Student Protests at UCLA; University Police Chief Temporarily Reassigned

The chief of police at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), who faced criticism for his handling of recent student protests, including a group attack on a pro-Palestinian student camp, has been 'temporarily reassigned to another position.' Mary Osako, the university's vice president and media relations director, stated in a release on Wednesday, May 23, that 'John Thomas, the university police chief, was temporarily reassigned on Tuesday until a full investigation into security and safety conditions is completed.' Local media reports indicate that John Thomas wrote in a text message to the university newspaper that he learned late the previous day of his reassignment. Neither he nor the university's public relations officer disclosed what position he has been reassigned to. UCLA announced on May 5 that it would create a new position titled 'Safety Management' to oversee security matters. A few weeks ago, John Thomas told the Los Angeles Times that he had done everything possible to ensure the safety and security of students during the peak of student protests against the war in Gaza. However, his performance faced significant criticism, and Gene Block, the university's chancellor, ordered a complete review of security status and regulations. Mr. Block stated in a release on May 5, 'To best protect our community, we need to make rapid changes in how we manage campus safety.' Shortly thereafter, the university announced that the former police chief of Sacramento, California, had been appointed as the new director of campus safety. Since April 30, when the police dismantled the pro-Gaza student camp at UCLA and arrested about 200 individuals, scattered protests and disruptions on campus have continued. The university's chancellor has been summoned to report on these events to one of the committees of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, May 25.