According to a written statement Friday, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office will not file criminal charges against the massive scale of the Gaza war in Gaza and the vast majority of protesters arrested by UCLA and USC.
City Atti. Hydee Feldstein Soto said that although her office conducted more than 300 referrals during demonstrations on both campuses last spring, only two people were charged. The other three will be referred to the informal prosecution process.
“Most of these cases have been denied due to evidence, or because the university failed to assist in the prosecution’s proof of identity or other information,” her office statement said.
Two suspects facing criminal charges have been identified as Edan On and Matthew Katz.
A pro-Israeli protester has been charged with assault with a battery and deadly weapons, and Katz has been charged with assault, false imprisonment and resistance to arrest, according to the city attorney’s office. Most of these charges are misdemeanors.
The two were arrested for alleged conduct at UCLA.
On’s case was initially handled by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, which Delay the case to Soto After being unable to reasonably suspect that his alleged behavior directly hurts another person.
Three other people were taken to a city prosecutor hearing called Ali Abuamouneh, Karla Maria Aguilar and David Fischel, an informal lawsuit in place of a misdemeanor criminal prosecution, the statement said.
Abuamouneh and Aguilar were arrested at the University of Southern California when they were arrested at the University of California (UCLA).
The decision submitted comes a year after the university campus became a tense debate on the Gaza war, which broke out after the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in an estimated 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and captured about 250 hostages.
The Gaza Health Ministry said the Israeli attack killed more than 51,000 Palestinians.
News of Soto’s decision was actively received by some.
The Greater Los Angeles District Office of the Council on Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) welcomes criminal charges against ON.
“For a long time, our community has called for a brutal attack on peace, mainly student-led, mainly student-led protesters that caused several injuries and trauma when law enforcement officers stood up and did not intervene,” said Cair-la Cirgining Actory Actorney. “This document is an important step, but it is only the first.”
Amelia Jones, professor and research professor and associate dean of research at the University of Southern California Rosky School of Arts and Design, expressed support for Soto’s decision not to file charges against most protesters.
“[Her] She approved the right to protest by the vast majority of students arrested by LAPD on the USC campus last spring, a basic and legal “verbal exercise” in her discourse.
Soto said her office arrested more than 300 referrals during protests on both campuses in April and May 2024.
Soto said the UCLA Police Department mentioned 245 arrests and was denied application due to insufficient evidence.
She said the Los Angeles Police Department mentioned 93 arrests at the University of Southern California. These cases were also denied submission due to insufficient evidence.
“I would like to thank my criminal attorneys for their dedication to the rule of law and for their commitment to objectively assessing the evidence and referrals received on these issues,” Soto said.
