UCLA camp chaos: California police clash with anti-Israel protesters, dismantle protest camps (WATCH)

In the early hours of Thursday, a significant police presence descended upon the University of California, Los Angeles, becoming the latest focal point in a series of protests across US campuses regarding Israel's actions against Hamas in Gaza. Clad in riot gear, officers forcefully dismantled protest barricades and removed tents from the encampment, marking a fresh escalation in campus tensions. This confrontation has been ongoing for weeks, with authorities attempting to navigate between the right to protest and concerns over violence and hate speech.

Facing off against the police, students donned white helmets and linked arms, forming a line of resistance as officers detained protesters.

To disperse the crowds outside the encampment, police resorted to using flashbangs, while chants of "Let them go!" echoed amidst the whirring of overhead helicopters.

Also read: UCLA campus chaos: Anti-Israel protesters hurl 'shame on you' chants at police amid heavy deployment (WATCH)

According to reports, police methodically ripped apart the encampment’s barricade of plywood, pallets, metal fences and trash dumpsters and made an opening toward dozens of tents of demonstrators. Police also began to pull down canopies and tents.

Dozens of officers confronted demonstrators who were holding umbrellas as makeshift shields. Some protesters cautioned their peers to have water ready in case law enforcement deployed tear gas or other irritants.

Ahead of the crackdown, some protesters donned protective gear such as hard hats, goggles, and respirator masks in anticipation of confrontation, following the university's declaration of the encampment as unlawful.

As the police operation unfolded, hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists outside the tent city voiced their disapproval, banging drums, waving Palestinian flags, and condemning law enforcement with chants of "shame on you". Meanwhile, a smaller group of demonstrators waving Israeli flags cheered on the police, demanding the closure of the encampment.

Prior to the intervention, police repeatedly urged demonstrators to vacate the protest zone, situated in a plaza comparable in size to a football field between Royce Hall and the main undergraduate library.

The demonstrations come after Hamas terrorists rom the Gaza Strip attacked southern Israel on October 7 and the Israeli army launched an assault on the Palestinian enclave that followed.

In recent days, students at numerous schools across the United States have rallied or established tent encampments, advocating for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and urging schools to divest from companies that support the Israeli government. However, many of these demonstrations have resulted in schools calling in police to suppress the protests.

Also read: 'Jewish women too ugly to be raped': Elderly anti-Israel protester's shocker caught on camera (WATCH)

These nationwide protests have sparked counter-demonstrations, with some accusing the pro-Palestinian activists of promoting anti-Jewish sentiment. On the other hand, individuals aligned with the pro-Palestinian cause, including Jewish individuals critical of Israeli actions in Gaza, argue that they are unfairly labeled as antisemitic for criticizing the Israeli government and voicing support for human rights.

The issue has acquired political dimensions as the US presidential election approaches in November, with Republicans alleging that certain university administrators turn a blind eye to antisemitic rhetoric and harassment. This political backdrop has intensified the discourse surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on college campuses, raising questions about free speech, academic freedom, and the boundaries of legitimate protest.