By Chris Jennewein
Times of San Diego
LA JOLLA, California — Local and state law enforcement began clearing the pro-Palestine encampment at UC San Diego on Monday morning, arresting dozens of protesters.
The action began shortly before 6 a.m. involved over 100 campus police, California Highway Patrol officers and the San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies.
Chancellor Pradeep Khosla released a statement Sunday calling the protest an “illegal encampment,” and claiming that the tents set up on Library Walk pose “an unacceptable safety and security hazard on campus.”
“The violation of law and campus policy represented by this encampment, however, is not a peaceful protest. It has become dangerous,” added the statement from the chancellor’s office, adding that the tents were possibly a fire hazard, but making no mention of any violence.
Students organized the Gaza Solidarity Encampment on campus last week as part of a nationwide student movement to show support for Palestinians amid a spiking death toll in Israel’s war against Hamas.
Classes at the University were moved to remote on Monday, and all events on the West Campus were canceled. All facilities were closed.
The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System said on social media Monday morning that due to police activity the UC San Diego Central Campus Trolley Station is temporarily closed, with trains bypassing the station.
Encampments on colleges campuses across the U.S. are in the process of being cleared as graduations near.
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This article is republished from Times of San Diego with which San Diego Jewish World has a news-sharing arrangement under auspices of the San Diego Online News Association.