Man who police say was filmed attacking pro-Palestinian camp at UCLA is arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault

CNN
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An 18-year-old man who police say was filmed attacking a pro-Palestinian camp at the University of California, Los Angeles last month was arrested Thursday on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, records show.

Edan On was arrested by UCLA police, charged with a felony, and is being held on $30,000 bail, according to UCLA police and jail records.

“UCLA Police detectives conducted an investigation that included interviewing victims, speaking with witnesses, and reviewing surveillance camera footage and publicly available video from members of the public and media,” police said in a statement to CNN.

The UCLA Police Department confirmed that an 18-year-old who was on the UCLA campus on April 30 and “was seen on video attacking encampment residents with a wooden stake” was arrested by UCLA police in the city of Beverly Hills. Police did not identify On as the person arrested, but the details provided by the department match the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s inmate information page.

CNN is working to find an attorney for On.

A video shows On joining counter-protesters on the UCLA campus on April 30, brandishing a long white pole. At one point, he hits a pro-Palestinian protester with the pole and appears to continue hitting him even after he is on the ground as other counter-protesters charge at him.

“The UCLA Police Department is committed to investigating all reported acts of violence and is actively working to identify other violent offenders associated with protest or counter-protest activities between April 25, 2024 and May 2, 2024,” the agency said.

On’s mother told CNN he was a 12th-grader at Beverly Hills High School and defended himself, although she later said he denied attending UCLA. Beverly Hills High School said it could not confirm or deny that On was a student there or whether he would be able to attend his graduation ceremony due to privacy concerns.

“Participating in graduation is a privilege and we expect our students to maintain the highest standards of conduct to participate in this significant milestone,” Michael Bregy, superintendent of the Beverly Hills Unified School District, told CNN.