LA JOLLA, Calif. [KGTV] — Friday, UC San Diego faculty and students rallied together, demanding the university pardon students and others arrested during the clearing of a pro-Palestine encampment earlier this week.
The rally began with speeches from several faculty members who expressed their support for students protesting the war in Gaza.
"We as faculty... it's time for us to stand up, take a risk, and show our faces," said Lilly Irani, an Associate Professor of Communication.
Faculty at the rally condemned the university calling in law enforcement to dismantle the encampment on Monday, which resulted in 65 arrests.
The crowd then marched to Chancellor Pradeep Khosla's home near campus.
Some faculty said they're concerned about his ability to lead UCSD through a crisis.
"He has clearly demonstrated that he doesn't have the capacity to move the university toward unity," Irani said.
In a statement to ABC 10News, UCSD said since last October, the university has supported 27 major campus free-expression events that were legal and peaceful.
"The encampment, however, was not one of these as it violated campus policy and the law and grew to pose unacceptable risk to the safety of the campus community," the statement said.
Faculty at the rally also stood with students in their calls for the university to cut ties with Israeli institutions.
Full UCSD statement:
"Dialogue, free speech [freespeech.ucsd.edu] and academic freedom are cornerstones of our university and UC San Diego fully supports the right to peacefully protest and express views on campus. Since October 2023, UC San Diego has supported 27 major campus free expression events, all of which were peaceful, legal protests. The encampment, however, was not one of these as it violated campus policy and the law and grew to pose unacceptable risk to the safety of the campus community."
