The Corsair Spring 2024 - Issue 7 (Special Edition)

MAY 23, 2024 | VOLUME 126 ISSUE 7 | SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

DIVIDED CAMPUSES Special Issue EVERY COPY OF THE CORSAIR IS FREE, EACH COPY AFTER IS 25¢ | SANTA MONICA COLLEGE, STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1929

The Corsair Staff Editor-in-Chief | Cebelihle Hlatshwayo Managing Editor | Reneé Bartlett-Webber Photo Editor | Danilo Perez Design Editor | Alejandro Contreras Assistant Design Editor | Bunker King Digital Editor | Nicholas McCall Copy Editor | Taylor Parise Arts & Entertainment Editor | Ava Cyr Culture Editor | Karuna Namala News Editor | Sohrab Pourjavady Multimedia Editor | Amber Guerrero Assistant Multimedia Editor | Gio Sosa Opinion Editor | Brianna Johnson Social Media Editor | Megan Meadows Assistant Social Media Editor | MyDari Baker Sports Editor | Jermey Wolf

Faculty Advisors Sharyn Obsatz | Journalism Adviser Gerard Burkhart | Photo Adviser Samantha Nuñez | Social Media Adviser

Corsair Staff Alejandro Contreras | Alexey Nosov | Amber Guerrero | Ava Cyr | Blake Harris | Brianna Johnson | Bunker King | Caylo Seals | Cebelihle Hlatshwayo | Gio Sosa | Chrissy Washington | Danilo Peréz | Genesis Avila | Hazel Reyes | Jamael Shotomide | Jeffrey Berrios | Jeremy Wolf | Karuna Namala| Karen Lopez | Laurel Rahn | Libna Florêncio | Makaela Fujimoto | Maya Dondonyan | Megan Meadows | Mydari Baker | Nicholas McCall | Renée Bartlett-Webber | Ryan Abazari | Sara Mendez | Saiya Williams | Sohrab Pourjavady | Taylor Parise

Contributing Journalist Photojournalist | Jake Crandall

Contact Editor-in-Chief | corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com

Front Page California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers wait on the steps of Royce Hall in the encampment supporting Gaza in the Israeli-Palestine Conflict at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in Los Angeles, Calif., on May 2, 2024. (Photo by Caylo Seals)

This Page Scenes from concurrent Al-Nakba 2024 and Israel Independence Day events at Santa Monica College (SMC) Quad, Santa Monica, Calif. on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.

(Photo by Alexey Nosov)

2

THE

| CORSAIR

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Journalism, Empathy, and Campus Protests It can’t be, given the task of being the voice the tireless efforts of our reporting team.

The news- of our community, which takes both courage Each article aims to humanize the conflict, and empathy. This is why, when we decided go beyond the political rhetoric, and reveal a team to create this special edition sur- its personal toll on individuals. From sturoom is not asrounding our coverage of the impact of the dents who have family members directly afcurrent war in Gaza on campuses in the U.S., fected by the violence to those who feel the a place for we knew it would be challenging. ripple effects of the conflict in their academic The editorial team had multiple discus- and social lives, we have strived to capture a those faint sions about our approach, aiming to reflect broad spectrum of experiences. the voices from both perspectives of those In our current social climate, where powho shared their viewpoints with the Corsair. larization is rampant and discourse often of heart. We also recognized the devolves into shouting

Where polarization is matches, the role of rampant and discourse empathy in journalism cannot be overstated. often devolves into shout- Our mission is to inbut it is also to ing matches, the role of form, enlighten and encourempathy in journalism age critical thinking.

We hope that this specannot be overstated. cial edition will not only

importance of respecting those who weren't ready to speak with us on this topic due to its divisive and sensitive nature.

When you read this edition, I urge you to approach the articles with openness and understanding. Remember that behind every statistic is a human being with a unique story, a person who feels pain, joy, fear, and hope just as deeply as you do. Empathy is not only about feeling for others; it’s about understanding their experiences and perspectives, even when they differ vastly from our own.

Our decision to focus on the Israel-Palestine conflict and its echoes on U.S. campuses was not made lightly. We recognize that this topic is loaded with historical, political, and emotional weight. However, as journalists, we have a responsibility to tackle difficult subjects and shine a light on stories that may be uncomfortable but necessary to tell. By bringing you the voices from both sides of this conflict, we aim to provide a more holistic view of the issues at hand, specifically on SMC’s campus.

This edition's stories are the result of numerous interviews, hours of research, and

provide you with information but also inspire you to engage in empathetic listening and discussions.

In closing, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the individuals who shared their stories with us. Their bravery and honesty are what make this edition possible. I also want to thank our readers for taking the time to engage with these narratives. Your willingness to read, understand, and empathize is a crucial step toward fostering a more informed and compassionate community.

Cebelihle Hlatshwayo Editor-in-Chief

THE

| CORSAIR

3

SMC Under

Federal

Investigation Renée Bartlett-Webber| Managing Editor

O

n Monday, Santa Monica College (SMC) received notice that the school is under investigation by the U.S. Office of Civil Rights (OCR) for “alleged harassment of students by a Professor based on national origin (shared Jewish ancestry).” This is the OCR’s second time adding SMC to the list of more than 120 other schools in the U.S. being investigated for Title VI discrimination since the Oct. 7 attack in Israel.

SMC Senior Director of Government Relations and Institutional Communications Donald Girard confirmed that the school received a notice of the investigation. He stated, “This arises out of concerns expressed about an Ethnic Studies class.”

4 THE | CORSAIR

While the specific class has not yet been directly mentioned in conjunction with this investigation, substantial evidence points to an assignment from Professor Elias Serna’s Introduction to Ethnic Studies class.

Serna told the Corsair that he had not been informed of this investigation.

“I did receive one complaint from one student about the wording of one question in an assignment which asked students to make a connection of a course reading to the current conflict in Gaza,” he said.

Serna said that he has been “doxxed” by “LA Mommies” and Canary Mission, which he says is a “right-wing conservative group that targets ‘leftist’ professors.” He added that there is a new

nationwide censorship and self-censorship campaign around teaching about Palestine and critiques of Israel/ Zionism.

On March 8, a screenshot from Serna’s assignment spread on social media. One of the questions in the assignment read, “What are your thoughts of the ongoing destruction and genocide

by Israel in Palestine?”

StopAntisemitism posted the screenshot and Serna’s assignment on X, formerly Twitter, calling the wording of it “outrageous.” Users in the Mothers Against College Antisemitism Facebook group shared emails and phone numbers of administrators at SMC, encouraging others to “flood the school with emails.”

Illustration by Taylor Parise and Renée Bartlett-Webber

Two days later, President Kathryn Jeffrey of SMC released a statement in response to “numerous emails and calls from community members expressing concern about a particular assignment.”

The statement said SMC is “committed to open dialog and the free exchange of ideas for educators and students,” citing the institution’s legal obligation to academic freedom. It added, “The views expressed by individual faculty do not necessarily reflect the college’s values but, at the same time, are not considered prohibited conduct unless the speech or expression is unlawful,” it read.

In Girard’s response to the Corsair, he referenced Jeffrey’s release in association with the newest federal investi-

gation into SMC. “As the letter from OCR noted, ‘opening an investigation in no way implies that OCR has made a determination with regard to its merits.’ The College is confident it met its legal obligations under federal law and will fully cooperate and respond to the OCR investigation,” Girard stated.

The first investigation was launched on Dec. 4, 2023, after a complaint about an SMC Inter-Club Council (ICC) meeting denied installation of the Students Supporting Israel club on Oct. 19. SMC administration repealed this decision within less than 24 hours of the meeting, citing ICC bylaws that rendered the decision unconstitutional for club delegates to deny a club that met all of the

basic requirements.

