The University of California Board of Regents approved a request for additional non-lethal weapons from the Los Angeles campus police Thursday following massive pro-Palestinian protests that took place last school year.
The police at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) asked the board for an increased supply of pepper balls, non-lethal foam projectiles and new drones to aid in the dispersion of campus protests, according to the police department’s annual report. UCLA students’ response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel developed into some of the most intense pro-Palestinian protests in the country, which included a multi-week-long encampment on campus and resulted in multiple injuries, hundreds of arrests and canceled classes.
The weapons are only intended to be used during violent protests and under “life-threatening circumstances,” according to The Associated Press.
Some students spoke to the board prior to the vote to argue against the weapons request during the public comment session of the board meeting, saying the police unfairly punish student protesters and the weapons would harm students. Several students can be seen being removed from the meeting after attempting to disrupt the vote for the request.
“I am outraged that the University of California is prioritizing funding for military equipment while slashing resources for education,” Tommy Contreras, a student association representative, said. “Students, staff and faculty have been hurt by this very equipment used not for safety but to suppress voices.”
Police on UCLA’s campus responded to protests armed with riot gear in May and deployed flashbangs and tear gas to break up violent incidents. At least one person was hospitalized after the clash, and the campus was left littered with abandoned tents, spray-painted signs and garbage.
A federal judge in August criticized UCLA’s handling of an incident that resulted in three Jewish students bringing a lawsuit against the school for allowing a “Jew Exclusion Zone” to remain on campus. The court ruled the university could not prevent Jewish students from accessing parts of campus, though UCLA denied responsibility for the event.
The board of regents also approved equipment requests from the nine other University of California campuses, which included “noise-flash diversionary devices and explosive breaching tools,” according to the department’s annual report.
UCLA did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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