California universities took advantage of a little-known state program that provides funding for law enforcement to suppress student-led protests against Israel's treatment of Palestinians, according to an investigation by the Intercept.
In April and May last year, thousands of students at several universities across California took part in peaceful protests on campus, calling for boycotts, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) on Israel. However, university officials responded with force, deploying outside law enforcement agencies from other jurisdictions to quell the demonstrations.
The investigation found that universities used a state program called Law Enforcement Mutual Aid (LEMA) to bring in police officers and break up student protests. LEMA is a $25 million annual fund that allows local governments to ask for help from neighboring jurisdictions during emergencies such as natural disasters or violent crimes.
In several cases, the university's budget was cited as a reason for using the LEMA program to suppress protests. One example was Cal Poly Humboldt, where students had been occupying a campus building in solidarity with Palestine for eight days when police arrived on site and arrested 25 protesters.
The use of outside law enforcement agencies to quell student-led protests is unusual, but not unprecedented. However, the investigation found that university officials were aware of LEMA's potential uses beyond traditional emergencies such as natural disasters or violent crimes. In fact, some university leaders had even used language similar to anarchist solidarity when requesting the program.
The Intercept obtained an email from Cal Poly Humboldt President Tom Jackson to the sheriff of Humboldt County in April 2024, which asked for assistance with "reestablishing control of university buildings and other property" and "eliminating the threat of domestic violent extremism and criminal behavior." Jackson also requested a total of 250 law enforcement officers, citing that "personnel for entry team trained in tactical room clearing and arrest and control."
The use of outside law enforcement agencies to suppress student-led protests has raised concerns about the erosion of free speech on campus. Some civil liberties advocates argue that universities should have more control over how they respond to protests, rather than relying on external forces.
"This generation of college students is extraordinarily brave and principled," said Sabiya Ahamed, a staff attorney at Palestine Legal. "They've been willing to sacrifice education and career to stand on a very simple human value that genocide is wrong, that occupation is wrong, that apartheid is wrong."
The use of LEMA to suppress student-led protests has also raised questions about the accountability of university officials who authorize such responses.
"If campus closure is required through the weekend, revenue loss will grow considerably," President Jackson wrote in an email.
The Intercept's investigation found that some universities have used LEMA to justify deploying outside law enforcement agencies, citing concerns about domestic violence or extremist activity. However, these justifications are often based on thin evidence and lack transparency.
In some cases, the use of outside law enforcement agencies has led to serious injuries and arrests of students who were simply exercising their right to free speech.
"This is not hyperbole," said Corey Saylor, research and advocacy director at Council on American-Islamic Relations. "We're seeing a full-on authoritarian takeover of the U.S. government."
In April and May last year, thousands of students at several universities across California took part in peaceful protests on campus, calling for boycotts, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) on Israel. However, university officials responded with force, deploying outside law enforcement agencies from other jurisdictions to quell the demonstrations.
The investigation found that universities used a state program called Law Enforcement Mutual Aid (LEMA) to bring in police officers and break up student protests. LEMA is a $25 million annual fund that allows local governments to ask for help from neighboring jurisdictions during emergencies such as natural disasters or violent crimes.
In several cases, the university's budget was cited as a reason for using the LEMA program to suppress protests. One example was Cal Poly Humboldt, where students had been occupying a campus building in solidarity with Palestine for eight days when police arrived on site and arrested 25 protesters.
The use of outside law enforcement agencies to quell student-led protests is unusual, but not unprecedented. However, the investigation found that university officials were aware of LEMA's potential uses beyond traditional emergencies such as natural disasters or violent crimes. In fact, some university leaders had even used language similar to anarchist solidarity when requesting the program.
The Intercept obtained an email from Cal Poly Humboldt President Tom Jackson to the sheriff of Humboldt County in April 2024, which asked for assistance with "reestablishing control of university buildings and other property" and "eliminating the threat of domestic violent extremism and criminal behavior." Jackson also requested a total of 250 law enforcement officers, citing that "personnel for entry team trained in tactical room clearing and arrest and control."
