UCPD announced the closure of Dickson Plaza on Wednesday and arrested a person wearing a keffiyeh.
Private security guards from CSC security and APEX Security Group began placing metal barricades surrounding all entrances to Dickson Plaza around 2:30 p.m. Students for Justice in Palestine at UCLA – a previously suspended student organization – had planned to host a film screening in the plaza at 7 p.m., according to its Instagram.
[Related: UCLA recommends indefinite ban for SJP, 4-year suspension for Graduate SJP]
A person wearing a keffiyeh was arrested in the Plaza Wednesday afternoon for allegedly assaulting a security guard, said James Echols, community services division lieutenant at UCPD.
The plaza will reopen Thursday, though there is no current threat to campus, according to a 2:33 p.m. UCPD post on social media platform X. Buildings such as Powell Library and Royce Hall were only accessible through entrances not connected to Dickson Plaza.
UCPD had previously increased police presence on campus – including using mutual aid resources from other UC campuses – in advance of the anniversary of the first Palestine solidarity encampment at UCLA.
The encampment was attacked by counter-protesters April 30, 2024, and swept by police May 2, resulting in over 200 arrests. However, Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto announced Friday that she has declined to file charges against the majority of those protesters.
[Related: LA City Attorney declines to file criminal charges on most arrests at encampment]
SJP at UCLA called for jail support for a student who it said, in a 2:56 p.m. Instagram story post, was detained by UCPD.
“UCLA is a militarized campus,” it said in the post. “Support your fellow student.”
UCLA Media Relations referred the Daily Bruin to UCPD, who did not respond in time to multiple requests for comment on the closure.
This is an ongoing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. Contributing reports by Sam Mulick, features and student life editor.
