To the editor: In my long history with UCLA, first as a graduate (class of 1992) and now as an employee, I have never been more ashamed of our campus leaders than I am now. Their decisions have been both morally bankrupt and catastrophically foolish. (“UCLA’s top cop, accused of security lapse, faces calls to step aside. He defends his actions,” May 3)
First, UCLA leadership and police failed to protect peaceful student protesters from a violent mob. Then, in the name of “safety,” they targeted these protesters — the victims of that assault — and invited law enforcement to remove them by force.
Not satisfied with mere incompetence, campus leadership now has apparently veered into outright authoritarianism, by arresting students for “conspiracy to commit burglary,” simply for planning a sit-in.
As I write this, classes have been moved online — again — for the rest of this week. Our main undergraduate library is closed. Police, many in riot gear, are all over campus.
I am at a loss to understand how UCLA’s leaders could possibly believe their decisions will restore our campus to any sense of calm. How can the community have any faith in leaders who have abandoned their core duty to our students and to the principle of freedom of expression?
Kathleen Brown, Los Angeles
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To the editor: Of course someone must be blamed for the violence at UCLA.
The chief of UCLA’s police force said he warned campus leaders “not to allow an encampment, since it violated campus rules against overnight camping, and he feared it would lead to problems.”
He said he was advised that UCLA would allow the encampment to remain “as an expression of students’ 1st Amendment rights,” thereby canceling the enforcement of the university’s own rule against camping. So, the need for extra officers was unnecessary at that time. Naturally, there are conflicting accounts of the events leading up to last week’s assault on the encampment.
The administrators, in reality, were delegating their power to control access to a significant portion of the campus to one protesting group. Non-protesting students were cut off from the main library and some of their classes.
Is that really the mission of the university? Is that free speech, or is it anarchy? And isn’t it predictable that violence and chaos would result?
So, who is really to blame?
Judith Levin, Los Angeles
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To the editor: To the father who wrote in a letter that his son was hit in the head by an attacker at UCLA, I am sorry and upset for what happened to your son. I hope he heals physically and mentally and those responsible are brought to justice.
To the UCLA administration responsible for student safety, it seems like you are passing the buck. UCLA is one of the most esteemed universities to which parents entrust their children. You should have done better.
To the police who waited for hours to do something as the attack against the encampment unfolded, it seemed like another Uvalde response.
To the media, stop watering down your descriptions of the events.
To the politicians, you will just call for an investigation, hoping that over time the emotion of the event will have passed. Can’t you do better?
Gerry Brennan, Westlake Village
