This post was updated Feb. 13 at 11:45 p.m.
Chancellor Julio Frenk announced Wednesday that the university suspended two pro-Palestine groups at UCLA.
The move, announced in a campuswide email, comes after around 50 members of the two groups – Students for Justice in Palestine and Graduate Students for Justice in Palestine at UCLA – protested outside of UC Regent Jay Sures’ Brentwood home Feb. 5, leaving red handprints on his garage door and caution tape in his front yard.
[Related: Pro-Palestine protesters demonstrate outside UC Regent Jay Sures’ home]
Frenk said in the email that members of SJP and Graduate SJP harassed Sures and family members, prevented one of Sures’ family members from exiting their home in a vehicle, vandalized Sures’ home and pounded on drums while chanting “Jonathan Sures, you will pay, until you see your final day.”
“Whenever an act of violence is directed against any member of the university community, UCLA will not turn a blind eye,” a UCLA spokesperson said in an emailed statement to the Daily Bruin. “This is true no matter what group you are a member of — or which identities you hold. There is no place for violence in our Bruin community.”
However, in a Tuesday morning Instagram statement, SJP and Graduate SJP rejected allegations of violence against the UCLA community and said they will continue to demand divestment from companies associated with the Israeli military.
“We know many in our community are tired, scared and outraged by UCLA’s hypocrisy,” they said in the statement. “We call on you to resist this disingenuous invocation of ‘violence’.”
Sures, who is Jewish, previously told the Daily Bruin his family was “rattled” by the incident. However, he did not respond in time to a request for comment that his personal assistant said she passed along to him.
The student groups were placed under an administrative review for potential violations of UCLA’s student group conduct code, Frenk said in the email, adding that their suspension will remain in effect during the review.
“Any act of violence undermines the foundation of our university,” said Frenk, who began his tenure as chancellor just over a month ago.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Campus Life Mick Deluca – or someone he designates – must review the information that caused the interim suspension within 24 hours, according to the Student Group Conduct Code. If the reviewer decides to affirm the suspension, they will notify SJP and Graduate SJP of the duration and conditions of the suspension.
The student groups may also challenge the interim suspension.
“The Student Group may present information in support of the view that the Interim Suspension is unnecessary or that its conditions should be modified,” according to the Student Group Conduct Code. “The Assistant Vice Chancellor for Campus Life or designee is authorized to review the allegations that gave rise and may lift the Interim Suspension or modify its conditions.”
A spokesperson for Undergraduate Students Association Council President Adam Tfayli said in a written statement that the administration “bypassed” systems put in place to review violations of the student code of conduct.
“It is concerning that UCLA would take action against student groups, bypassing systems we have in place to review different violations, that include student input,” the spokesperson said. “We … (are) not highly aware of many details of the suspension, but will be consulting with members of the administration and members of various student groups to best understand details and concerns.”
Steve Lurie, UCLA’s associate vice chancellor for campus and community safety, declined to comment on whether he was consulted on the suspension. Lurie began work this month, replacing Rick Braziel.
[Related: Steve Lurie named new associate vice chancellor for campus and community safety]
Javier Nuñez-Verdugo, USAC’s external vice president, said USAC has found it difficult to meet with members of the UCLA administration – including Deluca, Frenk and Lurie – this quarter. They added that they hope to meet with members of the administration to advocate on behalf of the suspended groups.
Although Nuñez-Verdugo previously participated in pro-Palestine protests organized by SJP, they declined to comment on whether they are a member of the organization.
SJP and Graduate SJP were involved in pro-Palestine protests on campus last spring, including the formation of the Palestine solidarity encampment last April. The encampment lasted nearly a week until police swept it May 2, arresting over 200 protesters.
The university did not announce any group suspensions for SJP and Graduate SJP for their participation in last spring’s protests.
[Related: Hundreds of protesters detained after police breach pro-Palestine encampment at UCLA]
SJP also alleged in the statement that UCLA does not prioritize student safety, adding that the university has acted violently in its police response to student protests.
Graeme Blair, an associate professor of political science and member of Faculty for Justice in Palestine at UCLA, said in a written statement to the Daily Bruin that he believes the suspension is unfair, adding that the university “stood by” as violent counter-protesters attacked the Palestine solidarity encampment in April.
Counter-protesters began attacking the encampment around 10:50 p.m. April 30, throwing fireworks and tear gas into the area. Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications Mary Osako said in a 12:12 a.m. statement May 1 that law enforcement had been called for immediate support, but police did not intervene until more than two hours later.
UCPD arrested multiple people following the April 30 incident.
“Just like in April, administrators today selectively deployed the charge of violence, not against those whose actions cause physical harm, but against those whose speech they dislike,” said Blair – who is also suing the University – in the statement.
Sures is the vice chairman and managing director of the United Talent Agency, which represents the Anti-Defamation League, an organization that works to combat antisemitism and frequently advocates for Israel.
He also serves on the boards of governors for two laboratories, which develop and test United States nuclear weapons, and is a board member of the LAPD Foundation, which raises money for the LAPD.
SJP said in a post to its Instagram that it believes Sures is responsible for protecting the UC’s “investments in genocide and weapons manufacturing.”
“We refuse to stay silent and allow his relationships with LAPD & ADL to go unexposed,” the post said.
Eugene Volokh, the Gary T. Schwartz Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus at UCLA Law School, said the university is free to levy consequences, including “long” suspensions, against student groups who violate codes of conduct.
“It’s permissible for the university to say threatening speech is punished and non-threatening is not,” Volokh said. “It’s the right thing to do, but it (the university) certainly must do it in a viewpoint-neutral way.”
The First Amendment does not protect people’s right to vandalize property, threaten a person or block their movement, he said.
While the university cannot prevent future pro-Palestine groups from forming, they are able to initiate conduct processes against specific students or ban them from acting as officers in organizations affiliated with UCLA, Volokh added.
Mutual aid officers were present on campus Wednesday, according to an emailed statement from Jeffrey Chobanian, UCPD’s acting captain of the administrative bureau. UCPD knew that Frenk would be sending a message to the community, though as of around 6 p.m., there was no specific threat to campus, he said.
“UCLA PD continuously evaluates campus safety needs and adjusts staffing as necessary,” he said. “UC Mutual Aid routinely supports patrol operations and special events at UCLA, and I can confirm their presence on campus.”
The Daily Bruin was not aware of any protests responding to the decision on the UCLA campus as of 6:10 p.m. Wednesday.
UC Office of the President Media Relations did not respond in time to requests for comment.
Contributing reports from Gabrielle Gillette, Shiv Patel and Dylan Winward, Daily Bruin staff.
