Four student journalists were attacked by Pro-Israel counterprotesters early Wednesday morning.

Four student journalists who work for the UCLA Daily Bruin were attacked shortly before 3:30 a.m. Wednesday by Pro-Israel counterprotesters during a campus demonstration that turned violent.

Daily Bruin news editor Catherine Hamilton, 21, told The Times she recognized one of the counterprotesters as someone who had previously verbally harassed her and taken pictures of her press badge. The individual instructed the group to encircle the student journalists, she said, before they sprayed the four with mace or pepper spray, flashed lights in their faces and chanted Hamilton’s name.

As she tried to break free, Hamilton said, she was punched repeatedly in the chest and upper abdomen; another student journalist was pushed to the ground and beaten and kicked for nearly a minute. The attack was first reported in the Daily Bruin.

“We expected to be harassed by counterprotesters,” Hamilton said in an interview Wednesday, adding that every Daily Bruin reporter was instructed to use a buddy system, to report from outside the encampment and to leave the area if it became unsafe. “I truly did not expect to be directly assaulted.”

Archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20240502114521/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-05-01/four-student-journalists-attacked-by-counterprotesters-at-ucla

  • @NOT_RICKEnglish
    74•7 months ago

    Imagine beating up journalists and honestly thinking you’re on the right side of history.

      • bobalot
        9•7 months ago

        That’s not right.

        The IDF are killing them.

        • CethinEnglish
          1•7 months ago

          It’s the opposite of ironic. It’s whatever a negative version of serendipitous is.

          Edit: Zemblanity apparently. New word for me.

      • @NOT_RICKEnglish
        15•7 months ago

        Hadn’t heard this before, where’d you see that?

        Edit: I guess they made it up

        • Veraxus
          1•7 months ago

          It says removed by mod, but based on your comment I’m pretty sure I know exactly what completely fabricated social media story this was about (had to debunk said story for gullible right-wing family members this week).

          • @NOT_RICKEnglish
            2•7 months ago

            They claimed some of the counter protesters had been spotted at pro-Nazi rallies. Not sure what their definition of pro-Nazi is but I found it dubious

            • Veraxus
              3•7 months ago

              Ok, that’s a different one. While I wouldn’t be surprised, that kind of claim needs supporting evidence. Names, photos, etc. Too much unsubstantiated hearsay floating around this.