Tensions flared at UCLA late Tuesday as confrontations erupted at a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus.

The clashes persisted for over two hours, stretching into the early hours of Wednesday, as law enforcement was initially absent from the scene, as reported by  KABC. Amidst the chaos, altercations intensified, with individuals subjected to physical assault and makeshift barricades repurposed as weapons.

The situation reached a critical point shortly before 11 p.m. PST when counter-protesters encircled the encampment. Instances of fireworks being launched into the encampment were observed, alongside individuals wielding sticks during the confrontations.

The extent of injuries sustained remains uncertain at this time.

Despite the presence of LAPD and California Highway Patrol officials arriving on the scene overnight, the clashes persisted for over two hours without the appearance of uniformed campus police or LAPD officers.

“Horrific acts of violence occurred at the encampment tonight and we immediately called law enforcement for mutual aid support,” Mary Osako, vice chancellor for UCLA Strategic Communications, said in an email to UCLA’s campus newspaper, the Daily Bruin. “The fire department and medical personnel are on the scene. We are sickened by this senseless violence and it must end.”

Mayor Karen Bass, currently in Washington, has engaged with UCLA Chancellor Gene Block and interim LAPD Chief Dominic Choi regarding the ongoing situation, as per a spokesperson.

“LAPD is promptly addressing Chancellor Block’s call for assistance on campus,” spokesperson Zach Seidl shared on social media.