Pro-Palestinian protesters take over Cal State LA building, leaving damage and graffiti

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Demonstrators protesting Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza occupied and trashed a building at California State University, Los Angeles, while the campus president was inside, but the takeover ended early Thursday without arrests, a spokesperson said.

Protesters barricaded the multistory Student Services Building at 4 p.m. Wednesday with university President Berenecea Johnson Eanes and dozens of other employees inside, said spokesperson Erik Frost Hollins.

Most of the 58 employees got out by 6 p.m. except for a group of administrators who remained until after midnight to manage the situation. The group included Eanes, but Frost Hollins would not say whether the president interacted with the protesters.

“That falls under tactics that we are not discussing at this point,” the spokesperson said.

Most of the protesters left the building around 1:15 a.m. Thursday and returned to an encampment on the campus. A few remaining protesters left when university police ordered them out, Frost Hollins said.

In a statement Thursday afternoon to the school community, Eanes said she has engaged with protesters who have occupied the campus encampment for some 40 days.

“So long as the encampment remained non-violent, I was committed that the university would continue to talk,” the president wrote. But in the wake of destruction and theft that occurred Wednesday, a line was crossed and “those in the encampment must leave.”

“I am saddened, and I am angry,” Eanes said. “Campus community: Know that we will recover from this, but also know that I am committed to doing everything we can to ensure this will never be allowed to repeat. I cannot and would not protect anyone who is directly identified as having participated in last night’s illegal activities from being held accountable.”

There were no arrests and no injuries were reported, but “assaults” were reported by three employees and one student, according to Eanes. Officials said those were a law enforcement matter.

The university, meanwhile, announced that all main campus classes and operations would be remote until further notice.

Images from the scene showed graffiti on the building, furniture blocking doorways and overturned golf carts, picnic tables and umbrellas barricading the plaza out front.

“We don't have an exact appraisal on it but there was damage to the exterior, the interior, equipment, materials, structure — it was significant damage,” Frost Hollins said.

The CSULA Gaza Solidarity Encampment, a group that has camped near the campus gym for about 40 days, sent an email indicating that members were staging a sit-in in the building, Hollins said.

Pro-Palestinian student protesters barricade an area of California State University, Los Angeles on campus in Los Angeles, Thursday, June 13, 2024. A takeover of a building at California State University, Los Angeles, by demonstrators protesting Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza ended early Thursday, leaving the facility trashed and covered with graffiti, TV news reports showed. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A police officer walks past a wall left with graffiti by pro-Palestinian protesters at the California State University, Los Angeles, Thursday, June 13, 2024. A takeover of a building at California State University, Los Angeles, by demonstrators protesting Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza ended early Thursday, leaving the facility trashed and covered with graffiti. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A barricade left by pro-Palestinian student protesters is seen left at California State University, Los Angeles campus in Los Angeles, Thursday, June 13, 2024. A takeover of a building at the university by demonstrators protesting Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza ended early Thursday, leaving the facility trashed and covered with graffiti, TV news reports showed. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A barricade and graffiti are seen left by pro-Palestinian protesters at the Student Services Building at California State University, Los Angeles campus in Los Angeles, Thursday, June 13, 2024. A takeover of a building at the university by demonstrators protesting Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza ended early Thursday, leaving the facility trashed and covered with graffiti. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A barricade and graffiti are seen left by pro-Palestinian protesters at the Student Services Building at California State University, Los Angeles campus in Los Angeles, Thursday, June 13, 2024. A takeover of a building at the university by demonstrators protesting Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza ended early Thursday, leaving the facility trashed and covered with graffiti. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Pro-Palestinian student protesters barricade the entrance to the student services building while awaiting for their divestment demands of California State University, Los Angeles administration on the campus in Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. (Keith Birmingham/The Orange County Register via AP)

A pro-Palestinian student protester waves a Palestinian flag atop turned over utility carts while awaiting for their divestment demands of California State University, Los Angeles administration on the campus in Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. (Keith Birmingham/The Orange County Register via AP)

Pro-Palestinian student protesters barricade the entrance to the student services building while awaiting for their divestment demands of California State University, Los Angeles administration on the campus in Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. (Keith Birmingham/The Orange County Register via AP)

MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) — England is aiming to challenge struggling Pakistan with a new-look pace attack in the opening test of a three-match series, starting in the searing heat of Multan on Monday.

Fast bowler Brydon Carse will make his test debut with Gus Atkinson set to play his first overseas test after his impressive home season against the West Indies and Sri Lanka.

All-rounder Chris Woakes was penciled in to the starting XI after Ben Stokes was ruled out for the fourth successive test match due to ongoing rehabilitation on his injured hamstring. Woakes will be playing his first match in two-and-a-half years and it will be his first test in Asia since 2016.

