California Uses Disaster Funds to Manage Protests Over Gaza

Cal Poly Humboldt students occupied a campus building for three days in solidarity with Palestine before university President Tom Jackson sought assistance from law enforcement to end the demonstration.

In an April twenty-fifth email, Jackson requested to utilize the Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Fund, which is typically reserved for natural disasters, to bring in external police forces. This fund allocates twenty-five million dollars annually for law enforcement agencies to collaborate across jurisdictions during emergencies.

The report from The Intercept highlights how California public universities, including Cal Poly Humboldt, turned to law enforcement aid in managing protests that emerged in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Students staged a peaceful sit-in at Siemens Hall, initially repelling attempts by police in riot gear to clear the building. The protests escalated into an eight-day occupation, prompting university leadership to coordinate with local police departments to regain control.

Emails reveal a systematic approach in which university officials communicated with law enforcement about deploying outside agencies to dismantle encampments. Jackson's correspondence indicated concerns over potential revenue loss due to canceled campus events, emphasizing the financial implications of the protest response.

By May, the situation escalated, with multiple universities requesting mutual aid to suppress pro-Palestine protests, including UC San Diego, which also employed riot gear and tactical units against demonstrators.

Civil liberties advocates criticized these actions, arguing they shattered trust between students and university administrations, fundamentally altering the nature of campus protests. They contend that bringing in militarized police forces endangers students and transforms peaceful demonstrations into encounters with violence.

The situation reflects a broader trend where universities increasingly treat student dissent as akin to a natural disaster, prioritizing suppression over dialogue. As the protests continued, students reported injuries from clashes with police, raising concerns over the militarization of campus safety practices.

This shift raises critical questions about resource allocation and governmental priorities in addressing civil unrest, particularly when international issues like the Gaza conflict are at stake. In the face of this repression, advocates noted that students have demonstrated remarkable bravery, willing to sacrifice their education to protest perceived injustices.

The report underscores the increasingly militarized response to student activism in California, as public universities navigate the complexities of political dissent on campus, according to The Intercept.