The Los Angeles city attorney’s office announced on Friday that it will not pursue criminal charges against most of the protesters arrested during demonstrations at UCLA and USC last year related to the war in Gaza. City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto revealed that her office received over 300 referrals from arrests made during the protests in the spring of 2024, but only two individuals will face charges.
The two charged are Edan On and Matthew Katz, both accused of violent actions during a pro-Palestinian demonstration at UCLA. On faces charges of battery and assault with a deadly weapon, while Katz is charged with battery, false imprisonment, and resisting arrest. Most of the other cases were dropped due to lack of evidence or difficulties in identifying the individuals involved.
Feldstein Soto explained that many cases were declined for evidentiary reasons. The UCLA Police Department referred 245 arrests, all of which were dismissed. Similarly, 93 arrests at USC were also declined for insufficient evidence.
Three other individuals, Ali Abuamouneh, Karla Maria Aguilar, and David Fischel, will go through informal hearings with the city attorney’s office as an alternative to misdemeanor prosecution. Abuamouneh and Aguilar were arrested at USC, while Fischel was arrested at UCLA.
This decision comes amidst heightened tensions on university campuses, which became focal points for discussions about the ongoing conflict in Gaza following the October 2023 attacks by Hamas. The violence resulted in significant casualties, and the situation has sparked widespread protests across the country.
The response to the city attorney’s decision has been mixed. The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations praised the decision to charge On, emphasizing the need for accountability for the violence against peaceful demonstrators. Meanwhile, some faculty members, like Amelia Jones from USC, welcomed the decision not to charge most protesters, viewing it as a validation of their right to protest.
Feldstein Soto expressed gratitude to her team for their careful evaluation of the cases, highlighting the importance of upholding the rule of law. The outcome of these protests and subsequent legal actions reflects ongoing debates about free speech and the right to protest in the context of sensitive political issues.