An 18-year-old man accused of attacking pro-Palestinian protesters at UCLA is behind bars Friday.
Edan On was arrested in Beverly Hills on Thursday by the UCLA Police Department and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, a felony, and was being held on $30,000 bail, according to campus police and jail records, which indicate he is being housed at the men’s central jail in downtown Los Angeles.
“Detectives interviewed witnesses and victims and reviewed security camera footage from the pro-Palestinian demonstration to identify the suspect, who was not affiliated with the campus and was allegedly among a group who violently attacked students, faculty and staff April 30, according to a statement from the UCLA Police Department.
On was identified by CNN last week as a counter-protester wearing a white hoodie and a mask in a video showing him repeatedly hitting a pro-Palestinian protester with the pole.
“The UCLA Police Department is committed to investigating all reported acts of violence and is actively working to identify the other perpetrators of violence associated with any protest or counter-protest activities between April 25, 2024 and May 2, 2024,” the department stated.
“Attending graduation is a privilege, and we expect our students to uphold the highest standards of behavior to participate in this significant milestone,” Beverly Hills Unified School District Superintendent Michael Bregy told ABC7.
According to a Los Angeles Times report citing university officials, Campus Police Chief John Thomas was removed from his post and reassigned after he was criticized for security failures that led to violence at a pro-Palestinian encampment. Thomas later defended his actions in an interview and said he did the best he could. UCLA Chancellor Gene Block was interrogated by members of Congress on Thursday over his handling of complaints regarding campus antisemitism.
Earlier this month, more than 200 people were arrested at UCLA as police took down an encampment.