(The Center Square) - The ten-campus University of California system spent $29 million on security and cleanup services related to the Palestine-related protests in the past year, 90% of which was spent on security. In a statement, the UC system suggested it would take a harder line on any future protests accompanied by violence.
"We are actively exploring resources and strategies to prevent future incidents while upholding the principles of free expression," said the University of California in a statement to The Center Square. "The right to free speech and nonviolent protest are time-honored traditions on UC campuses. These rights come with a responsibility to respect one another even when we disagree and adhere to the laws and policies that keep our campus communities safe."
After Palestine supporters set up encampments at each of the UC campuses, some campuses called upon local police to remove encampments, while others were able to work with students to get them to voluntarily take down their encampments.
UCLA, which had some of the most violent encounters between pro-Palestine and pro-Israel demonstrators and police, spent approximately $10.4 million on security and cleanup. UC Berkeley spent $8 million, while UC Irvine spent $2.9 million, UC Santa Cruz spent $2.7 million, and UC San Diego spent $2.1 million on their encampment security, cleanup, and removals.
The four schools that did not use police to clear out encampments — UC San Francisco, UC Merced, UC Davis, and UC Riverside, respectively spent $325,000, $255,000, $150,000, and $25,000.
The UC system noted these are only preliminary estimates that "may continue to change as we fully assess and repair damages and reconcile total costs from mutual aid partners," and that these figures "are in addition to unquantifiable impacts on student learning and well-being."
