EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — All eyes are on the UCLA campus Wednesday after violence erupted on the campus late Tuesday night. Though the Israel-Hamas War is playing out thousands of miles away from Southern California, there are plenty of local political implications.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has been in Washington, calling on the federal government for help to cut the red tape to provide services to unhoused Angelenos when the campus chaos began. She cut her work as Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors short to return to LA.

“The violence unfolding this evening at UCLA is absolutely abhorrent and inexcusable,” Bass said in a statement. “LAPD has arrived on campus.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s team has also weighed in, saying that resources have been mobilized.

Meanwhile, Republican Congress member Virginia Foxx has been calling on UCLA Chancellor Gene Block to testify about Pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Foxx has slated a meeting for May 23 titled “Calling for Accountability: Stopping Antisemitic College Chaos” and has also invited leaders from Yale and University of Michigan. Block was supposed to be winding down his work at UCLA, having announced his retirement last year. 

Some elected officials in Southern California have tried to stay out of this heated conflict — noting that their role is to focus on local and statewide affairs. But as violence roils local campuses, that’s a stance that’s been difficult to maintain.

“Everyone has a right to free speech and protest, but the situation on UCLA’s campus is out of control and is no longer safe,” said LA City Council member Katy Yaroslavksy, who represents the UCLA campus, “I’m grateful to LAPD and Mayor Bass for stepping in to ensure the safety of everyone on campus.”