Hundreds of helmeted police muscled their way into a central plaza of the UCLA campus early on Thursday (2 May) to dismantle a Gaza protest camp attacked the previous night by pro-Israel supporters. Live TV footage showed officers in tactical gear arresting protesters and tearing down boards at the encampment occupied by demonstrators. Dozens of loud explosions were heard during the clash from flash-bang charges, or stun grenades, fired by police. Protesters, some carrying makeshift shields and umbrellas, sought to block the police advance by their sheer numbers, while shouting, “push them back” and flashing bright lights in the eyes of officers.