UCLA Police Chief Relocated After Mob Attack on Pro-Palestinian Protesters

The campus police chief at the University of California, Los Angeles, has been removed from his position after drawing intense criticism for how he responded to pro-Palestinian student protests last month — including a violent attack on the camp that lasted for hours before law enforcement officers intervened.

John Thomas has been temporarily reassigned, pending an examination of our security operations,” Mary Osako, UCLA vice chancellor for strategic communications, said in a statement Wednesday.

Thomas has faced criticism for a slow response to the chaos that erupted at UCLA late April 30 after a mob attacked a pro-Palestinian camp. In videos captured at the scene, counter-protesters can be seen beating people, hitting them with poles, spraying chemical irritants, and lighting fireworks.

The clashes continued for hours before law enforcement officers arrived. The camp was eventually removed.

The DailThomas’, the student-run newspaper at UCLA, first reported Thomas’ reappointment. “A lot “has happened, and I learned late yesterday that I have been temporarily reassigned to my duties as chief,” Thom said in a text message to the newspaper late Tuesday.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times earlier this month, Thomas said he did “everything he could” to “provide security and keep students safe during weeks of unrest on campus caused by the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Hamas on Israel on October 7 and the subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza sparked intense divisions on college campuses across the United States. The war and ensuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza have inspired large pro-Palestinian protests, met in some cases with a law enforcement crackdown.

Osako should have specified ThomasThomas’ole. She added that Gawain Gibson has been appointed acting police chief, effective Tuesday. According to information on the campus police university’s website, Gibson was previously commander of the university’s department.

UC has established a new Office of Campus Safety that is leading a comprehensive examination of our security operations aimed at promoting the well-being and safety of our community,” Osak” said, echoing a May 5 statement by UC Chancellor Jane Book.

The campus police chief at the University of California, Los Angeles, has been removed from his position after drawing intense criticism for how he responded to pro-Palestinian student protests last month — including a violent attack on the camp that lasted for hours before law enforcement officers intervened.

” Mary” Osako, UCLA vice chancellor for strategic communications, said in a statement Wednesday that John Thomas has been temporarily reassigned pending an examination of our security operations.

Thomas has faced criticism for a slow response to the chaos that erupted at UCLA late April 30 after a mob attacked a pro-Palestinian camp. In videos captured at the scene, counter-protesters can be seen beating people, hitting them with poles, spraying chemical irritants, and lighting fireworks.

The clashes continued for hours before law enforcement officers arrived. The camp was eventually removed. The Daily BruThomas’ a student-run newspaper at UCLA, first reported Thomas’ reappointment. “A lot has “happened, and I learned late yesterday that I have been temporarily reassigned to my duties as chief,” Thomas said in a text message to the newspaper late Tuesday.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times earlier this month, Thomas said he did “everything” he could” to provide” security and keep students safe during weeks of unrest on campus caused by the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Hamas’ attaHamas’Israel on October 7 and the subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza sparked intense divisions on college campuses across the United States. The war and ensuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza have inspired large pro-Palestinian protests, met in some cases with a law enforcement crackdown.

Osako did not specify Thomas newThomas’She added that Gawain Gibson had been appointed acting police chief, effective Tuesday. Gibson was previously commander of the university, according to information on the campus police department departments.

UC has established a new Office of Campus Safety that is leading a comprehensive examination of our security operations aimed at promoting the well-being and safety of our community,” Osako said”, echoing a May 5 statement by UC Chancellor Jane Book.