LOS ANGELES: A takeover of a building at California State University, Los Angeles, by demonstrators protesting Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, leaving the facility trashed and covered with graffiti, TV news reports showed.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators barricaded the multistory Student Services Building on Wednesday and workers inside were told to shelter in place, but it was empty by Thursday morning, said university spokesperson Erik Frost Hollins.
“What I can tell you, at the moment, is that the building is clear of employees and protesters and the building is secure,” said Frost Hollins, who did not immediately offer details on what occurred overnight.
The university posted a “protest action alert” on its website announcing that all main campus classes and operations would be remote until further notice and asking people to stay away.
Images from the scene showed graffiti on the building, furniture blocking doorways and overturned golf carts, picnic tables and umbrellas barricading the plaza out front.
The CSULA Gaza Solidarity Encampment, a group that has camped near the campus gym for about 40 days, sent an email indicating that members were staging a sit-in in the building, Hollins said.
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Pro-Palestinian protesters take over Cal State LA building, leaving damage and graffiti
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Pro-Palestinian protesters take over Cal State LA building, leaving damage and graffiti
- Pro-Palestinian demonstrators barricaded the multistory Student Services Building
- The university posted a “protest action alert” on its website
PM Takaichi says Japan ‘always open’ to dialogue with China
TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Wednesday she is “always open” to dialogue with China amid a diplomatic row between Tokyo and Beijing over comments she made about Taiwan.
“China is an important neighbor for Japan, and we need to build constructive and stable relationships,” Takaichi told a news conference.
“Japan is always open to dialogue with China. We’re not shutting our door.”
China and Japan are enmeshed in a spat over Takaichi’s suggestion in November that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on the self-ruled democratic island.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control.
The comments triggered a sharp diplomatic backlash from Beijing, which has urged its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan.
Chinese military aircraft locked radar onto Japanese jets in the latest incident this month, prompting Tokyo to summon Beijing’s ambassador.
“China is an important neighbor for Japan, and we need to build constructive and stable relationships,” Takaichi told a news conference.
“Japan is always open to dialogue with China. We’re not shutting our door.”
China and Japan are enmeshed in a spat over Takaichi’s suggestion in November that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on the self-ruled democratic island.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control.
The comments triggered a sharp diplomatic backlash from Beijing, which has urged its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan.
Chinese military aircraft locked radar onto Japanese jets in the latest incident this month, prompting Tokyo to summon Beijing’s ambassador.
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