UCLA rips the LAPD for using Jackie Robinson Stadium as ‘field jail’ for protesters
The University of California, Los Angeles, is slamming the Los Angeles Police Department for using the school’s Jackie Robinson Stadium, honoring Major League Baseball’s first black player, as a “field jail” for protesters.
“We’re troubled by accounts of Jackie Robinson Stadium being used as a ‘field jail,’” the university wrote on Twitter. “This was done without UCLA’s knowledge or permission. As lessee of the stadium, we informed local agencies that UCLA will NOT grant permission should there be a request like this in the future.”
Ananya Roy, an urban planning professor at UCLA, posted a letter co-signed with other members of UCLA’s faculty.
“Protesters were hold on these buses at UCLA for five to six hours, without access to restrooms, food, water, information, or medical attention,” the letter reads.
“We write to express our deep concern about these events and the matter of UCLA collaboration with LAPD and other police forces,” it continues. “In recent days, UCLA leadership has shared statements of solidarity denouncing institutionalized racism and recognizing the importance of protest against such racism. Last night’s use of Jackie Robinson Stadium stands in sharp hypocrisy to these statements.”
The LAPD told NBC News that the stadium was used for those arrested during the George Floyd protests.
“We are no longer using it,” Officer Mike Lopez told the outlet.
The death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in police custody, has led to national protests.
The violence and looting is being done at the protests by much smaller groups at mostly peaceful gatherings, authorities say. The vast majority of the protesters across the nation have been “peaceful demonstrators calling for change,” law enforcement officials told ABC News.
Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, was shown on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes before he died. He was arrested Friday, according to the Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner.
The LAPD arrested more than 2,700 protesters as of Tuesday, according to NBC.
The police have also employed more aggressive tactics and increased their presence as the protests continue.
“When violence escalates, including assaults on officers, arson, widespread looting ... the department needs to resort to a stronger message,” LAPD Chief Michel Moore told the Police Commission on Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles Times.
There are calls to fire Moore after he said during a public safety update on Monday that Floyd’s death is on the protesters’ hands “as much as it is those officers.”
“We didn’t have protests last night. We had criminal acts,” Moore said. “We didn’t have people mourning the death of this man, George Floyd. We had people capitalizing. His death is on their hands, as much as it is those officers.”
He said: “That is a strong statement, but I must say, that this civil unrest that we’re in the midst of, we must turn a corner from people who are involved in violence. People who are involved in preying upon others.”
This story was originally published June 3, 2020 at 1:09 PM with the headline "UCLA rips the LAPD for using Jackie Robinson Stadium as ‘field jail’ for protesters."