I just went to the UCLA Palestinian encampment, but couldn’t get very close.

@Bumbles no, you didn't read carefully. I said I refuse to condemn the idea behind the IRA. I support a United Ireland and the defence of indigenous Irish Gaels. I said above I don't agree with targeting civilians. That doesn't mean that I don't support a United Ireland.

If Loyalist paramilitaries shoot up a Catholic church is the native Irish Gaelic population supposed to just sit there?

The Loyalist butchered more than Irish republicans. See Lenny Murphy.

@basilfawlty89 I see, thanks.

I don’t fault Irish Catholics for defending themselves, not at all, and am aware that the Protestant paramilitaries killed many innocent Catholics.

@trollslayer I agree that Israel has lost the war of public opinion. As far as I'm concerned, Netanyahu can't go soon enough. However, it's also clear that criticism of Israel in some quarters has gone way beyond just opposition to the war, and has crossed into opposition to Israel's existence. So their response to that is understandable.

@Strawberrry It's concerning when I hear people say that there is no difference between Biden and Trump on this issue, so they want to "teach the Democrats a lesson" by reelecting Trump. Except that's never worked before. Electing Republicans because the Democrats aren't left-wing enough has only pushed the Democratic party further right.

@LeopoldBloom Politics and fear from the Pepper Spray incident a few years back. I also think Kent State is like a ghost over all of this.

@LeopoldBloom From what I am reading, around half of those arrested are not students. But from what I remember of college, there were a significant number of people who hung around campus for whatever reason. I don't know if the non-students came to protest or were of the typical loitering crowd that is there all the time.

Regarding timing - I think it has to do with the WCK workers being killed, and the negative attention and condemnation that act brought. The protesters saw an opportunity to effect change when public perception of the war was very negative.

@trollslayer And now they've managed to shift the narrative from "look what the IDF is doing in Gaza" to "look what those Hamas lovers are doing at UCLA."

@BritishFailedAesthetic I certainly want to have a robust conversation about how trashing a beautiful building is “free speech.”

@Bumbles Good luck 😅

@Bumbles It's disgusting the way they trashed Royce Hall. I attended UCLA and that building is a landmark. I can't count how many times I walked past it or was inside it for one reason or another. One summer, I worked as a janitor and was part of a crew that cleaned the inside steps. These were really nice tiled stairs. I also saw Allen Ginsburg read some of his poems in the auditorium. So I have a personal connection. Aside from the protester's viewpoints, this behavior is what they'll be known for.

@LeopoldBloom That's really sad. I fully agree with the cause for which they are protesting. No decent human being would disagree. But the way they are doing it isn't making them any friends.

It's like those people who were trashing famous paintings to raise awareness of starving people.

@LeopoldBloom That must be rough. I really hope they didn’t tear up the auditorium.

@Guardian No, not at all. Lots of police in the area: UCPD, CHP, BHPD, LAPD

@Guardian What is their crime??? They have the right to peacefully and respectfully protest - it's not like they're storming the Capitol, like the supporters of a certain former President did...

@Elessar My point is that Netanyahu had an imminent election and was in electoral trouble.
He needed to create some way to get more support, so he decided on a traditional approach.

Now that it has gone so long, it may backfire on him, but I don't see anything but local politics at play.

@Burnley123 The Vietnam War ended because those kids' parents called their representatives and told them that they'd be voting for someone else if the war didn't end.

@Zeusdelight One thing doesn't exclude the other. And no, there's definitely international interests behind it as well.

@lumberjackslam Kids today have less sex than during the Vietnam era.

@Darksideinthenight2 except the ICJ said that the genocide charge laid by South Africa is plausible. Remind me...are you an international law advocate or human rights attorney? No? Then shush.

No one said Iran are saints, but Saudi Arabia is ten times worse, yet you Americans seem to think it's great being mates with them.

Not to mention Turkey. Turkey has shelled innocent Kurds numerous times, but gets a free pass for being a US ally and NATO member. I will remind you it's mostly Kurds who brought down ISIS.

@Bumbles I was not aware of that.