Pro-Palestinian Activists Sue U.C.L.A. Over Encampment Attack

Pro-Palestinian activists have filed a lawsuit against the University of California, Los Angeles, alleging that the university failed to prevent pro-Israel counterprotesters from attacking and intimidating individuals at a campus encampment last spring.

The encampment became a focal point of tensions surrounding the war in Gaza and university responses to the conflict. Protesters claim that UCLA and various law enforcement agencies did not protect them and unlawfully dismantled the camp after a prolonged overnight assault by pro-Israel activists in April.

Conversely, Jewish students argue that the university allowed the encampment to persist for days, creating a hostile atmosphere and restricting access to parts of the campus.

The lawsuit, announced on Thursday, follows a separate legal action filed in June by Jewish students and a Jewish professor, who accused UCLA of failing to safeguard them from pro-Palestinian demonstrators. The Trump administration has since joined that case and is also investigating allegations of antisemitism at multiple universities, including UCLA, through a federal task force.

The newly filed lawsuit represents 35 pro-Palestinian activists—including students, faculty, legal observers, journalists, and supporters. It also identifies 20 individuals described as members of a “rioting mob” as defendants.

Filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the lawsuit seeks financial compensation for physical and psychological harm suffered by protesters.

According to the complaint, UCLA administration permitted pro-Israel counterprotesters to set up a large jumbotron near the encampment, broadcasting a continuous loop of distressing content, including graphic depictions of sexual violence, gunfire sounds, crying infants, clips of President Biden pledging unwavering support for Israel, and loud amplified music—one song allegedly used in the past to torment Palestinian prisoners.

The lawsuit states that the disruptive noise persisted through the night and even permeated classrooms during the day.

On April 30, counterprotesters—some wearing Guy Fawkes-style masks and others draped in Israeli flags—allegedly launched a violent assault on the encampment in the middle of the night. According to the lawsuit, they used chemical irritants, tore down barricades to use as weapons, and threw fireworks into the encampment, resulting in multiple hospitalizations.

Despite repeated pleas for assistance, UCLA administration, campus police, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol allegedly stood by without intervening.

Stett Holbrook, a spokesperson for the University of California president’s office, stated that the university has since implemented reforms to enhance safety and prevent harassment and discrimination. “Violence of any kind has no place at UC,” he said. Meanwhile, both the Los Angeles Police Department and the highway patrol declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.

As the attack escalated, private security officers reportedly fled, and it took hours before law enforcement arrived to restore order. The violence continued for nearly five hours, from around 10:30 p.m. to 3:15 a.m.

Court documents describe the scene as one where “a peaceful, interfaith community was transformed into a site of horror” due to the lack of protection for encampment members.

The lawsuit claims that many counterprotesters were not students but community members, including a Beverly Hills jeweler, a Laguna Beach attorney, and a Los Angeles teenager, all of whom are named as defendants. Many of those identified could not be reached for comment.

“These were grown adults from the community,” said Thomas B. Harvey, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs. “It completely changes the understanding of who was involved in the attack.” The Council on American-Islamic Relations California is also providing legal assistance in the case.

Less than 12 hours after the attack, police forcibly cleared the encampment, subjecting protesters to what the lawsuit describes as another wave of violence. Officers allegedly fired rubber bullets, struck individuals with batons, tackled protesters, and made over 200 arrests.

Among the plaintiffs is Thistle Boosinger, who was reportedly struck by counterprotesters with a metal rod, shattering her hand and severing a nerve—injuries that have severely impacted her career as a drummer. Another plaintiff, Jakob Johnson, a recent UCLA graduate, was allegedly shot in the chest with a rubber bullet from less than 10 feet away, causing heart and lung injuries, depression, and ultimately forcing him to withdraw from law school.

The plaintiffs identified some counterprotesters by reviewing a CNN report from that night, which captured names and images. The lawsuit highlights that none of the individuals involved in the attack were arrested.

On Monday, the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in the separate lawsuit brought by Jewish students, which accuses pro-Palestinian protesters of setting up checkpoints to block individuals who supported Israel. In August, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction, calling the checkpoints “abhorrent” to religious freedom and ordering UCLA to ensure the safety of Jewish students.

“The statement of interest is part of the task force’s nationwide effort to combat antisemitism in all its forms,” the Trump administration stated.

Despite the crackdown on the encampment, protest activity at UCLA continues, though in a quieter form. On Wednesday, about two dozen demonstrators gathered on campus, demanding the university divest from financial ties to Israel and hold a public meeting with the University of California Board of Regents. They chanted, played drums, and held a sign reading, “Keep your eyes on Palestine.”