Long-term consequences? What students need to know about protesting on campus

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- More than 200 people were arrested Thursday after a Pro-Palestinian encampment on the UCLA campus was cleared by law enforcement officers.

But are there consequences down the line? Maybe for those students who may soon be seeking future career and employment opportunities?

"The lives that we live publicly can be followed by current or future employers, so we have to be careful of what we do and what we post," explained Angela Reddock-Wright, a local employment attorney and mediator.

She said companies do their diligence when it comes to background checks on potential job candidates, looking for controversial to inappropriate behaviors.

Professor Elizabeth "Liz" Tippett with the University of Oregon School of Law is advising students involved in the protests to do so peacefully.

"If you're a protester, think about criminal conduct, and whether you want to engage in criminal conduct, and decide that ahead of time," she said.

"I don't think it is reasonable to assume that criminal conduct is going to be consequence free," she added.

Like getting arrested. While free speech is protected under the law, vandalism and fighting with police is a criminal act. But potential employees are still afforded some protections under the law when it comes to being arrested.

"California has a law that says you can't make an employment decision based on arrest only," said Tippett.

Even if a job candidate is convicted of a crime, the ball is still in their court.

"California goes as far to say that you can't even hold just the mere conviction against someone when considering them for employment," said Reddock-Wright.

While it does seem students are taking precautions to hide their identity, it's hard to be anonymous with an arrest and conviction record on file.