Who has better madness? Last night, California law enforcement stepped in and began clearing an encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters at UCLA.
Not to be outdone, New Yorkers at Columbia University also had arrests just a day after UCLA college students sprayed police officers with fire extinguishers and barricaded themselves in plywood. (They did build a wall and Set up checkpointsthe irony seemed not to be noticed.
Counter-protesters tried to pull down the plywood. They fired fireworks into the camp. They reportedly sprayed mace. Violence on both sides Then:
Pro-Palestinian protesters and pro-Israel counter-protesters clashed at UCLA on Wednesday, breaking out into fist fights, tearing down camp barricades and beating each other with objects. https://t.co/eLTOkdLARP pic.twitter.com/rlM40wLHDx
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 2, 2024
So last night, the school sent out law enforcement officers to try to stop the violence and clear out the tent city. Video shows police using stun grenades. Just before publication time, at least one California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer fired at protesters at the encampment, receiving shouts of “Don’t shoot!” and “We’re just students!” (The CHP said police were equipped with non-lethal tools such as flash bang grenades. Police delayed for about six hours after giving protesters orders to disperse; they had only recently begun moving in and trying to make arrests. )
According to the report, “More than 1,300 protesters have been detained on U.S. campuses in the past two weeks.” New York Times. “Arrests occurred Wednesday at the University of Texas at Dallas, Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and Tulane University in New Orleans, among others.”
The question of what types of speech should be allowed is rather tricky here. Of course, restrictions on speech should be content-neutral. Public and private universities have different obligations. When protests disrupt university operations, they certainly violate university policy:
Campus operations will be limited tomorrow and Friday. Please continue to avoid campus and Royce Quad areas. In accordance with Academic Senate instructional guidance, all in-person classes have been authorized and required to move to remote delivery tomorrow and Friday. https://t.co/MNiqJ7bu67
— University of California, Los Angeles (@UCLA) May 2, 2024
Protests that turn into vandalism and violence—as many protests do—should be treated differently than mere speech. One could argue that encampments housing peaceful protesters are acts of civil disobedience, but part of what makes civil disobedience effective is a willingness to stoically face harsh consequences for one’s actions. Universities have every right to remove tent cities from their campuses, but perhaps it would be better for protesters who believe in their cause to simply accept arrest and prove to an interested public that they are willing to sacrifice for the cause.
Without this, UCLA protesters compared waving bananas near their encampment (because someone was allergic) to Israeli settlers brandishing machine guns, and Prevent students from attending classes——Not worthy of respect.
Related allergies: Yesterday, the Liberal Party (LP) announced huge What the convention gets: Former President Donald Trump will speak, and you can even buy merchandise to prepare for the big event (never mind that the guy already had four years to pardon Julian Assange or Ross Oubli Hope, but he chose not to pardon) to). It said it also invited President Joe Biden and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to speak, but it’s not shocking to me that Biden ignored that invitation.
Ahead of presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump’s speech at the Libertarian Party’s national convention, the Libertarian Party is selling Trump-themed merchandise. https://t.co/S0zelJMszJ https://t.co/msMmma51o2 pic.twitter.com/vN9T0napjF
— Zach Weissmuller (@TheAbridgedZach) May 1, 2024
“I know some liberals are severely allergic to relevance, but Trump speaking at the Libertarian Convention was undoubtedly a great thing,” wrote “This will bring more attention to our party and the issues we care about than ever before,” comedian Dave Smith told the X show.
Maybe you’re sitting there wondering why the Labor Party – which will nominate its own presidential candidate at this convention (contenders include Chase Oliver, Mike Matt and Michael Rettenwald) – wants to to host the former president and presumptive nominee. To answer these questions, I called LP Communications Director Brian McWilliams.
All publicity = good publicity? McWilliams said the media attention “will be more than we’ve ever experienced.” “Do you think liberals will be happy about this?” I asked, going to a company Yes “This gives us an opportunity to put Donald Trump in office and have him answer questions that are fundamental to our philosophy,” he said. When I asked who would mediate — who would push back and make sure Trump doesn’t push it turned into a bombastic campaign speech – and he said he didn’t know yet but it could be Labor Party leader Angela McArdle.
“RFK [Jr.] Flirting [the L.P.] Because we are a growing group. Trump sees that,” McWilliams said. “What indicators are used to expand the group?” I asked. “I think we’re now at a point where we’re representing more Americans,” he continued, and I pressed, “Do we have the data to reflect that?”
“In terms of party registration or affiliation, we don’t have data that reflects that,” McWilliams responded. “I basically look at what we’re seeing from a cultural perspective.” After the 2022 Reno Reset, the Mises Caucus (essentially mostly anarcho-capitalist fringe lords who spend a lot of time online) took over Party, New Labor has been widely criticized by liberals for reducing membership and struggling with fundraising.
As for the merch, McWilliams said, “It was basically poor communication internally as far as timing goes… there may be some version of the merch available, I can’t say if it’s going to be that exact variety.” And, there remains.” The question is whether we want to sell Liberal Party merchandise to Donald Trump.”
“This is someone who clearly spent time and resources,” I pointed out, and he admitted, “There’s no question that there was internal thought in creating the merchandise, you know, there’s no denying it….[But] It’s not something I want to go out on the same day at the same time.
very close? McArdle released a meandering 17-minute video blaming internal incompetence for much of the rollout’s awkwardness.
“The founders of this party were hardcore radicals. They were anarchists. They hated government. Many of our members were anarchists; we wanted the complete abolition of the federal government. When we saw others [Donald Trump] You know, the possibility of being kicked off the ballot for disagreeing with the election results, complaining about the federal government, et cetera, seems very close to some of our views on the legitimacy of the federal government.
All right! So maybe this isn’t LP’s endorsement of Trump, but gosh, do you think they like him and are willing to forgive him for some of his election-sabotaging behavior, which is forgivable?
New York scene: Now the president of Columbia University and the president of Columbia University have confirmed this Mayor Eric Adams, an “individual not associated with the university” who was the leader of the Hamilton Hall break-in and barricade, was shut down by the NYPD yesterday. “About 300 people have been arrested,” and they don’t yet know the specifics of what happened between the outside agitators and the students.
Quick click
- Major Harvard University donor Bill Ackman is one of the leading voices calling for former President Claudine Gay to step down over her inadequate handling of anti-Semitism on campus. Seems to have decided to move their funds elsewhere:
William pic.twitter.com/tdkHbzSIfK
— Kitty Herzog (@kittypurrzog) May 1, 2024
- UCLA’s pro-Palestinian camp doesn’t need a “bagel.” (also Jewish code? Will they come for smoked salmon next? SMH, I know I don’t like these kids.
- According to the report, “Federal Reserve Chairman Powell remains hopeful of cutting interest rates this year, while also acknowledging that the outbreak of inflation has reduced policymakers’ confidence that price pressures are waning.” Bloomberg. Jerome, you big liar!
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