California's State Law Enforcement Mutual Aid (LEMA) Fund, meant to help law enforcement agencies combat natural disasters and other emergencies, was tapped by California public universities to quell student-led protests in support of Palestine.
University leadership at Humboldt State University opted to enlist the aid of outside police departments to forcibly clear a pro-Palestine protest encampment from campus after three days of peaceful demonstrations. A letter sent on April 25, 2024, by then-university President Tom Jackson requested assistance for policing purposes under the guise of "law enforcement mutual aid," invoking the language of anarchist solidarity.
According to California's LEMA guidelines, funds could be used in cases involving fires, storms, flooding, earthquakes, natural or man-made disasters, and other extraordinary events requiring emergency law enforcement intervention. In this case, students were deemed a threat to public safety and order.
Following Jackson’s request for assistance, outside law enforcement officers arrived at the university, and an eight-day occupation came to an end as police cleared the campus building of protesters. An investigation by The Intercept revealed emails sent to local law enforcement agencies in support of other California universities facing similar protests, further demonstrating how the LEMA program was being used as a tool for silencing dissent.
The involvement of outside law enforcement at Cal Poly Humboldt has led many critics and civil liberties advocates to question whether the university was ever truly committed to upholding students' right to peaceful assembly. A student spokesperson confirmed that the protest would be allowed, however, while also highlighting the role of LEMA in providing reimbursement for expenses incurred by local law enforcement agencies involved.
University leaders have justified their decision by citing concerns over potential damage to campus property and the need to prevent "domestic violent extremism." Critics contend, however, that this approach represents a broader attempt to stifle free speech on campuses and restrict students' rights to peaceful protest.
University leadership at Humboldt State University opted to enlist the aid of outside police departments to forcibly clear a pro-Palestine protest encampment from campus after three days of peaceful demonstrations. A letter sent on April 25, 2024, by then-university President Tom Jackson requested assistance for policing purposes under the guise of "law enforcement mutual aid," invoking the language of anarchist solidarity.
According to California's LEMA guidelines, funds could be used in cases involving fires, storms, flooding, earthquakes, natural or man-made disasters, and other extraordinary events requiring emergency law enforcement intervention. In this case, students were deemed a threat to public safety and order.
Following Jackson’s request for assistance, outside law enforcement officers arrived at the university, and an eight-day occupation came to an end as police cleared the campus building of protesters. An investigation by The Intercept revealed emails sent to local law enforcement agencies in support of other California universities facing similar protests, further demonstrating how the LEMA program was being used as a tool for silencing dissent.
The involvement of outside law enforcement at Cal Poly Humboldt has led many critics and civil liberties advocates to question whether the university was ever truly committed to upholding students' right to peaceful assembly. A student spokesperson confirmed that the protest would be allowed, however, while also highlighting the role of LEMA in providing reimbursement for expenses incurred by local law enforcement agencies involved.
University leaders have justified their decision by citing concerns over potential damage to campus property and the need to prevent "domestic violent extremism." Critics contend, however, that this approach represents a broader attempt to stifle free speech on campuses and restrict students' rights to peaceful protest.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one... I mean, I get it, protests can get out of hand, but using the LEMA fund for something like this? It just feels so... heavy-handed. Like, I know university leaders were worried about property damage and all that, but did they really think the protesters would be like "oh, we'll just go home and forget about our cause"? 
... so many red flags here 
. I mean, who needs outside cops when you've got student leaders and faculty who are already trying to diffuse tensions? And what's with the language about "anarchist solidarity" being used as an excuse to bust up protests? It sounds like the university was just looking for a way to get out of managing their own crisis 
. And don't even get me started on how this whole thing has been framed as a "national security threat"... what's next? Labeling any dissent as a domestic terrorist threat? 
. More clarity on when exactly the LEMA program was activated and how many funds were involved would be really helpful here 
. Anyway, I'm pretty sure this whole situation has been mishandled from the get-go 
.
I mean, I get that protests can get out of hand, but using the LEMA fund for this? 
Not cool, guys.
. Like, they were essentially using public money to hire outside cops to break up a protest. That's just not right 
.
And then when it comes down to it, they're justifying their actions by citing concerns over property damage and extremism. It's like, okay, those are valid concerns, but using a program meant for emergencies to quell student protests is not the answer. 
. The whole thing is pretty simple, right? I don't see why people are making such a big deal out of it 
.
. Using the LEMA fund for policing purposes instead of helping with actual emergencies is just not right 
. It feels like the university was more concerned about maintaining order than supporting students' rights to free speech 
. I mean, what's next? 
. The fact that university leadership is justifying this move by saying it's about preventing "domestic violent extremism" is a total cop-out 
I'm starting to think there's more to this story than just a simple campus protest gone wrong. Is it possible that these university leaders are trying to send a message to their own students, warning them against speaking out too much? 
It's definitely making me wonder about the true intentions behind the LEMA program... 
Newsflash: protests r an important part of democracy & should be protected 
. I mean, you're already dealing with emergency situations - can't they just prioritize the safety of their students instead? 
. The whole idea of "domestic violent extremism" being used as an excuse to suppress free speech on campus is super concerning 
. Universities think they can just tap into the LEMA fund and get law enforcement to do their dirty work for them? That's not how you handle dissent, that's just silencing 
. They're trying to spin it as "public safety" but we all know what's really going on here 
The fact that students were deemed a "threat" just because they had different opinions is wild. I don't trust these universities' claims about safety and property concerns - sounds like just another excuse to exert control.
...