UCLA enacts campus protest rules

New policies further limit some areas but expand on free speech zones

- BY JAWEED KALEEM

As UCLA grapples with sweeping government attacks on its research funding and policies, the university on Friday released new campus protest rules several in sync with Trump administration demands to crack down on demonstrators — but others that expand free speech zones and allow activities the White House wants to prohibit.

The guidelines formalize interim policies put in place last September, when UCLA and UC issued strict mandates banning unauthorized overnight encampments and the use of masks while breaking campus policy.

Most of UCLA's outdoor spaces were off-limits to any protest that was not pre-approved, which remains the case.

The policies were announced ahead of the Monday kickoff of the fall term and come at a high-pressure moment as U.S. universities reevaluate safety and come under pressure from conservatives to take action against comments they consider insensitive about the fatal shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk on a Utah campus. At UCLA, a diversity, equity and inclusion officer has been placed on leave for comments on social media expressing satisfaction and_ indifference about Kirk’s death.

UCLA Associate Vice Chancellor for Campus and Community Safety Steve Lurie said the guidelines are not a response to President Trump and “represent the current state of best practices in free speech and we will continue forward with these until we’re given other direction.”

UCLA strives to enforce rules in a “content neutral” way, Lurie said. “There’s nothing in here that we're doing to try and react” to Trump, he said, adding he is “not concerned” over whether the rules conflict or align with federal demands.

The policies include a ban on unauthorized demonstrations at Royce Quad, the site of a spring 2024 pro-Palestinian encampment the Trump administration has cited as the central reason for pulling $584 million in UCLA research funding.