TIMELY WARNING: Suspect suspected, call (714) 227-4834 if spotted.
Photo by Amit Roth
On May 6, the Office of the Chancellor sent out a school wide email with the subject, “Upholding Free Expression and the Principles of Community”. The email, which Khosla later claimed had “nothing to do” with the second anniversary of the UCPD dismantling the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, emphasized the university’s commitment to “upholding first amendment rights whilst serving [their] constituents.”
As outlined in the email, UC San Diego announced it would increase security measures to ensure appropriate on campus behavior. Student activist groups such as the Student Civil Liberties Union attested that over policing would perpetuate police brutality and racial profiling on campus, but the Office of the Chancellor claimed these concerns were an “over-exaggeration” and that students should “stay out of trouble if they are so worried about being racially profiled.”
Resulting tensions reached their peak this past Friday after a riot reportedly broke out on Library Walk. According to eye witnesses, a group of students calling themselves Students for Basic Fucking Human Rights (SBFHR) held an event providing basic needs, free legal counsel, and other resources for hate crime victims and impacted communities.
A video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, showed members of the (La) Jollans Against Caring, Kindness, Activism, and for Starting Shit or JACKASS, ar riving at the event and shout ing hateful rhetoric toward the attendees. In the video, one JACKASS member, identified as 50 year old Adonis Hitchcock, yelled, “I hate minorities! I hate those who are different from me!” at a table promoting volunteer work at hospitals in lower income areas. Soon after, Hitchcock entered an altercation with Marc Guevarra, a 19 year old urban studies and planning major, with Guevarra shouting “Shut up!” in response to Hitchcock. Other footage showed UCPD officers drawing their guns before tackling and arresting Guevarra. Within minutes, riot police tore down the SBFHR event and evacuated Library walk. “I was scared for my life,” Hitchcock explained. “I’m just glad UCSD had the necessary resources to protect me from student violence.”
Student organizations are now accusing the university of specifically targeting them and their members. Maria dela Cruz, president of the Asian American Pacific Islander Undergraduates in Solidarity at UCSD, reported that her club, as well as other identity based organizations received a Title VI citation under the grounds that these clubs were “exclusionary.”
“I just don’t understand how anyone can act like this isn’t a sign the school is getting more conservative?” dela Cruz explained. “It’s disgusting they think they can get away with this. I don’t think a safe space for AAPI should feel obligated to change their name to accommodate white people.”
Others have noted the “double standard” between the treatment of left leaning and right leaning organizations on campus. “I literally saw [UCPD] escorting members of ‘Tritons for Genocide’ and ‘Literal Xenophobes, Misogynists, and Homophobes of UCSD’ to their annual ‘How to be an effective bigot’ convention earlier,” one student recounted. “Which is, like, crazy because they tasered some pregnant lady who was wearing a ‘Love Everyone’ t shirt because it ‘sounded too communist’.”
While many students and faculty have protested the citations, many others voiced support for the “radical left crackdown.” “I think it’s good we’re cracking down on racism!” Hunter Jones, Proud Boy and JACKASS member exclaimed. “It took a lot of work fighting against dis crimination and identity politics and orgs like the Black Alumni Scholarship Fund, but it doesn’t stop there.”
Chancellor Khosla denied malicious intent behind the in creased security measures, but has made no attempts to address growing fear on campus.
Destiney is an enigma, downright gaseous if you will. A being of many words, but little thought. You may find them listening to Sabrina Carpenter or spacing out in very unfortunate places. Know that they perceive you and they are only a little bit concerned that you dislike them.
