A group of Cal State L.A. pro-Palestine activists, including students and allies, staged a sit-in in the school’s Student Services building late Wednesday, June 12, calling for university administration to meet their demands.
As of early evening, about 10 to 15 students had occupied at least one floor of the Student Services Building, with an unknown number of people who had moved inside the building. Several others had chained themselves outside the main entrance, reports and social media posts confirmed.
It was unclear how many people were involved throughout the day. The protestors appeared to put up barricades — made of umbrellas, tables and chairs — in the plaza outside the building’s entrance, and spray-painted windows.
Other than some police units in a parking lot, there was no sign of police activity or presence as of around 11 p.m.
Late Wednesday, CSULA officials sent out an alert to students and staff urging anyone in the building to shelter in place and lock doors. Others were told to leave campus and avoid the area altogether.
“The protestors have engaged in unauthorized protest activity on the lower floors of the of the Student Services Building,” Erik Frost Hollins, a university spokesperson, said in a statement late Wednesday. “We have asked building employees to shelter in place. Students and employees outside the building have been asked to leave the campus.”
“We are not holding anybody hostage,” the student activists said on social media, including photos of signs. “Unlike Gazan families, you are free to leave.”
Also late Wednesday, video shot from an ABC7 helicopter showed protesters rolling copying machines in front of the building’s entrance. The station also reported that protesters took large furniture, other office electronics and other equipment from the building.
Unbelievable scene right now @CalStateLA. Vandals now looting the student services building where a parade of large furniture, office electronics, and equipment are walking out of the building. pic.twitter.com/IcEEWwSZCo
— Chris Cristi (@abc7chriscristi) June 13, 2024
Cal State L.A. has been host to one of the longest, mainly peaceful pro-Gaza encampments, which first formed on May 1st outside of the school’s gymnasium. Inside the encampment with over 30 tents, students set up an altar with candles, framed photos, sage and food offerings to honor those killed in the Israeli attacks in Gaza.
The encampment has clearly grown since then, with more signs, graffiti and barricades surrounding the tents. No one involved with the encampment or protests agreed to speak with the media late Wednesday. Outside, students were chanting to “Free Palestine” and “end the occupation.”
Roughly 1,200 were killed when Hamas launched its surprise attack on Oct. 7, when thousands of militants rampaged across southern Israeli military bases and sleepy communities on a Jewish holiday. Another 250 were taken captive into Gaza, according to Israeli authorities. The ensuing war sparked by the assault has killed more than 34,700 Palestinians, according to local health officials.
Since May 1, encampment leaders and protest organizers with the university’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and other community groups have demanded the university disclose its investments, divest from companies part of “the military industrial complex” and with ties to or funding for Israel, such as Hewlett-Packard, Sabra hummus company and others.
“We’ve been waiting for a response to our demands for 18 days,” the group said on social media. “There is no more time to spare while families are being massacred by U.S. Imperialism with each minute that passes.”
After weeks of on-campus negotiations going nowhere, organizers staged an “urgent community mobilization” on Wednesday afternoon, saying on social media that administrators — particularly CSULA President Berenecea J. Eanes — “continue to dance around and repress our divestment demands.”
During the negotiations in May, Eanes reiterated to the students that she assumed presidency earlier this year, in January, and that she had “just got here.”
SJP at Cal State L.A.’s Instagram account was also suspended late Wednesday, the group reports.
Instagram posts from the group’s backup account, @sjp_csula, show student protestors — some wearing keffiyehs and masks — blocking an entrance to the building on Wednesday.
Posts also showed parts of the building inside somewhat vandalized.
Eanes’ office is in the Student Services Building, but it was unclear if she was in her office when the sit-in began, or as the evening continued.
Shortly after 7:30 p.m., a new post from the SJP CSULA Instagram account confirmed that Eanes’ office reached out and is “open to coming down and negotiating.”
In the late post, the student activists reiterated that Eanes is “choosing not to divest from weapons manufacturers and companies which are profiting from genocide” — and for this reason, they have staged Wednesday’s sit-in.
“We are open to negotiations and will ensure your safety… we ask that you maintain your commitment to not bringing law enforcement to negotiations,” the post read. “Before our direct action, we knew President Eanes felt our pressure. 18 days ago in our last communication to her, we outlined a detailed and concrete plan she could have followed in order to meet our demands. She has failed to make a commitment to divestment. We’ve seen other presidents make these commitments, and know it is within her power.”
The students also confirmed that four students had chained themselves outside of the administration building.
“We will be here until we receive a commitment to divestment… for an indefinite amount of time, as long as it takes,” they stated.
The university held its commencement ceremonies on May 20 and May 21.
City News Service contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.