The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has made its first arrest in connection to the violent attack on a pro-Palestinian encampment that took place more than three weeks ago. The arrest was made by UCLA police and the suspect, identified as 18-year-old Edan On, is facing a charge of felony assault with a deadly weapon.
According to reports, On was seen in videos of the attack on April 30, wielding a wooden pole and striking pro-Palestinian protesters. The attack resulted in serious injuries to at least one person. On’s mother confirmed to CNN that the man in the videos was indeed her son, who she said denied being present at the scene. She also mentioned that On had plans to join the Israeli military.
On was arrested on Thursday morning in Beverly Hills and bail was set at $30,000. His parents have declined to comment on the situation. The UCLA Police Department has been under scrutiny for its handling of the attack, which was allowed to continue for several hours without intervention.
In response to the incident, UCLA has taken steps to address campus safety concerns, including creating a new office of campus safety and hiring an outside police consultant to review the university’s response to the attack. The new leader of the campus safety office, Rick Braziel, stated that the university is committed to identifying and holding all perpetrators of the attack accountable.
The attack occurred following student protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza, with counterprotesters attempting to dismantle the pro-Palestinian encampment. The situation escalated into violence, with counterprotesters assaulting protesters and launching fireworks into the crowd. It wasn’t until the early hours of May 1 that police intervened to separate the two groups.
UCLA Chancellor Gene Block recently testified before a congressional committee about the handling of the student protests on campus, facing questions about why none of the counterprotesters involved in the attack had been arrested. The arrest of Edan On during Block’s testimony sheds light on the ongoing investigation into the incident.