The use of outside law enforcement agencies to suppress student-led protests has raised concerns about the erosion of free speech on campus. Some civil liberties advocates argue that universities should have more control over how they respond to protests, rather than relying on external forces.
"This generation of college students is extraordinarily brave and principled," said Sabiya Ahamed, a staff attorney at Palestine Legal. "They've been willing to sacrifice education and career to stand on a very simple human value that genocide is wrong, that occupation is wrong, that apartheid is wrong."
The use of LEMA to suppress student-led protests has also raised questions about the accountability of university officials who authorize such responses.
"If campus closure is required through the weekend, revenue loss will grow considerably," President Jackson wrote in an email.
The Intercept's investigation found that some universities have used LEMA to justify deploying outside law enforcement agencies, citing concerns about domestic violence or extremist activity. However, these justifications are often based on thin evidence and lack transparency.
In some cases, the use of outside law enforcement agencies has led to serious injuries and arrests of students who were simply exercising their right to free speech.
"This is not hyperbole," said Corey Saylor, research and advocacy director at Council on American-Islamic Relations. "We're seeing a full-on authoritarian takeover of the U.S. government."
The whole thing with these US universities using LEMA to suppress student protests just got super shady 
. It's like they're more worried about maintaining order than protecting free speech on campus 
. I mean, what's next? Using emergency funds for SWAT teams to quell online debates 
? I'm all for student safety, but there's gotta be a better way to handle these situations without resorting to outside law enforcement 
. It's like they're trying to muzzle dissent rather than encouraging open discussion and critical thinking 
. And let's not forget the lack of transparency around justifying the use of LEMA – it's like they're hiding something 
. Can't we have a more nuanced conversation about how universities handle protests without resorting to authoritarian tactics? 
... I mean, what's the point of having a program meant for emergencies like natural disasters or violent crimes being used to break up peaceful student demonstrations? It's like they're trying to silence dissenting voices on campus 
. The fact that some university officials have been using language similar to anarchist solidarity when requesting LEMA assistance raises serious questions about their motivations 
.
... that sounds like a pretty broad and vague justification to me 
. I think universities should have more control over how they respond to protests, rather than relying on external forces 
. And what about the accountability of university officials who authorize such responses? If they're going to use LEMA for this purpose, shouldn't they be held accountable for their actions? 
like calm down, you guys got this. i mean yeah we get it, protests can be wild but suppressing them with police from other places is just lowkey authoritarian and also super expensive for the students who end up paying for all that through tuition hikes 
.
they were just trying to make their voices heard about an important issue that affects many people worldwide... 8 days straight they occupied a building, which is actually pretty impressive considering it's a huge task 
but I guess the university didn't want to deal with the situation directly so they called in some heavy artillery 
especially when there are more constructive ways to address concerns and disagreements on campus 
university officials should've just called in campus security or something instead of going all out with LEMA 
meanwhile, they're citing 'domestic violent extremism' and 'reestablishing control' as reasons for deploying outside cops... sounds like a classic case of 'we don't want you making too much noise on campus' 
and what's really concerning is that some university officials are using language that's essentially indistinguishable from pro-anarchist rhetoric when requesting LEMA services 
and btw, who uses language like "domestic violent extremism" to describe peaceful protests? 
️. This kind of language is worrying, especially when it comes from people who are supposed to be advocating for the students' rights 
.
. We can't let authoritarian measures silence the voices of young people who are fighting for justice and human rights 
.
We need to be mindful of when we're crossing the line into authoritarianism, especially on college campuses where free speech should be protected 
. And it's not just that, but the fact that some university officials have used LEMA in ways that are clearly outside of traditional emergency situations... that's just sketchy 
. The whole idea of using law enforcement agencies to break up peaceful protests is just wrong 
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