Pro-Palestine protestors with Say Genocide UCSB began occupying Girvetz Hall on June 10. By 1 a.m. on Wednesday, they were met with a heavy police presence from multiple local law enforcement agencies including UC police, Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office and Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. No students were arrested.
According to University Media Relations Manager Kiki Reyes, police found the Girvetz Hall to be vacated upon arrival and remained on campus to ensure all classrooms were clear.
“Students, staff, and faculty must have full access to our campus to learn, work, and live. When the individuals ignored the demand to leave, the University was forced to clear the building. Police arriving at the location found the building vacated but worked to ensure that the classrooms were clear. We are not aware of any arrests at this time as the classrooms had been abandoned,” Reyes said in a statement to the Nexus.
UCSB sent out an emergency warning about a large-scale police operation taking place near Girvetz Hall, South Hall and The Arbor, urging students to avoid the area. Anushka Ghosh Dastidar / Daily Nexus
The UC Santa Barbara Liberated Zone posted an urgent call on Instagram for students to mobilize at the encampment at around 10 p.m. Tuesday night after a “trusted community member” close to University administration warned them to anticipate police presence. Videos of Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office (SBSO) Special Enforcement Team trucks headed to the UC Police Department (UCPD) were also posted on their Instagram story as a warning.
Though the police operation was initially thought to be for the encampment, an encampment organizer announced at approximately 12:15 a.m. that University administration informed them the police operation would not involve the encampment.
This comes after the occupation of Girvetz Hall on Monday in which an autonomous student group called “Say Genocide” enacted a demonstration involving fake blood, fake bodies and signage, calling for the University to meet their demands. The group’s main demand is that the University name the situation in Gaza a genocide. They hoped to disrupt campus norms during finals week, forcing exams to be relocated or rescheduled. Protestors dubbed Girvetz Hall as “Edward Said Hall,” recognizing the Palestinian-American political activist who opposed Israeli-occupation of Palestine.
The call comes after the occupation of Girvetz Hall on Sunday in which an autonomous student group dubbed “Say Genocide” enacted a demonstration on Monday. Courtesy of Say Genocide UCSB
The demonstration prompted a campus-wide email response from Chancellor Henry T. Yang in which he condemned the group’s restriction of classrooms and alleged intimidation of custodial staff.
“We cannot tolerate activity that interferes with access to buildings, and students’ ability to complete their courses, fulfill their requirements, and graduate,” Yang said in the email.
At 12:59 a.m. UCSB sent out an emergency warning about a “large-scale police operation” taking place near Girvetz Hall, South Hall and The Arbor, urging students to avoid the area.
Officers cordoned the North Hall entrance to the Arbor with yellow police tape at roughly 1:30 a.m., blocking off observers and protestors from entering The Arbor walkway. Anushka Ghosh Dastidar / Daily Nexus
Several hundred students gathered at the encampment after seeing the warning on Tuesday night. They were alongside protestors, UCSB professors and administration, including Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Margaret Klawunn, who arrived at the scene earlier in the night in response to the Liberated Zone’s call to mobilize. The protestors chanted “UC, UC, You’re no good,” “UCPD, KKK, IOF you’re all the same,” and “Who’s university? Our university,” among other chants.
Klawunn denied immediate requests for comment.
Over 40 officers from UCPD and SBSO arrived at approximately 1:05 a.m. equipped with riot gear and what appeared to be shotguns loaded with bean bag rounds. K-9 units, Lompoc Parks & Recreation and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office were also present. Five industrialized, armored Special Weapons And Tactics (S.W.A.T.) vehicles alongside three to five police cars lined the outside of Girvetz Hall near the Interactive Learning Pavilion (ILP). At least two officers were stationed on the eighth floor roof of the library.
Officers cordoned the North Hall entrance by the Arbor with yellow police tape at roughly 1:30 a.m., blocking observers and protestors from entering The Arbor walkway. All entrances of Girvetz Hall were also taped off with multiple officers stationed. The police gave a 10-minute warning to any potential students occupying Girvetz Hall at 1:51 a.m., and entered the building at 2:07 a.m.
The police gave a 10-minute warning to the students occupying Girvetz Hall at 1:51 am, and entered the building at 2:07 a.m. Anushka Ghosh Dastidar / Daily Nexus
UCSB issued emergency warnings again at 1:34 a.m. and 2:34 a.m. telling students to stay clear of Girvetz Hall, South Hall and The Arbor. Further into the night, fewer students observed the police operation, although chanting from the encampment continued.
Officers in armored vehicles and white vans began leaving campus through the ILP parking lot at approximately 3:15 a.m. A silver Chevrolet sedan and a silver Chevrolet SUV, both unmarked, arrived at the scene next to police vehicles at 3:24 a.m.
At least 30 police officers left campus at approximately 3:35 a.m. in UCSB Transportation Services vans at the bus loop, and police tape was subsequently removed from around Girvetz Hall by students. Around 13 officers remained to continue taking photographs of Girvetz and maintained a small perimeter. UCSB issued a final emergency notification at 3:39 a.m. saying UCPD has concluded the large-scale police operation at Girvetz Hall.
This is an ongoing story. The Nexus will continue to report on this topic as more information becomes available.
Atmika Iyer and Dmitri Anh-Minh Tran contributed to reporting.
they should have arrested the students and cleared the illegal encampment. Why are we so soft on terrorists and criminals?
they were peaceful protestors. why are we so soft on fascists like you?
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they destroyed property and broke school rules they should be punished for that
i guess following laws and rules makes you a fascists some how?
ruining finals and intimidating staff, destruction of property, vandalism allof this should be punished you can call it peaceful but it wasnt lawful
Outside agitators dont think they have to follow school rules, because they aren’t part of the Gaucho community.
why do you think its outside agitators -its mostly our students
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