Pro-Palestine Protestors Chant 'Death and Destruction' at UCLA on Oct. 7 Anniversary
Students for Justice in Palestine organized a demonstration on campus, drawing a counter-protest from Jewish students.
Masked pro-Palestine demonstrators gathered at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus on Wednesday, the three-year anniversary of Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The protest, organized by Students for Justice in Palestine, saw participants chanting slogans such as "Long live the intifada!" and "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."
Approximately 75 students and supporters participated in the demonstration. UCLA police and public safety officers were present to monitor the event. One protester, who identified herself only as "Ella," accused the university of profiting from the conflict and supporting "violence and carnage."
In response to the pro-Palestine demonstration, Jewish students organized a counter-protest. Eli Tsives, a 21-year-old student, held an Israeli flag and stated his intention to show other Jewish students that they do not need to be afraid. "They are calling for the genocide of Jews," Tsives said. "I’m here to show Jews that there’s no need to be afraid of them and we also have a voice."
Another counter-protester, Stiven Gourvis, a 22-year-old senior, characterized the demonstrators as wanting a one-state solution through violence, contrasting it with his support for a two-state solution.
The events on campus occurred on the anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, in which Hamas militants killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 hostages. Signs displayed by the protesters included "Gaza will rise."
Richard Mejia, director of emergency communications for UCLA, described the event as "one of many First Amendment demonstrations that happen on campus year-round." He emphasized that the university remains "content-neutral" regarding the messages of such demonstrations and encourages the expression of First Amendment speech.
UCLA has experienced significant unrest related to pro-Palestine activism in the past. In May 2024, a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus was dismantled by police, resulting in over 200 arrests. Another protest in June of that year led to nearly 30 arrests after demonstrators reportedly vandalized property, disrupted exams, and injured personnel.