UCI says talks with protesters have been 'productive' but no resolution yet

IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) -- Hundreds continued to rally at the Pro-Palestinian encampment at UC Irvine on Monday as discussions between school officials and student protesters are still underway.

In the latest statement from UCI, the encampment "remains peaceful" and "minimally disruptive of university activities."

"There appears to be no conduct that infringes upon the rights of any campus community members to an educational experience free from discrimination and harassment," read the statement.

The university also said "there have been minimal reports of petty vandalism," and to the school's knowledge, "no criminal laws have been broken by the students involved, though they are in violation of university regulations."

A team of UC Irvine administrators met with protesters Monday in hopes of a peaceful resolution regarding the encampment. However, the university said though the conversations were "productive" they "did not result in any conclusion."

"The university will continue to engage with the protesters in good-faith discussions with a goal of returning UC Irvine to its traditional learning environment."

Now, more community members are coming to the campus, signing up to protect the organizers.

"They want to be here for us. They've seen the attacks that have happened on other campuses, and they want us to be protected as well," said Sarah Khalil.

Monday marked the eighth day of the demonstration at UCI.

The Students for Justice in Palestine group - also known as SJP UCI - are the ones negotiating with administrators. Khalil said they're demanding divestment from companies manufacturing and sending weapons to Israel, reinvestment into students, staff and faculty, financial transparency and amnesty for student protesters.

"We're sick and fed up with it," said Khalil. "We do not want that. We don't want to see people getting killed because of our money."

On the opposite side of campus, Jewish faculty and community members joined students with Hillel at UCI to honor the victims and survivors of the Holocaust.

They told Eyewitness News the annual event was not a counter protest.

"As we do every single year to commemorate the Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah), we do a silent, peaceful march," said Nova Sari, who said the Jewish group avoided the Pro-Palestinian encampment.

"We also seen some really antisemitic signs, and for us students, I think it's really important for us to just focus on our studies and just a peaceful environment overall," she said.

Rabbi Daniel Levine said since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, stress has been rising for students at UCI from both groups.

"Most of the people on this campus are here to learn about the world, right? You know, being in college, and so I get a lot of people coming and just saying, 'I don't even know anything. Where do I even start with this?'"

Organizers of the encampment said they're staying until their demands are met.

"If I'm giving hope to the people of Gaza, if I'm showing that I'm not forgetting them, then I will gladly put everything on the line just for them," said Khalil.