Violence breaks out at UCLA during protests: ‘Utter chaos’

The Los Angeles Police Department is now on the scene at the University of California, Los Angeles, but for hours before they arrived the scene was a battlefield.

Pro-Israel counter-protesters went to the university overnight to confront the anti-Israel protesters who set up an encampment on campus. Fighting broke out and continued for hours before Mayor Karen Bass sent police to the school to break it up. 

Video provided by FOX affiliate KTTV shows scenes from the brawl, which lasted about three hours before police intervened. People threw firecrackers, there was pepper spray witnessed and observers described the scene as one of complete chaos.

Officials have not yet released any numbers of injuries or arrests linked to the late-night violence, KTTV reported.

UCLA's Strategic Communications office released a statement on the violence: 

"Horrific acts of violence occurred at the encampment tonight and we immediately called law enforcement for mutual aid support. The fire department and medical personnel are on the scene. We are sickened by this senseless violence and it must end."