Jeffery and Vice President of Student Affairs Michael Tuitasi released a statement on Dec. 14, 2023, committing to increased safety measures for “confidential groups spaces” and an intolerance for discrimination. It also stated, “We will inform you of any final decision made.” There has not been any update on this initial investigation since.

While SMC now appears twice on the list of Title VI investigations, it is accompanied by a few of its neighbors.

University of California, Los Angeles appears four times, and University of Southern California appears twice.

THE

| CORSAIR

5

Homework Uproar: Free Speech Clash at SMC Cebelihle Hlatshwayo | Editor-in-Chief

S

anta Monica College (SMC) once again found itself in another bout of controversy concerning alleged antisemitism. In March, parents of students taking an online Introduction to Ethnic Studies class with Professor Elias Serna were outraged about a homework assignment they described as “inappropriate” and “insensitive.”

In an assignment titled “Settler Colonialism & the Dominant Narrative,” Serna asked students, “What are your thoughts on the ongoing destruction and genocide by Israel in Palestine? What forms of protest have you witnessed or observed?

What effect does protest have on the political situation in Gaza? What effect is it having on this generation?.”

This assignment was widely shared on social media platforms. In a post uploaded by X account “StopAntisemitism,” they stated, “Professor at Santa Monica College claims Israel is ‘committing genocide’ in an assignment Into to Ethnic Studies class. Labeling as such is a reckless distortion of reality that undermines genuine efforts for peace and resolution in the region.

Just another example of propaganda in higher education.”

Many outraged individuals from various online communities rallied together and encouraged others to reach out to Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery to oppose Serna’s teaching methods.

Jeffery responded with a public statement sent to SMC employees on

March 10, stating, “The views expressed by individual faculty do not necessarily reflect the college’s values but, at the same time, are not considered prohibited conduct unless the speech or expression is unlawful.”

Rabbi Eli M. Levitansky, the advisor for the Chabad Jewish Student Club, was dissatisfied with the response from SMC. He said that he initially questioned why SMC was being investigated amongst schools like Harvard and Columbia, which had significant issues with antisemitism. He felt SMC's response to the incident in October, 2023 which led to the federal investigation, was handled correctly.

However, Levitansky believes that the administration's response to Professor Serna’s actions “is troubling tolerance for the emotional and psychological attacks on Jewish students, which is very disheartening to witness.”

He said Jeffrey’s statement failed to call the incident out as discriminatory.

The Corsair was unable to get comments from students attending Serna’s class. However, other SMC students were willing to speak about the incident.

Vahid Zibae, an international student

“ If you don't want to call it a genocide, call it massacres or mass murder, a lot of people are dying.”

– Athena Anenberg

6 THE | CORSAIR

from Rasht, Iran, disagrees with Serna’s approach. He feels professors should prioritize the safety and intellectual development of their students. He states that educators often fail to do this due to their own biases when teaching complex issues such as the conflict between Israel and Palestine. “If they're here to teach, then there's a responsibility behind it, and they have to abide by that responsibility. And if they come up with fake news and fake approach and trying to maneuver in history and all that stuff, then obviously they have to be held accountable.”

Athena Anenberg, the current Vice President of Students for Justice in Palestine at SMC and a neuroscience major, fully supports the professor's actions. She believes it is crucial to discuss the situation in Israel from a factual standpoint without letting religion, personal beliefs, or cultural heritage influence the discussion. She said, “If you look at the numbers, if you look at the statistics and the facts, Israel is a settler colonial estate that is committing a genocide against Palestinians. If you don't want to call it a genocide, call it massacres or mass murder, a lot of people are dying.”

Interim Dean Scott Silverman believes that academic freedom is a complex issue.

He emphasized the importance of keeping bias out of the classroom and highlighted the problem when the lines between fact and opinion become blurred. Silverman said that this can lead to issues, particularly for students who might feel

“When the line between fact and belief or fact and opinion gets blurry, then we have a couple of problems.”

– Scott Silverman

Photo by Alexey Nosov

Professor Eli Serna attends a presentation by Yair Agmon, a former Israeli defense soldier, as part of the Al-Nakba 2024 series of events organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at Santa Monica College, in Santa Monica, Calif., on May 7.

marginalized or confused. He said there could be Jewish students facing assignments they find frustrating without knowing how to address their concerns and could fear retaliation from the professor who has the power to influence their grades.

Additionally, Silverman worries that students unfamiliar with topics like Israel might mistakenly accept opinions as facts if presented by the instructor, raising further concerns. As Silverman puts it, "When the line between fact and belief or fact and opinion gets blurry,

then we have a couple of problems."

David Loy, the legal director of the First Amendment Coalition, spoke to the Corsair about academic freedom.

He acknowledged the existing power dynamics, highlighting that the First Amendment protects students' rights to voice their concerns. He said that students can discuss and challenge a teacher’s choice of assignment, suggesting alternatives and explaining why a particular homework assignment might be problematic.

Loy said that while professors have

autonomy over their curriculum, students can voice objections, but it is not the administration's role to dictate changes, only to facilitate dialogue. He differentiated between dialogue and harassment, insisting that harsh criticism is part of free speech and objections should not be misconstrued as harassment. He highlighted the school's duty to respect everyone's speech rights. "That is the very point of the First Amendment, to protect the people's right to speak," he said.

THE

| CORSAIR

7

Photo by Taylor Parise

Pro-Isreal students confronting Pro-Palestine students after the seperate rallies on campus at Santa Monica California in Santa Monica, Calif. on May 14.

(Opposite Page) Santa Monica College student in orange shirt lays between Palestinian and Israelian flags at the Al-Nakba and Israel Independence Day event in the SMC Quad at Santa Monica, Calif. on Tuesday, May 14. (Photo by Alexey Nosov)

SMC pro-Palestine Rally Clashes with Israeli Independence Day Celebration Renée Bartlett-Webber| Managing Editor Sohrab Pourjavady | News Editor Taylor Parise | Lead Copy Editor Chrissy Washington | Staff Writer

I

srael supporters celebrated while Palestine supporters rallied at Santa Monica College (SMC) on Tuesday.

The events that culminated in the quad remembered Israeli Independence Day, or Yom Ha'atzmaut, and the Nakba, or "the catastrophe," that displaced many Palestineans from the same land.

The Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at SMC hosted a rally on the north side of the quad to commemorate the 1948 Nakba and honor the Palestinian victims and survivors. Although the

Nakba is traditionally remembered on May 15, according to Michael Tuitasi, SMC Vice President of Student Services, SJP held their event on May 14 due to scheduling issues at the school.

The Jewish Affinity Group (JAG) of SMC employees coordinated a celebration of Yom Ha'atzmaut on the south side of the quad at the same time. The Jewish Student Center contributed food and “Jewish spirit,” according to leader Rabbi Eli Levitansky.

SJP at SMC first promoted their

event on Instagram on April 27 with a flier announcing it would be held on Tuesday, May 14. The post read, “Let us come together as a community to honor the courage, sacrifice, and legacy of the Palestinian people.”

About two weeks later, on May 10, the JAG sent out an email blast to faculty, encouraging them to promote the Jewish American Heritage Month event at the same time and location as the SPJ event. “Join us in recognizing Jewish American Heritage Month,” read the THE

| CORSAIR

9

Scenes from concurrent Al-Nakba 2024 and Israel Independence Day events at Santa Monica College (SMC) Quad, Santa Monica, Calif. on May 14. (Photo by Alexey Nosov)

flier.

