I am at the UCLA quad, where things have been very tense all day after school law enforcement has asked protesters to leave and a large group of counter protesters has thrown fireworks. Both groups are facing off with lots of media & some cops nearby. This comes the same day as dozens of people were arrested at Columbia University after their encampment was raided by hundreds of NYPD officers. Protesters keep getting into scuffles, some objects thrown. Something sprayed — didn’t smell or feel like mace but I’m masked.

Hey — I’m here at UCLA, where several hundred people have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment outside Royce Hall. It’s a very different scene here after 93 people were arrested at USC yesterday. There’s virtually no cops on site — some security. More soon. It’s calm here, I don’t want to make it sound like it isn’t, but there’s some scuffling on the fringes between a group of people wearing Israeli flags and some of the pro-Palestine protesters inside the camp. Some anti-mask rhetoric too (“take off the mask and we’ll talk” etc)

I'm not sure what the most useful thing is to do with this information, but I felt like the public should know about it. Back in August, when I got vaccination numbers from LAPD, they included data on "natural immunity employees w/o vaccinations." This data is from 7/15. I hadn't seen that data included in reports on LAPD vaccinations, and although I tried to get some clarification on it, I couldn't get much. LAPD refused to give me a statement on what they mean by it, but the Dept. of Public Health did.

This isn't the normal news I post, but y'all need to strap in because this is a saga.

I got some info & pics from a source a couple weeks ago showing ~30 UCLA students (mostly w/o masks) loading into a party bus near UCLA student housing. I began investigating that info. 🧵 UCLA has a relatively small Greek life community, so it did not take long to find out who was involved. Venmo transactions, group chats, and old-fashioned word of mouth revealed not only the culprits of this COVID-unsafe gathering, but of a larger trend over the past year.

Today, anti-vaccination protesters marched to Dodger Stadium, which is currently serving as one of the largest vaccination sites in the nation. LAFD and CORE temporarily closed the gates & paused vaccinations. A long line of cars built up. The protesters gathered outside the stadium’s closed gates and it became a standoff. LAPD officers were present, but did not intervene much beyond closing the gates and staging some vehicles there.

L.A. County COVID-19 briefing happening as outdoor dining reopens tonight. Officials are warning that outdoor dining is *allowed* but it is still not without risk. Restaurants will remind diners that they must be part of the same household & parties are limited to six people. 7,112 new cases, 228 new deaths, 5,855 current hospitalizations. This briefing has a lot of conflicting moods here. Basically "restaurants are open, feel free to dine out, but cases are still very high, so please stay home."

Earlier today, a group of anti-mask protestors did maskless shopping at the Beverly Connection Target in West L.A. After they entered, they got into a few verbal altercations with customers. A shopper aimed a bottle of cleaning spray at the anti-maskers. He seemed to spray them with the cleaning liquid.

A group of anti-maskers did maskless shopping today at a Ralph’s and the Westfield Century City Mall. They got into some verbal altercations w/ store employees and there were a couple of physical altercations as well. Here, they tried to push open the doors of a Steve Madden. At the Ralph’s, one anti-masker told a shopper he didn’t need a mask because he tested negative and called the shopper a “mask Nazi.” The shopper told the anti-masker “you’re harassing us w/your fucking germs.”

I’m in Skid Row, where there is an event organized by an Evangelical Christian named Sean Feucht has organized an outreach event where anti-maskers say they are offering aid to the unhorsed people here. There’s a counter protest organized w/ people asking them to mask up. Activists are trying to convince people to wear masks, and arguing with those who refuse to.

L.A. County COVID briefing happening. 274 deaths reported today. 10,392 cases reported today. 7,415 current hospitalizations. Case numbers are down from yesterday, deaths are up, hospitalizations are up. Ferrer says the new U.K. variant has not yet been found in L.A. County from a small sample. This doesn't mean the variant isn't here.

L.A. County COVID briefing happening. Ferrer and Solis both saying that the worst is yet to come. Ferrer asking everyone returning to L.A. County after holiday travel to quarantine for 10 days after traveling and monitor their symptoms for 14 days. Quarantine includes remaining apart, having others buy your groceries, not preparing food for others, etc.