More than 800 faculty and staff members from the University of California have signed an online petition demanding the immediate resignation of UCLA Chancellor Gene Block. The petition also calls for dropping all legal charges and granting full amnesty to all students, staff, and faculty involved in the encampment and peaceful protest that took place on the Westwood campus. As of Thursday morning, the petition has garnered 830 signatures.

The petition further demands that UCLA issue a comprehensive report within 30 days, fully disclosing all investments to provide students with transparency regarding how the university prioritizes its finances. Additionally, the petition advocates for the college to divest from all military weapons production companies and supporting systems.

The release of the petition comes in the wake of recent criticism directed at UCLA's handling of demonstrations that culminated in a mob attack on a pro-Palestinian student encampment. Consequently, UCLA officials announced the creation of a new chief safety officer position to oversee campus security operations. The announcement was made after the university faced backlash for their handling of the protests.

The incident in question occurred on May 2, when law enforcement officers confronted a crowd of demonstrators near Royce Hall. Despite repeated orders to disperse, hundreds of protesters defied these directives, resulting in at least 200 individuals being taken into custody. Amidst the chaos, police dismantled a fortified encampment made of plywood, pallets, metal fences, and dumpsters, while firing flash-bangs to disperse the crowds.

Similar tent encampments calling for universities to stop doing business with Israel or companies allegedly supporting the war in Gaza have sprouted up on campuses nationwide, representing a unique student movement of the century. The protests have garnered international attention, with Iranian state television and Qatar's Al Jazeera broadcasting the police action that took place at UCLA, while live images from Los Angeles were shown on Israeli television networks.

The Israeli government has categorized the protests as anti-Semitic, though critics argue that such allegations are an attempt to stifle opposition. While some protesters have been caught making anti-Semitic remarks or issuing violent threats, organizers, including individuals of Jewish descent, assert that their movement is peaceful and aims to defend Palestinian rights while protesting the war.

The confrontations at UCLA unfolded over several days, beginning after a permitted pro-Israel rally on campus on April 28, which resulted in fights and the alleged tossing of live mice into the pro-Palestinian encampment. UCLA Chancellor Gene Block described the attack on the pro-Palestinian protesters' encampment as "a truly despicable act" and an investigation into the incident is currently underway.

According to Block, campus administrators initially intended to find a peaceful resolution with the encampment members and expected the situation to remain stable. However, the situation escalated when counterdemonstrators attacked the pro-Palestinian encampment. Campus administrators and police did not intervene or call for backup for several hours. This delayed response drew criticism from political leaders, including Governor Gavin Newsom, prompting officials to pledge an independent review of the incident.

Block stated that the encampment had transformed into "much more of a bunker" by May 1, leaving the police with no alternative but to dismantle it. The hours-long standoff continued into the early morning hours as officers repeatedly warned the crowd, which had exceeded 1,000 individuals inside and outside the encampment, to disperse or face arrest. Eventually, hundreds voluntarily left while more than 200 individuals were taken into custody.

The call for Chancellor Block's resignation and the demand for transparency and divestment highlight the deep concern among the UC faculty and staff regarding the handling of recent events at UCLA. The online petition serves as a testament to their collective dissatisfaction and desire for change within the university leadership.