Professor Deborah Novak, who is a member of JAG, shared their thought process for planning their gathering on the same day. “They’re having this demonstration tomorrow, or rally tomorrow, and so our conversation was, you know, ‘How do we want to handle this?’ So, we decided that we are having a counter-activity at the other end of the quad, giving people another space to go to,” she said.

Many expressed concerns for safety leading up to the events. According to Michele Farnoush, the president of the Chabad Club, Students Supporting Israel did not feel safe making a presence on campus. Additionally, Santa Monica local Houman David Hemmati tweeted, “This Tuesday, violent pro-Hamas “protestors” are planning to march from @SMC_edu to @santamonicacity City Hall and are expected to cause chaos, disruption, possible property damage, etc.”

While both protests were peaceful and remained in the quad, there was a substantial police presence with both SMC campus Police standing guard and barricades separating the two groups.

Johnnie Adams, SMC Chief of Police, said that their presence was mostly a last resort, and students or staff who misbehaved would be reprimanded by SMC administration before being spoken to by police. ”We’re visible, but not too visible,” he said.

Thomas Bui, SMC associate dean for student life, watched on the outskirts of barricades at the Nakba rally. He said that he was not here for the Israel event. “My responsibilities are only concerned with our student clubs and our safety,” he said. He added that he has been in communication with SJP throughout their planning process, and they asked him to attend.

SMC administrators placed a 200-foot “free speech zone” between both events to help facilitate peaceful discussion among attendees. “We wanted to set up ways that students could engage, and speak,” Tuitasi said. By the end of the event, both pro-Is-

Esthela Moneada (left) and Robin (right), Santa Monica College (SMC) students, displaying their signs in support of Al-Nakba 2024 event at the SMC Quad, in Santa Monica, Calif. on May 14. (Photo by Alexey Nosov)

12 THE | CORSAIR

THE

| CORSAIR

5

rael and pro-Palestine supporters held peaceful confrontations, discussions and chants there.

A pro-Palestine student who identified herself as Ray said that she didn’t find her conversation with several pro-Israel high school students productive. “Overall, they didn't really want to lend an ear, they more wanted to continue to provoke and ensure that what they believe was being represented,” she said.

On the other hand, Eli Schwartz from a nearby jewish high school said, “I felt that it was very productive until, you know, the rest of the crowd came over and started chanting.”

14 THE | CORSAIR

Tuitasi said, “I think any time we can bring groups together to have a conversation, it’s great, and this is part of the student experience. I protested when I was a student, so we just wanted to make sure the students feel safe and comfortable.”

When asked about the climate at SMC surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict, a student who identified themselves as Sea Bass said, “I mean, there are occasionally threats of fights, but, you know, not as much as other schools, I reckon. And the academic environment is not really disrupted. So I'd say, probably because it's a smaller school, but overall, it is a healthier environ-

ment, I'd say, and tions with other p Both celebratio lowed by unplann within the free sp was the last to le 1:30 p.m.

d I'm able to have healthier conversapeople.” ons ended at 12:35 p.m. and were folned discussions between the groups peech zone. The pro-Palestine group eave the quad and dispersed around

Photo by Luca Martinez

Rabbi Eli Levitansky says prayer during Nakba rally on the main Quad of Santa Monica College's campus. Santa Monica, Calif., on Tuesday, May 14, 2023.

Jistin "Sabi" smiles as he holds up Israeli flag during the Isrel Independence Day Celebration. (Photo by Luca Martinez)

THE

| CORSAIR

15

Professors Are Caught in Campus Divide

Taylor Parise | Lead Copy Editor

T

ensions grow inside univer- a ceasefire in Gaza sities across the country as during Shaw’s class students denounce the war in on May 9.

Gaza, while others feel targetHis entire class ed by a rise in antisemitism. Campuses walked out, making such as Columbia University and the their way through University of Southern California may the campus, and be making national headlines, but com- Shaw took it upon munity colleges are being impacted as himself to be a legal well. observer, staying Santa Monica College (SMC) is no within earshot in exception, and professors on campus order to make sure are having to navigate the debate and the students were sort through their own beliefs while safe. maintaining a sense of normalcy in the Despite once classroom. being a student acFaculty at SMC are hesitant to speak tivist himself, Shaw out, and many declined to comment on believes his opinthe matter, wanting to appear neutral ion is not relevant Photos by Alexey Nosov so their classes may remain a safe place within the converfor students on both sides. However, sations between his Professor Deborah Novak Al-Nakba 2024 and Israel Independence Day events at SMC. neutrality does not stop recent events students.

Rather, into SMC’s response under Title VI to from becoming a conversation inside the ethnic studies professor wants to reports of an ethnic studies professor the classroom. foster critical thinking among his stuharassing students, specifically those Trisden Shaw, SMC professor of eth- dents and guide them in constructive of Jewish ancestry. nic studies who is in his first year as a debates rooted in open-mindedness Shaw explained that no one is withfull-time faculty member, finds the top- and respect. out bias, which is why he first introic of student advocacy, specifically with Ethnic studies professor Elias Serduces himself and his own background the pro-Palestinine movement on cam- na has faced backlash on a “Mothers before beginning each semester. “How pus, to be a very relevant topic.

Against Campus Antisemitism” group I'm going to present you this informaEach semester, Shaw has his stu- on Facebook for allegedly “indoction is going to be objective, but who I dents sign a com- “It was so interest- trinating” students am is going to influence the ways that munity agreement, through mandatoI frame these different things,” he said. which he alters regu- ing to me last semes- ry assignments. The “So I want you to be aware of this ahead larly based on student ter how that became discussion board, of time so you don't feel like I'm indocfeedback. The agreeposted on March 10, more divisive and shared a screenshot trinating you or anything like this. This ment helps students is just how I view the world, and this is effectively and safely more explosive than of an assignment that how I see things.” have critical converread, “What are your it ever had been.”

At the beginning of each semester, sations within the thoughts on the onShaw’s class discusses the different – Trisden Shaw classroom, and Shaw going destruction and types of colonialism, and Israel being a shared that he believes SMC as a whole genocide by Israel in Palestine?” colonial state naturally comes up in the could benefit from a campus-wide Those in the Facebook group were lesson plan. However, in the past year, agreement. encouraging members to email the the conversation surrounding Israel Shaw has watched as his students SMC administration to demand Serna and Gaza has changed. take on activist roles themselves, a be held accountable.

“It was so interesting to me last serole he had once held during the rise of Donald Girard, Senior Director of mester how that became more divisive Black Lives Matter. One student in his Government Relations and Instituand more explosive than it ever had class, who is a part of the Students for tional Communications, confirmed been,” said Shaw. “But I think it's imJustice in Palestine (SPJ) club on cam- that, as of Monday, the Office for Civil portant because it’s history.” pus, organized a walk-out in support of Rights (OCR) opened an investigation Professors lecturing on ethnic stud-

16 THE | CORSAIR

ple from other back- when things are as divisive as they are, grounds.” it makes sense, right?”

Both Shaw and Amidst the rallies, walk-outs, and Novak attended the debates on campus, there has been a May 14 opposing ral- noticeable silence from SMC’s adminlies at the quad on istration. the main campus.

In December 2023, the U.S. DepartThe grass was divid- ment of Education Office of Civil Rights ed by metal fences announced an investigation into an into three sections: incident related to an Associated Stupro-Isreal, a neutral dents’ Inter-Club Council meeting that zone, and pro-Pales- occurred at SMC and allegedly involved tine. Shaw stood back antisemitism. After releasing a stateand observed the Pal- ment saying they stood “against all estinian side along- forms of hate, including anti-Semitism” side other professors, and would cooperate in the investigaand Novak was on tion, the administration has remained the Israel side along- quiet. Jeffery’s team has not responded side other JAG faculty to The Corsair’s request for a comment. members.

