A state-run fund, designed to support law enforcement in natural disasters and other emergencies, has been deployed by university administrators to quell student protests for Palestine on several campuses across California. This is a worrying trend that undermines the right to free speech and peaceful assembly.
The Law Enforcement Mutual Aid (LEMA) Fund is set aside annually at $25 million to help law enforcement agencies work across jurisdictions to fight disasters and other emergencies. In April and May 2024, university officials in California used this fund to bring in outside police forces to clear pro-Palestine encampments on several campuses.
The emails obtained by The Intercept show that the University of California, Humboldt, requested assistance from the state's Office of Emergency Services (OES) using the LEMA request process. They also confirmed that the university formally requested law enforcement support through the LEMA request process and that Cal Poly Humboldt remains firmly committed to upholding the rights guaranteed under the First Amendment.
The presence of outside law enforcement officers on campus fundamentally alters the power dynamics of a protest, said Sabiya Ahamed, staff attorney at Palestine Legal. "These police officers who are trained in violent tactics, you bring them to campus and they're deploying those tactics against students. That is really dangerous."
As protests continued, universities nationwide brought in outside law enforcement officers to crush student-led movements for Palestine. This was not just a local issue but a systemic problem that the state government was encouraging.
The practice of bringing in outside law enforcement officers became increasingly normalized across university campuses. The California State University system and other public universities responded to student protests with force, rather than letting them play out peacefully. In some cases, students were arrested, injured, or radicalized by militarized police forces.
While the pro-Palestine encampments presented university leaders with a publicity crisis, forcing them to choose between options ranging from letting peaceful protests continue to quashing them with full force, universities almost exclusively chose the latter.
The state's response was not just about responding to emergencies but also about silencing dissent. The situation on university campuses raised concerns about the erosion of democratic values and the importance of press freedom in defending democracy.
This issue highlights a broader problem that is eroding trust between students and administrators at U.S. universities. While the pro-Palestine encampments presented an opportunity for universities to address issues of free speech, many failed to do so. The response also raises questions about the role of outside law enforcement agencies on campus.
The use of state funds to deploy outside police forces to quell student protests is a concerning trend that undermines the right to peaceful assembly and free speech. As one student said, "If there was any trust, you ruin it when you bring in outside police to harm your own students."
The Law Enforcement Mutual Aid (LEMA) Fund is set aside annually at $25 million to help law enforcement agencies work across jurisdictions to fight disasters and other emergencies. In April and May 2024, university officials in California used this fund to bring in outside police forces to clear pro-Palestine encampments on several campuses.
The emails obtained by The Intercept show that the University of California, Humboldt, requested assistance from the state's Office of Emergency Services (OES) using the LEMA request process. They also confirmed that the university formally requested law enforcement support through the LEMA request process and that Cal Poly Humboldt remains firmly committed to upholding the rights guaranteed under the First Amendment.
The presence of outside law enforcement officers on campus fundamentally alters the power dynamics of a protest, said Sabiya Ahamed, staff attorney at Palestine Legal. "These police officers who are trained in violent tactics, you bring them to campus and they're deploying those tactics against students. That is really dangerous."
As protests continued, universities nationwide brought in outside law enforcement officers to crush student-led movements for Palestine. This was not just a local issue but a systemic problem that the state government was encouraging.
The practice of bringing in outside law enforcement officers became increasingly normalized across university campuses. The California State University system and other public universities responded to student protests with force, rather than letting them play out peacefully. In some cases, students were arrested, injured, or radicalized by militarized police forces.
While the pro-Palestine encampments presented university leaders with a publicity crisis, forcing them to choose between options ranging from letting peaceful protests continue to quashing them with full force, universities almost exclusively chose the latter.
The state's response was not just about responding to emergencies but also about silencing dissent. The situation on university campuses raised concerns about the erosion of democratic values and the importance of press freedom in defending democracy.
This issue highlights a broader problem that is eroding trust between students and administrators at U.S. universities. While the pro-Palestine encampments presented an opportunity for universities to address issues of free speech, many failed to do so. The response also raises questions about the role of outside law enforcement agencies on campus.
The use of state funds to deploy outside police forces to quell student protests is a concerning trend that undermines the right to peaceful assembly and free speech. As one student said, "If there was any trust, you ruin it when you bring in outside police to harm your own students."
Police on campus is not cool 
When they come with guns and batons, it's like a bad scene from a movie 
. Universities should help their students speak out for what they believe in 
, not shut them down with force 
. Free speech is like air we need to breathe 
, and we can't live without it 
.
, but still, it's super sad 
. We need more trust and less police 
between students and admins 
.
. Peaceful protests are like a work of art 
, and we shouldn't let anyone ruin them with force 
. Now they're bringing in police from other places to squash student movements? That's just not right 
. The LEMA fund is supposed to help with disasters, not silence students who are exercising their First Amendment rights 
. I'm all for universities finding ways to address free speech issues but this is just a bunch of overreach 
. its like they wanna silence dissent & crush free speech. i mean, whats next? deploying SWAT teams 2 deal w/ student debt woes or whatever? this trend is super worrying cuz it fundamentally changes the power dynamics of a protest & can lead 2 injuries or worse. universities should b focusing on finding peaceful solutions instead of resorting 2 violence 
i mean, $25 mil is a crazy amount of cash and now they're using it to bring in outside cops to squash student protests 
i swear, it was like a work of art...