Pro-Palestinian Protests Occur at UCLA on October 7 Anniversary
Students for Justice in Palestine organized demonstrations at UCLA to mark the third anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks on Israel.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators held a series of protests at the University of California, Los Angeles, coinciding with the third anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks on Israel. On October 6, approximately 100 demonstrators gathered on campus, marching past a display honoring the victims of the October 7 attacks. Organizers defended the timing by citing United Nations reports on children's deaths and high casualty figures in the Israel-Hamas war.
On October 7, Students for Justice in Palestine organized a march in Westwood involving roughly 75 masked protesters. Participants chanted slogans including "Long live the intifada!" and "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," while calling for the recognition of Palestinian resistance. The demonstration was monitored by 25 UCLA police officers.
Simultaneously, the student group Bruins for Israel held a vigil to honor the victims of the October 7 attacks. Some Jewish students conducted counter-protests, accusing the pro-Palestinian demonstrators of calling for the genocide of Jews. UCLA administration characterized the events as First Amendment demonstrations. The university remains under scrutiny following a May lawsuit by the United States Department of Justice, which alleged the institution was indifferent to the harassment of Jewish students.