Novak shared that JAG encouraged “While I was there, SMC president Kathryn E. Jeffery reit was very peaceful,” garding “putting out a position stateNovak said in a state- ment” addressing concerns of antisemment following the itism on campus, but there has been no event. “On one side, movement from the president. there was a celebraWhile Shaw understands why the tion for Jewish Inde- administration would want to remain Photos by Taylor Parise impartial, he said it is not the approach Professor Trisden Shaw observing students at the Students for Justice pendence Day with music, dancing, and a he would choose to take. “If the college in Palestine rally at SMC. ies are not the only faculty navigating couple prayers for the were to do something, I would hope the divide on campus. Deborah Novak, hostages and the Israeli soldiers.” that they would construct spaces where a long-time professor of nutrition at Novak went on to share that she we can have real dialogue around not SMC, has also been affected by the rise thought it was nice that the SJP side only this issue but a variety of different in tension despite her subject being a of the quad had an open-mic set up for issues. I think that is why maybe silence far cry from advocacy. students to share their experiences but may not be the best,” Shaw said.

As a Jewish faculty member and was incredibly sad when one person, While the administration has avoidpresident of a Santa Monica temple, who appeared to her to be an organizer, ed addressing the events on campus, Novak has encountered the subject of “immediately called for the destruction for professors and faculty, keeping their the war in Gaza not only within her class of Israel.” distance is not possible but also with other faculty members.

Comments like “I do a lot of work at when interacting with Novak was approached by a co- these are what wor- building community, these passionate stuworker at the beginning of March about ries Novak and and I hope that very dents daily. joining an on-campus organization for makes her and other As the spring seSMC faculty and staff called the Jewish JAG members ques- indirectly that has an mester draws to a close, Affinity Group (JAG). Through JAG, No- tion the intentions effect of having more the question of how vak said she has made new connections of activist organizathese final weeks in the with other Jewish faculty and learned tions like SJP. She respect and appreci- midst of student actheir perspectives. said there are con- ation for people from tivism will go remains.

Novak has students from all over the cerns from some other backgrounds.” However, both Novak world. Inside her room, she said there faculty that SJP may and Shaw believe that – Deborah Novak has been “a little bit of conversation” have antisemitic inTuesday’s rallies may about current events, and has made tentions of “getting Jewish faculty and not be the last for the school year. sure to check in with a student from Is- staff out.”

At the end of the day, to Shaw, what’s rael, ensuring he and his family are doIn regards to the rise of antisemitism most important when navigating tening well. on campus, Shaw stated he had not sions among students is being available “I try and avoid controversial issues,” witnessed it himself nor heard stories for them. He said, “You want to make Novak said. “I do a lot of work at build- from students, but said, “I know both sure every student feels safe and every ing community, and I hope that very antisemitism and Islamophobia have student feels heard, and I think that is indirectly, that has an effect of having been on the rise on college campuses my north star, and that’s what leads me more respect and appreciation for peo- and throughout the country. And again, through.”

THE

| CORSAIR

17

Yousef Khafaja president of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) stands with Damon a memeber of MSA at the Students for Justice in Palestine rally on the quad at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. on May 14.

(Photo by Taylor Parise)

Yousef Khafaja: From stateless in Germany to Palestinian leader in LA Renée Bartlett-Webber | Managing Editor

W

hen violent counter-protesters attacked the University of California, Los Angeles’ (UCLA) pro-Palestine encampment on April 30, Santa Monica College (SMC) student, Yousef Khafaja, was on the receiving end of severe blows.

Khafaja said that he was on the ground being beaten and later was hit in the head with a metal rod.

“I didn’t realize my whole face was bleeding. I didn't realize my head was open. I was just mad somebody stole my Keffiyeh,” he said. A Keffiyeh is a head covering that many men wear traditionally in the Middle East but has become a symbol of Palestine.

Two UCLA medical students came to Khafaja’s aid, and his friends took him to the hospital, where he was treated for a concussion and bad wounds. From the hospital, Khafaja went straight to class in his bloody shirt the next morning without any sleep.

“Obviously, what happened [to me] was horrible, but I have no regrets about what I did. I would do it again,” Khafaja said. He said he knew he did nothing wrong – he was not violent or aggressive and gained a platform through his experience.

Khafaja said that he will be pressing charges against UCLA and the Los Angeles Police Department for not doing

enough to protect students, as well as filing a lawsuit against one of the few recently identified perpetrators who attacked him at the rally.

While Khafaja has recently taken the spotlight as someone unafraid to stand up for the rights of his fellow Palestinians, he hasn’t always been so active.

Growing up as a stateless Palestinian bouncing between Germany, Syria, and Jordan, Khafaja was taught to keep his identity to himself. He said that as a child, he was forced to live life as a refugee without a home despite never having experienced war. “[A] war that happened 60 years ago is responsible for me not being able to go to a regular kindergarten or for me not being able to have a home – to legally stay in one place,” he said.

Khafaja’s grandparents were forced to flee from what he refers to as the “lands of ‘48 or what is now Israel.” Khafaja’s mother’s family went as refugees to the United Arab Emirates, and his father’s family went as refugees to Syria.

Khafaja’s father was born stateless but, through various student visas, pursued medical degrees in Yemen, Russia (formerly the Soviet Union), and Poland. After his student visa expired in Poland, he was forced to leave and go to Dresden, Germany. However, his 10 years of studies did not transfer to any

"I didn't realize my whole face was bleeding. I didn't realize my head was open."

degree, and he had to learn yet another language.

Neither of his parents had citizenship in Germany at the time, leaving Khafaja stateless for the majority of his childhood. “I was illegal in the country I was born in, but I was also illegal in every other country in the world, so you can’t put me anywhere,” he said.

Since coming to SMC as an international student two years ago, Khafaja has become politically active. He is the president of the Muslim Students Association club, on the board of the Students for Justice for Palestine club, and regularly attends protests throughout Los Angeles.

“I’ve never felt so good about being Palestinian, ever,” Khafaja said at the Nakba Rally on SMC’s main quad on May 14. He referred to the Latinos, African Americans, Christians, Muslims, Jews, faculty and students. “Being a kid, I wouldn't even mention I was Palestinian. Now I’m here and doing all that. It's just a beautiful feeling.”

"I've never felt so good about being Palestinian, ever."

THE

| CORSAIR

19

Yoav Sarig: A Healing Hand for Israel Renee Bartlett-Webber | Managing Editor

A

fter the Oct. 7 attack in Israel, Yoav Sarig decided to indefinitely delay his plans to come to Santa Monica College (SMC) and help those in need in his home country. There was a shortage of resources in Israel, so he volunteered to deliver food, toiletries, and equipment to those in need.

Sarig wanted to stay and help his community heal. “With everything that happened, I wasn't sure if I was going to come,” he said.

However, when people started to return to some normalcy after several months, he decided it was time to pursue his goal of studying child development at SMC. “It was very hard for me to leave, and it's still hard for me to be here,” Sarig said.

Despite the challenge of being away from his hurting community, Sarig thought it was best to work towards his longer-term goals. “Developing myself so I can gain the tools to help other people is what I need to do right now,” he said.

Sarig is a seventh-generation Israeli, meaning his family was there long before Israel became an independent nation-state in 1948. He said that his great ancestors hailed from Russia and Poland.

Sarig loved growing up in Hod Hasharon and the smaller village of Ramot Hashavim just outside Tel Aviv. “It’s a very special country, very community-oriented, at least where I grew up.”

