Board of Regents Chair Richard Leib today (May 1) issued the following statement:
The violence at UCLA yesterday was despicable and unacceptable. The Regents of the University of California will not tolerate violations of the law or University policy on our campuses, including unlawful encampments, hate speech, and other forms of protest not protected by the First Amendment. While we understand the passions surrounding Israel and Gaza, no cause is free from the consequences of conduct on our campuses.
When students are blocked from public walkways, not allowed entry into campus buildings, and are impeded from accessing educational facilities, it is the responsibility of the campus to prevent these clear violations. The actions that have occurred recently have clearly created an unsafe environment. Protests that interfere with University operations or threaten the safety of students require immediate enforcement of University policies so that violent situations are prevented. It is our priority to ensure the safety of all students and allow equal access to education.