respond and protect students from violence" when protesters clashed on campus this spring, according to a scathing independent report.
Lack of Preparedness and Planning
The report, conducted by 21st Century Policing Solutions, comes months after violence erupted outside a pro-Palestinian encampment on UCLA’s campus. The consulting company reviewed thousands of documents and interviewed several current and former UCLA administrators, faculty, staff, students, and law enforcement personnel. The report highlights the administration’s failure to prepare for the encampment to be formed and for the ensuing violence, despite seeing similar events occur at other universities around the country.
Decision-Making Chaos
The lack of a plan made decision-making times "chaotic," the report says, as it wasn’t clear who on campus held the authority to make difficult choices. This led to the lack of ability to react quickly to rapidly changing events, like when pro-Israeli counterprotesters arrived on the night of April 30. Members of law enforcement agencies told the investigators that it felt like nobody was in charge on that night, despite the fact that the UCLA Police Department responded as violence erupted.
Outside Law Enforcement Takes Charge
This forced officers with the Los Angeles Police Department and California Highway Patrol to take charge of the violent event, despite not being properly briefed on the nature of the protests and the geography of campus. "Because UCLA PD did not provide this critical information, these outside law enforcement agencies decided amongst themselves how to engage," the report reads. "That is not how the operation should have functioned."
Recommendations and Response
Now several months removed from the violence, UCLA and UCLA PD should develop a systematic plan in the short and intermediate term before more chaotic events occur, the report says. Recommendations include maintaining a clear and direct chain of command when it comes to decision-making and a training program to instruct officers on how to act in extreme circumstances. The University of California issued a response to the report on Thursday, saying that it is taking a "close, detailed look" at where administrators fell short in the response to the violence.
Conclusion
The report’s findings highlight the need for improved planning, communication, and decision-making at UCLA in the face of campus protests. The university must prioritize the safety and well-being of its students, and the administration’s inability to effectively respond to violence is unacceptable.
FAQs
Q: What was the outcome of the independent report on UCLA’s handling of protests?
A: The report concluded that UCLA’s administration suffered from "institutional paralysis" and "an inability to effectively respond and protect students from violence" when protesters clashed on campus.
Q: What was the cause of the violence on UCLA’s campus?
A: The violence erupted outside a pro-Palestinian encampment on UCLA’s campus, with pro-Israeli counterprotesters arriving on the night of April 30.
Q: What are the recommendations outlined in the report?
A: The report recommends developing a systematic plan for responding to protests, maintaining a clear chain of command, and providing training to officers on how to act in extreme circumstances.