Similar to children in the United States, Sarig said grew up playing video games, watching TV, and playing instruments.

Most Israeli men and women are required to join the military at age 18, but Sarig was able to take a year volunteering at a kibbutz in Jerusalem before enlisting. A kibbutz is unique to Israel

20 THE | CORSAIR

and is a small community living collectively. He worked in agriculture as well as helped both children and adults with special needs.

When he was 19, Sarig joined the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). He said it was “pretty awful,” but it wasn’t combat that was the worst part while he was there; it was the training. “Unless you're dealing with stuff that people are dealing with today, the training is probably the hardest part,” he said.

Sarig said that it may have been harder on his body because he joined the IDF a bit older because he struggled with injuries from the beginning of his training. He was discharged several months early after he got surgery on his hip, two years into his service.

After service, Sarig did not want to go back to school yet, so he decided to do more work with kids. He did personal training, tutoring, and substitute teaching for local children.

Now, as he finishes his first semester thousands of miles away from home, Sarig is still confronted with the global impact of the events of Oct. 7 and after. The movements on college campuses and daily media reports about the war in Gaza dominate the conversation.

Sarig said that most people don’t understand the impact of the attack on the community and the ongoing situation in Gaza. “I know ten people who were killed and one girl who is kidnapped, and I mean, even I’m the lower statistic, probably,” he said.

Sarig understands that it’s challeng-

ing for people to research the conflict because there are discrepancies in the reporting of both sides, but he hopes that people would do more to find out.

“I have been asked how I’m doing, is my family safe, but I have not been asked what’s happening,” he said.

According to Sarig, the Israeli people are fighting many battles: Hamas, the Government, and public opinion. There have been ongoing protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet. Sarig himself has participated in a few protests against the government in the months before Oct. 7.

“I think most rational people would believe that the government is not fighting for its citizens best interests,” Sarig said.

Despite his challenges with the government, Sarig expressed a deep gratitude and love for his country. “I am proud of my country, and I wish for the safe return of all the hostages, and I wish for the end of suffering, and I wish for the abolishment of Hamas and a safe and secure future for the people of Gaza.”

While Sarig has not been politically active on the SMC campus, he would be happy to participate in discussions with students who seek diverse perspectives and want to learn about what’s really happening in the Middle East. However, he does not want to engage with people who are malicious or extreme, as he sees portrayed in much of the media coverage.

“I would really want to see more people engaging in conversation that's not about being right, it’s about learning.”

Yousef Khafaja speaking at the Students for Justice in Palestine rally on the quad at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. on May 14, 2024 Photo by Taylor Parise

Yoav Sarig, a Santa Monica College (SMC) international student from Israel who has served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), interviewed by The Corsair at SMC Main Campus, Santa Monica, Calif., on May 20. (Photo by Alexey Nosov)

Photo by Alejandro Contreras Pro-palestine protesters interlink their arms as CHP arrives in mass.

Photo by Alejandro Contreras CHP officers form a poice line on the right side Haines Hall in UCLA to confront pro-palestine protesters.

Students Across

Divided Campuses Cebelihle Hlatshwayo | Editor-in-Chief

T

Karuna Namala | Culture Editor

he U.S. is a nation made up of refugees and immigrants. Their stories have formed part of the American experience and are reflected in every aspect of American culture. Since Oct. 7, the spotlight has focused on college campuses. The weight of students’ experiences concerning heritage has followed them to school, dividing campuses into two: pro-Palestine and pro-Israel.

College students wearing keffiyehs and students carrying Israeli or Palestinian flags have become a familiar sight across the U.S. In Southern California, students from the University of Southern California (USC) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) continue to share their perspectives on the ongoing situation.

Pro-Palestine students have expressed concerns that their schools do not adequately support those advocating for Palestinian rights. These students have reported facing arrests, suspensions, and threats to their academic

22 THE | CORSAIR

futures in response to their protests.

On the other hand, pro-Israel students have voiced that they do not feel safe on campus, citing the protest of pro-Palestine students as a direct affront to their heritage.

Students from both sides of the conflict share their perspectives the emotional and physical impact on their daily lives and educational experiences.

Santa Monica College Michele Farnoush, SMC’s Chabad Jewish Student Club president, has family from and in Israel and is pro-Israel. The conflict has bled into her educational decisions. “I have a lot of Jewish friends who applied to and got into Columbia, and they're like, I just don't feel safe going there,” said Farnoush.

“So, of course, it really has affected my decision of where I want to transfer.” “​How can these people deny facts, and also just the lack of empathy, honestly, really, like, struck me,” said Farnoush. “I don't know. I really thought

that people at least had more empathy than what I've been seeing recently.”

Yoav Sarig, who is a student from Israel said, “It was very hard for me to leave. And it's still hard for me to be here.”

Jonathan Stone, international student from Russia, said that he feels safe at SMC, but does not at UCLA, near where he lives. “They look at my Star of David and then they look at my face and then I see this disgust.”

Ray, who did not share a last name, is a Jewish student at SMC in support of Palestine. Ray participated in a discussion with pro-Israel students, one of whom Ray had previously met at a sexual assault convention. “Today, she told me I needed a reality check even though she saw me crying that day and totally empathized with me that day, but when I showed my empathy for another group of people, suddenly I was the enemy to her, which is sad,” said Ray. Athina Anenberg, the vice president of Students for Justice in Palestine

Photo by Alexey Nosov Scenes from concurrent Al-Nakba 2024 and Israel Independence Day events at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. on May 14.

Photo by Alejandro Contreras Two pro-palestine protesters rush to build back there make shift barrier to hold back the riot police next to dickerson count fountain

Photo by Alejandro Contreras Los Angeles Police Department officer equipped with riot gear staring through the crowd.

THE

| CORSAIR

23

A Clash between Sacramento CHP officers and pro-palestine protesters are budding head to head in stuggle hold there ground on side of Kaplan hall in UCLA. (Photo by Alejandro Contreras)

Photos by Alejandro Contreras Sacramento California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers pushed back pro-palestine protesters towards the back of Kaplan Hall.

(Above) Pro-palestine protesters thorw up the metal fence to build up their barricades on the side of Royce hall.

(Right) Pro-palestine protester sitting on the steps of dickerson court in UCLA.

26 THE | CORSAIR

and a Palestinian-American student, is pro-Palestine and very involved in protests. “And I even struggle with it now. It feels so superficial to do your chemistry homework while you are being massacred,” said Anenberg. “I can't do anything about it.”

Although protests like this have remained peaceful at SMC, there have been incidents of students from both groups feeling unsafe and unwelcome.

Yousef Khafaja, SMC’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) president and a Palestinian refugee, had experiences with similar incidents. While protesting for Palestine, Khafaja had a threatening interaction with Israeli and pro-Israel students. He said, “ [A pro-Israel student] came up to me and came really close to me and started threatening me and telling me if you say from the river to the sea one more time, I'll [mess] you up.”

UCLA UCLA has been a hub for many large protests and arrests of students.

Although it may seem as though all students at UCLA have strong feelings toward the war in Gaza, many are just trying to navigate college.

Kayla Payne, a freshman at UCLA, is one of those students. “[Choosing a side is] a huge problem only because

there's so much false information about what's going on from both sides,” said Payne. “I don't know where to stand...

Really, I stand for stopping all the violence.“ Zachary Miller, a sophomore at UCLA, had a similar stance to Payne.

“I don't think there's a clear black and white, right and wrong,” said Miller.