Carse’s pace gave him the edge over Olly Stone and Matthew Potts for the tour of Pakistan and England hopes the Durham pace bowler will challenge the batters by regularly clocking over 90mph.

England will be led by Ollie Pope, who guided the team to a 2-1 home series against Sri Lanka in the absence of the injured Stokes. The England captain sustained his hamstring injury during the Hundred and might return to lead the side in the second test, also in Multan.

“I was kind of just learning on the job,” Pope said. “Obviously my first time captain abroad. Ben’s going to be around as well… so I can listen to the voices around me but still keep doing things in my way.”

England flattened Pakistan 3-0 through its high-risk, high-reward “Bazball” approach during the 2022 tour when it played at Multan, Karachi and Rawalpindi.

They were scheduled to play at the same venues this time around, but renovation work at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi for next year’s Champions Trophy forced the Pakistan Cricket Board to organize back-to-back tests at Multan with Rawalpindi set to host the third test from Oct. 24.

England also named spinners Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir in the playing XI in anticipation of the pitch flattening out in temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius that are expected over the next week in Multan. Leach was the second highest wicket-taker in the last series in Pakistan with 15 wickets.

“Everyone’s so happy to have Leach in and around the squad for this series,” Pope said. “We obviously saw how well he bowled last time here on pitches that (are) always offering a great deal ... and he’s worked closely with Shoaib Bashir throughout his Somerset career and those guys go really well.”

Pakistan has strengthened its batting line-up by including all-rounder Aamer Jamal for the first test after being routed 2-0 by Bangladesh at home in the last series. Shan Masood has lost all five test matches since he was elevated to red-ball captain.

Masood lost 3-0 to Australia in his debut series as test skipper when Jamal took 18 wickets and came in handy as a batter down the order. Jamal missed the series against Bangladesh because he was undergoing rehabilitation on a back injury.

“We have got an edge with the return of Aamer Jamal,” Masood said. “He also bats down the order and picked up 18 wickets. We have (leg-spinner) Abrar and (off-spinner) Salman to give us spin options.”

Pakistan has a woeful record in home test matches and hasn’t won at home since beating South Africa 2-0 in early 2021, while losing to England, Australia and Bangladesh. New Zealand also came close, but Pakistan managed to draw the series 0-0.

Pakistan had its moments to beat England when both teams last met at Multan two years ago. Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed made an impressive debut by grabbing 11 wickets before Pakistan narrowly lost by 26 runs when Mark Wood, missing in this series due to injury, claimed the key wicket of Saud Shakeel.

“It was my dream debut and last time we lost quite close,” Abrar said on the eve of the first test. “I hope to give a match-winning performance this time around and bring some happy moments.”

Pakistan's top-order batters have long been struggling and premier batter Babar Azam hasn’t scored a half-century in his last 16 test innings. Opener Abdullah Shafique also struggled against Bangladesh while Masood couldn’t convert starts into big scores with only one half-century in four innings.

But Masood insisted Pakistan needed to give its struggling batters a longer run as he searched to win key moments and find momentum in the series against aggressive England.

“We came close to winning last time, but we let the matches slip away,” Masood said. “We know how they play, but at the end of the day we have to see how to tackle it. We are clear in our mind and that’s why we have named the XI.”

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Pakistan's test team's head coach Jason Gillespie, center right, examines the pitch preparing for 1st test cricket match between England and Pakistan, as England's coach Brendon McCullum, right, watch, before a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Pakistan's test team skipper Shan Masood, left, and his England's counterpart Ollie Pope pose arrive for a photo shoot with test series trophy, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's skipper Ollie Pope speaks during a press conference regarding 1st test cricket match against Pakistan, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Pakistan's test team skipper Shan Masood speaks during a press conference regarding 1st test cricket match against Pakistan, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Pakistan's test team skipper Shan Masood, right, and his England's counterpart Ollie Pope pose for photograph with test series trophy, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England team's Brendon McCullum, center, in glasses, briefs in a team meeting prior to practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Olly Stone, left, briefs a bowling technique to Brydon Carse during a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Pakistan's test team skipper Shah Masood, left, chats with test team's head coach Jason Gillespie during a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Pakistan's test team's head coach Jason Gillespie, left, chats with England's coach Brendon McCullum, second right before a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Pakistan's Sarfaraz Ahmed, second right, chats with teammates as they examine the pitch preparing for 1st test cricket match between England and Pakistan, before a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's coach Brendon McCullum, second right, examines the pitch preparing for 1st test cricket match between England and Pakistan, before a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)