University of California spent $29 million, and the UK’s Oxford and Cambridge Universities spent a combined £615,000 ($790,000) for clean-up and repair after anti-Israel protests.
By Shula Rosen
Anti-Israel students at elite universities in the US and the UK are leaving expensive messes for institutions of higher learning to clean up – to the tune of millions of dollars.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the University of California spent $29 million in 2024 to provide cleanup, repairs and enhanced security as its campuses were overrun with protesters.
The vandalism and property damage are well-known; what is less often discussed is the trail of human waste, spoiled food, and rodents and pests that invaded the campuses of even the most elite institutions.
UCLA, which saw some of the fiercest anti-Israel protests, cost the University of California more than its nine other campuses. In addition to a high cleaning bill, UCLA cost $10 million in increased safety and security and $400,000 in property damage.
The LA Times reported that UC Berkeley spent $8 million on cleanup costs; UC Irvine, $2.9 million; UC Santa Cruz, $2.7 million; UC San Diego, $2 million; and UC Santa Barbara, $1.3 million.
Oxford and Cambridge, the pride of the UK’s educational system, shelled out a combined £615,000 ($790,000) to cover the costs of cleaning and repairs resulting from their extensive anti-Israel protests.
Cambridge spent £255,000 ($348,022) after anti-Israel students occupied Greenwich House and Senate House Yard and vandalized the Old Schools and Senate House.
Between Nov. 22 and Dec. 6, 2024, members of Cambridge for Palestine occupied Greenwich House, which houses sensitive financial and personal information.
According to Oxford University’s Cherwell newspaper, anti-Israel protests cost the institution £360,000 ($491,084) from April 2024 to March 2025.
Vandals smashed the windows of the Blavatnik School of Government in February 2025 and daubed red paint on the administration buildings on Wellington Square, damaging them with hammers.
Removing graffiti from Saïd Business School (named for a Syrian-Saudi benefactor, Wafic Said) and Examination Schools cost Oxford University thousands.
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