Of course, not all UCLA students are neutral. A pro-Palestine student who chose to remain anonymous was at many of the protests and saw people get hurt by the pro-Israel counterprotesters. The students said they were upset with the university itself. “I think it's been really disillusioning and frustrating to know that this university that I was really excited to attend is perpetuating horrific crimes against [Palestinians]. Murder, brutality, even genocide, using like workers’ pensions, using my tuition.”

USC USC students who are pro-Palestine have similar sentiments: They voiced their frustrations with the university’s investments in the war. Two students who requested to remain anonymous are part of the USC Divers from Death Coalition. These two students, one of whom is Palestinian, were a part of the encampment at USC. They said they

felt the strain of the conflict on their relationships.

“My best friend in the world, I can't talk to anymore,” said the Palestinian students. “I never realized that it would get to this point.” Because of disagreements about the conflict, the students said they couldn’t continue the friendship. “I can't forgive you,” they said.

"The most disappointing thing is how many students just don't care. The people who are actively taking graduation pictures a month before graduation while we are mourning the lives of those lost right next to us."

An anonymous pro-Israel student at USC spoke about the effects of the encampments on student life. “It's created chaos for the graduating class. It's pushed students away, especially Jewish students, away from campus because they fear harassment, they fear discrimination, and it's not okay.”

The accounts of the students’ experiences underscores the complex and sensitive nature of the issue, highlighting the challenges both groups face in expressing their views and finding a supportive environment on their campuses.

Groups of students at University of California, Los Angeles walking around campus to shoot there graduation photos on May 16.

THE

| CORSAIR

27

University of Southern California Protester Encampment. (Photo by Jake Crandall)

California Highway Patrol officers confront protesters after tearing down one of the main barricades to the encampment supporting Gaza in the Israeli-Palestine Conflict at the University of California, Los Angeles in Los Angeles, Calif., on May 2. (Photo by Caylo Seals)

UCLA Pro-Palestinian Encampment Raided after Dispersal Order Taylor Parise | Lead Copy Editor

W

hile the chants may have grown softer throughout the night, the line remained strong as hundreds of University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) pro-Palestine protesters protected the encampment they had been peacefully protesting in for six days. After a back and forth throughout the night, officers, including California Highway Patrol, successfully shut down the encampment, arresting over 130 students early Thursday morning.

Tuesday - April 30 These arrests come after nearly 300 were arrested at pro-Palestinian encampments on college campuses in New York, including Columbia University and City College on Tuesday night.

Following the confrontation from counter-protesters on the encampment Tuesday night, leading into Wednesday morning, by a mob of people wearing all black with white masks, UCLA declared the student encampment at the heart of campus “unlawful.”

Wednesday - May 1

Photo by Danilo Perez

Pro-Palastinian supporter stands within the border of the encampment while holding a Palastinian flag.

32 THE | CORSAIR

Wednesday evening, UCLA pro-Palestine protesters, including @sfs_ucla, incited a “call to action” requesting people to “come out in solidarity and DEMAND that UCLA protect its students better” on social media platforms. Later that evening, a dispersal order was made by officers for protesters to evacuate the campus.

Mona, who declined to give a last name, is a part of the Palestine solidarity encampment and is a UCLA student herself. She said, “We’ve been here for the past

six days demanding the university divest from its complicity in the genocide that’s occuring in Palestine right now.”

Students and community members around UCLA responded to a request for supplies to be brought to the encampment for students inside. An instagram post made by UC Divest Coalition at UCLA requested “fresh clothes, inhalers, saline spray, wound wash, goggles, and face visors.”

Misol Botello, a UCLA student who was present at the Tuesday night attack, explained how he and his friends showed up in support once again after witnessing the students inside the encampment remain peaceful despite being hit with bear spray and fireworks.

“They just stood their ground, and they held their line, and I respect them for that,” said Botello. “I looked at what they needed, and just went to the hardware store. We, all of us, brought as much as we could.”

Outside the encampment Wednesday evening, the Janss Steps before Dickson Plaza were flooded with thousands of pro-Palestinian supporters chanting “Free Palestine.” Down below, over a dozen LAPD vehicles sat, with officers awaiting orders.

Inside, students positioned themselves at each entry point inside the encampment, peeking over wooden pallets and tents to keep an eye on the organizing officers. The protesters even had a drone, which they flew around to see each entry point from the outside.

Students inside allowed more supporters, and eventually media, to enter the encampment, but stated repeatedly as each body crossed the perimeter that anyone entering should be

Photo by Caylo Seals

California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers tear down the barricade to the encampment at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) supporting Gaza in the Israeli-Palestine Conflict in Los Angeles, Calif., on May 2. This was the second time the authorities breached the encampment after the a dispersal order was issued at about 6 PM the day before.

Photo by Caylo Seals

(Above) Protesters rebuild the barricade after Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers were forced out of the encampment. This was the first time the authorities breached the encampment after the a dispersal order was issued at about 6 PM. Many of the protesters used bin lids, plywood, and other items as shields to force the LAPD to leave.

(Left) Pro-Palastinian supporter gets arrested by the California Highway Patrol's Special Operations Unit.

Photo by Danilo Perez THE

| CORSAIR

33

A California Highway Patrol officer holds his non-lethal Remington 870 shotgun towards pro-Palastinian protesters at the University of California, Los Angeles on May 1 in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Danilo Perez)

4

5

Photo by Danilo Perez

California Highway Patrol's (CHP) Special Operations Unit arrests a pro-Palastinian protesters on Dickson Court of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) on May 1 in Los Angeles, Calif.

Photo by Danilo Perez

(Above) CHP search pro-palastinian suporter after being arrested.

(Upper right) Israel counter-protestors posing for photographers in front of the UCLA encampment.

(Lower right) Dozens of pro-Palastinian protesters joined together to defend the encampment from law enforcement.

36 THE | CORSAIR

(Left) Los Angeles Police Department officers and protesters outside the encampment. The protesters outside the encampment defend it from law enforcement.

(Photo by Caylo Seals) (Right) A Los Angeles Police Department officer lined up on the east side of Dickson Court. (Photo

by Danilo Perez)

prepared for violence and prepared for arrest.

Later, at 7:44 p.m., part of the crowd was directed by marshals dressed in yellow vests to the back side of Dickson Plaza by the flagpole where they stated reinforcements were needed.

Inside the encampment, students used boards, tables, metal fences and bungee cords to build a barricade around the perimeter of their camp. The barricade was decorated with graffiti which read “FREE PALESTINE” and “Solidarity forever.”

Along the walls of Royce hall, similar graffiti had been painted on the building’s brick walls. Student protesters also used wood pallets, metal fences, and other miscellaneous objects to barricade each door facing into the plaza.

Thursday Morning - May 2 Throughout the night and into the morning, students outside the encampment linked arms against the police and a small group of counter protesters, remaining peaceful. Around 1:20

a.m. police dressed in riot gear broke through the west barricade unexpectedly after a loud boom sounded from a flash-bang grenade. The protestors quickly formed a human chain, slowly pushing forward, and shouting “peaceful protest,” as well as phrases such as “shame on you.”

The students pushed the officers back, regaining control of the perimeter in approximately 30 minutes and rebuilding their barricades.

Police then began shooting fireworks into the air above protestors’ heads. Amidst the chaos, leaders reminded others to stay calm and peaceful, while medical students marked with red crosses on their hard hats walked around passing out water, masks, and ear plugs.

Officers took up positions on the balconies of Royce Hall, to which the students

responded by flashing lights in their eyes.

Around 3:15 a.m., the police once again successfully entered the encampment from the east side, entering through the narrow hall of Royce Hall, then breaking past the barricade facing the police line up in front of Dickson Court.

This time, there was no regaining of their borders for the pro-Palestinian protestors. They held their lines linking arms and chanting once again, though the students were noticeably tired. As they faced the police, some students even closed their eyes as they chanted, seemingly unable to keep them open.

It took approximately an hour and a half before police stormed the center of the camp, ripping down the “No Genocide” Banner at the center of Royce Hall immediately upon their arrival.

“We will continue to pressure the university, because student voices can make an impact.”

– Mona

Next, the officers tore down the Palestine flag, throwing it alongside the banner, and finally, they tore down the tents that students had been sleeping in for six days before pushing the students west.

Many students stood their ground, and others climbed fences and went through bushes to escape arrests. The officers eventually pushed the protesters to the far west side of the encampment where they once again built a barricade between the Shapiro Fountain and the Janss Steps.

As the final barricades were torn down by officers, small groups of students remained around campus protesting with officers breaking the groups up.

Mona said before the night’s events unfolded that UCLA students’ movement will continue on. “At the end of the day, no matter what happens to the camp, no matter how the administration has neglected us, we will continue to pressure the university, because student voices can make an impact,” she said.

THE

| CORSAIR

37

California Highway Patrol officers confront protesters after tearing down one of the main barricades to the encampment supporting Gaza in the Israeli-Palestine Conflict at University of California, Los Angeles in Los Angeles, Calif., on the May 2. (Photo by Caylo Seals)

Graffiti which reads “Help Gaza” painted on the path at Royce Hall by protesters in the encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles supporting Gaza were ordered to disperse at about 6 pm, and many refused to follow the order. The police later made over 200 arrests and cleared out the encampment.

40 THE | CORSAIR

Inside the

Barricade:

UCLA

Taylor Parise | Lead Copy Editor

T

Photo by Caylo Seals

in the Israeli-Palestine Conflict in Los Angeles, Calif., on May 1. Protesters

hroughout the day last Wednesday, the student-run pro-Palestine encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) was not allowing media across the barricades.

When a camera passed by an entry point, students covered their faces and shouted, “No pictures!”

Outside the walls, students formed assembly lines, organizing boxes of supplies brought by students and community members and passing them up the narrow northwest staircase leading to Royce hall.

After the police disbursement order Wednesday evening, students navigating who came and went from the encampment began allowing a limited number of media outlets to enter. The Corsair was among the dozen or so media outlets that made it inside before the fence was chained shut.

As each person crossed the perimeter, they were told to be prepared to be arrested because UCLA had declared the encampment “unlawful.” Police stated anyone gathered on the property would be subject to arrest.

Up these narrow stairs, a scene from a type of apocalyptic film lay amongst the grass of Dickson Plaza. Upon entry, the walls of Royce Hall towered to the left, and a quad packed tightly with tents to the right.

The brown and beige bricks of the building were painted with pro-Palestine graffiti, and each door was barricaded with metal fences, roadblocks, boards, and other miscellaneous objects bungee chorded together. Even the floors were marked with words such as “HELP GAZA.” Sprawled amongst the quad were not only tents for protesters to sleep in but also a designated medical tent, lookout tents, a charging station, lost and found, and makeshift hand washing stations in various locations. Equipment was laid out and organized inside the medical tent atop folding tables, and cot-like benches covered in blue tarps lay beside the tables.

On a blue tent near the library, they hung pictures of children who had been murdered in Gaza along with their ages and descriptions, reminding those inside of their cause.

Dickson Plaza looked like a makeshift military base.

Students, faculty, and other protestors milled about the maze of tents, some lounging on the grass, others gathering supplies. Most demonstrators donned swimming goggles, face masks, hard hats, and other protective gear. Medical students were marked with duct-taped crosses on their helmets and vests to signify who they were.

Everyone had a designated role and stood united for one cause.

THE

| CORSAIR

41

“UC Divest!” read a banner on the ground beneath Royce Hall.

Weaving in and out of the protesters were those wearing yellow vests, which they called “marshals.” These individuals had megaphones and were reminding those in the encampment to sleep, stay calm, and remain peaceful. Anytime a group became agitated, a marshal was close behind to mediate the situation.

The marshals seemed to be in close communication about what was happening beyond the barricades.

While there was a sense of organization before the raid, one student said, “This is nowhere near as organized as last night,” referring to what the camp’s state was before the violent counter-protest attack Tuesday night against the pro-Palestine supporters.

At 12:30 a.m. Thursday morning, a pre-recorded announcement played out over the speakers of Royce Hall.

UCLA Police Captain Gawin Gibson's voice announced that those camped out on Dickson Plaza were in violation of Section 409 of the penal code. Gibson stated that if protesters did not disperse immediately, they would be subject to arrest and/or police action that could cause serious injury.

That recording then began to play repeatedly for the next five hours, echoing between the two buildings.

Each time, the protestors shouted and booed.

When asked shortly after the announcement if they were nervous about the threat of being arrested, two UCLA students linked arms and said, “We’re just staying together.”

Students then rallied in front of the western barricade of the encampment,

42 THE | CORSAIR

peaking between holes in the wall and peaking over the top. Groups stapled bungee cords as makeshift straps on boards, creating shields. It was as if they were preparing for war.

Marshals continued walking around, reminding students to relax and sleep, saying, “There’s no imminent threats. Get some rest.”

But only minutes later, a little before 1:30 a.m., a loud boom sounded from the eastern side.

Students ran towards where the flash-bang grenade had exploded, and seemingly out of nowhere, a line of around 20 officers who had torn down the barricade stood atop Janss Steps in riot gear.

Protesters formed a line in solidarity and began shouting, “Shame on you,” and asking the officers where they were last night, referring to the counter-protester attack, which resulted in many injured UCLA students and faculty after nearly three hours of no police intervention.

All the while, yellow vests stood between the protesters and the officers with arms stretched out, reminding everyone to stay peaceful and pleading to the officers to keep back.

The officers stood stoic, one with a smile on his face, as they stared over the crowd holding batons and green rubber bullet guns. After thirty minutes, the students grew impatient and started marching forward, arms linked.

Officers began backing up, as if told to avoid the use of physical force, and eventually were pushed back down Janss stairs, where they had come from.

The crowd cheered, hugged, high-fived, and celebrated their victory. The

Protesters in the encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) su selves from the police in Los Angeles, Calif., on May 1. Protesters were ordered to disp over 200 arrests and cleared out the encampment.

Protesters take a break after the police breached the encampment.

Photos by Caylo Seals

upporting Gaza in the Israeli-Palestine Conflict built a barricade to defend themperse at about 6 pm, and many refused to follow the order. The police later made

Students at UCLA camp outside Royce Hall.

camaraderie was apparent, and the victory boosted the exhausted campers’ morale.

But two hours after securing the perimeter, the police breached on the eastern side. This time, those inside the encampment would not win.

Over the next couple of hours, police pushed further and further inside the UCLA encampment as they shot fireworks over the encampment. While many protestors remained peaceful, chanting and standing alongside their peers, agitators stood near the front, throwing boards, water bottles, pieces of the broken barricade, and other nearby objects at officers.

A few cornered members of the press found themselves in the crosshairs and were treated aggressively by those who were hurling objects.

The police did eventually use their rubber bullets sparingly, pointing them towards those throwing items. Students for Justice in Palestine (SPJ) at UCLA reported on X that at least five students were shot in the head, and a Precursory Statement from UCLA Palestine Solidarity Camp read, “Many were rushed to the ER after the bullets connected with heads and hands.”

Members in vests did their best to stop the agitators, insisting that this must remain a peaceful protest.

Throughout everything, medical students passed out water, earplugs, and masks to protestors and media alike.

As they inched towards the center of Dickson Plaza, officers dismantled the camp, starting with a sign that read “No Genocide,” then the Palestinian flag, and finally, each tent, including the medical tent, was torn apart.

What remained was complete chaos. The encampment was left looking like a landfill at the center of the prestigious university.

Many students, at that point, followed police orders and dispersed. Others were plucked from the crowd and arrested as their friends reached after them. Some cried, others hugging as police pushed them towards the western barricades.

Protesters began to shout, “Please don’t hurt us.

We are students,” in the end, wearing faces of anguish beneath the goggles, scarves, and masks.

A smaller group of protesters remained, holding their ground, and barricaded themselves between the Shapiro Fountain and the Janss Steps.

At this point, a majority of the media evacuated through a break in the fence and the plaza’s cement wall.

Mona, who is a part of the Palestine solidarity encampment and declined to give a last name, explained that despite the violent attack on Tuesday, the protesters at UCLA are lucky to be protesting here rather than facing the violence in Gaza.

“We are in America, and we have access to hospitals,” Mona said. “They’ve been able to receive the treatment they need, and we’re able to get treatment for their injuries, where people on the ground [in Gaza] are unable to… Palestinians are unable to.”

This may be the end of the encampment, but this is not the end for the pro-Palestinian supporters at UCLA. “We will be back, in some capacity, and whatever capacity that is, to continue our demands to the university,” said Mona.

THE

| CORSAIR 43

Student protesters from the Divest from Death USC activist group, move their encampment from EF Hutton Park to Alumni Park on April 27, the fourth day of the encampment.

USC Removes Protesters’ Encampment Again Jake Crandall | Contributing Writer

R

ain poured down over the protesters’ tents early Sunday morning, just hours before hundreds of Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers and campus police, known as “DPS” (Department of Public Safety), dismantled the Divest from Death encampment at the University of Southern California (USC). Student protesters complied with an order to disperse the encampment in the early hours of Sunday, May 5. This is the second time their encampment has been removed, after 93 were arrested during the April 24 encampment dismantling.

USC President Carol Folt has released numerous statements demanding the Alumni Park be cleared. She

44 THE | CORSAIR

wrote last Friday, “We will take any further actions required to maintain campus safety and security, consistent with our legal obligations.”

One protester, who requested anonymity, described the anxiety she felt each night and events leading to severe sleep deprivation. “I can’t think of a night where we weren’t faced with some sort of disruption during the time when we were supposed to be sleeping,” she said.

The protester described the constant fear and rumors of a police sweep, along with a loud low-flying helicopter looming over the protesters every night and sometimes shining a spotlight into the camp since the mass arrests on April 24. She also

recounted that a few nights before the police dispersed the camp, counter-protesters awoke the camp with a generator, speakers, and a projector playing children's songs, footage on an inflatable screen from the Oct. 7th attack, and women recounting being raped. She stated, “So it was a week and a half of constant psychological terror, truly is what it felt like.

On Sunday, at around 2:30 a.m., the campus went into lockdown. Gate security locked the restricted access to campus and buildings.

The encampment safety team, protester-appointed lookouts wearing neon vests, started to see an increased presence of DPS. Officers began assembling on the outskirts of the center of campus, and the en-

University of Southern California (USC) Dep pus at USC, in Los Angeles, Calif. on May 5.

Photos by Jake Crandall

partment of Security (DPS) and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers close the Gavin Herbert Plaza gate on protesters after removing them from cam-

(Far left) A protester from the USC Divest from Death coalition bangs their drum and marches after being told to disperse on Sunday, May 5, at USC's Alumni Park. Protesters chanted “Free, Free, Free Palestine” to the beat of the drum.

(Left) Student protesters from the Divest from Death USC activist group, on April 27, occupy the USC campus in the EF Hutton Park where they plan on remaining until their list of demands is met by the school administration.

April 27 marked the 4th-day of the students occupation.

THE

| CORSAIR 45

campment was tipped off to their presence by 4:00 a.m.

At 4:00 a.m., the encampment was awoken. One protester announced that they were outnumbered and that the best option was to avoid arrest, attempt to save supplies and comply with the dispersal order when given.

Everyone in the encampment began to be awakened. However, no official dispersal order had been given at this time.

By 4:05 a.m., a chaotic scene unfolded with protesters feverishly packing and leaving the encampment, carrying backpacks, tents, and supplies. One officer refused to comment on whether students were being detained or arrested.

At 4:25 a.m., DPS officers ordered the encampment to disperse within 15 minutes or face arrest. At this time, press access was restricted to a designated area at the edge of Alumni Park, which was too far to photograph or document inside the encampment.

By 5:00 a.m., more LAPD officers arrived on the scene and began to clear out the encampment. All protesters had removed themselves from inside the encampment by this time, and many were leaving or had left campus. However, a collection of protesters remained by the press in front of Alumni Park, continuing to chant. Many tents, supplies, and personal items were left inside the encampment.

DPS officers, in riot gear, with their batons facing forward, began ordering everyone besides the Annenberg media team off campus. They marched down Trousdale Parkway toward West Jefferson Blvd. and pushed the protesters and outside media toward the exit.

While the small crowd of remaining protesters moved toward the exit, they chanted “Free Palestine,” “LAPD KKK, IOF [Israeli Offense Force], you’re all the same,” and “Long live the intifada.” They walked backward, keeping a pace of just a few steps

46 THE | CORSAIR

in front of the officers.

Upon hitting a bottleneck in the pathway due to gates and fences impending the path, officers shoved the crowd into the gates and fences, prodding them with batons as they attempted to move toward the openings in the barricades. The crowd walked backward to keep an eye on the officers and, in so doing, stumbled into obstacles, further delaying a timely exit. There was no evidence of violence or resistance from the protesters. They began chanting, “Who do you protect?” as they herded towards the exit.

The final bottleneck occurred at the gates of Gavin Herbert Plaza, where only a few people could exit through the gate door at a time. A legal observer, who did not want to be identified out of fear of retaliation, was shoved

by Officer Guzman, badge number 25513, into the metal gate as she attempted to exit. A lock was placed on the gate, stopping anyone from accessing campus at 5:06 a.m. The campus remained closed through the morning.

A small group of protesters outside the gate stayed for several minutes after chanting, catching their breath. An organizer of the protesters from Divest from Death told the Corsair, “The battle was lost, but the war will continue.”

In a new statement released later in the day on Sunday, May 5th, Folt stated, "With no resolution in sight, I requested the LAPD to assist (USC's Department of Public Safety) in removing the encampment as peacefully and safely as possible.”

The following day, Divest from Death announced during a press conference at the Gavin Herbert Plaza that 29 protesters were suspended. A member from the group stated, during negotiations with protesters earlier last week, Folt had claimed that academic sanctions or police repression wouldn’t be employed against students unless they resort to violence.

A protester from the USC Divest from Death coalition chants in front of DPS and holding up a sign while being told to disperse on May 5.

A protester from the USC Divest from Death coalition chants in front of DPS and holding up a sign while being told to disperse on May 5.

Photos by Jake Crandall

A protester from the University of Southern California (USC) Divest from Death coalition chants into his microphone “Disclose. Divest. We will not stop.

We will not Rest,” in front of USC Department of Security (DPS) after being told to disperse on May 5, at USC's Trousdale Parkway, in Los Angeles Calif.

(Far left) Student protesters from the Divest from Death USC activist group, move their encampment from EF Hutton Park to Alumni Park on April 27, which marks the 4th day students have occupied the campus. They planned on remaining until their list of demands is met by the school administration.

(Left) May Day protesters cheer and support the encampment at USC on May 1. Divest from Death USC also cheers on the May Day protesters.

THE

| CORSAIR

47