Humanities lecturer Brook Haley is currently serving a two-week ban from physically being on campus following an arrest associated with pro-Palestine campus rally activity.
The UC Irvine Police Department (UCIPD) arrested Haley and another UCI student on felony charges of vandalism at the Nakba 77 rally on May 15. Four additional students were detained but were released on the same day.
According to Tom Vasich, UCI Senior Director of Communications and Media Relations, the two were arrested for allegedly pouring red dye into the Infinity Fountain between the School of Physical Sciences and Aldrich Park.
Haley denies claims of involvement in campus vandalism. Haley told New University he was about to head up the stairs adjacent to the Infinity Fountain to give a speech when — in the presence of campus police — he noticed a jar of red dye spilling into the fountain and subsequently took pictures of it.
“They know perfectly well that I was not involved in it and had no idea that it was going to happen, nor who, nor who did it,” Haley told New University. “But when they arrested me about maybe five or ten minutes later, they told me that they had video evidence of me committing felony vandalism.”
According to Haley, UCIPD did not show him the video they claimed to possess.
The protest was part of an international week of action held in commemoration of the Palestinian Nakba 77, which refers to the mass displacement of Palestinians in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War 77 years ago. Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP at UCI), Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (FSJP UCI), Anakbayan at UCI and the UCI Divest Coalition organized the rally.
During the rally, protesters lined the edge of the fountain with stuffed pillowcases stained with red blood-like dye to represent the lives of children lost in the war in Gaza.
During last spring’s Nakba 76 rally and dismantlement of the UCI Gaza Solidarity Encampment by law enforcement, Haley was arrested and faced a misdemeanor charge for failure to disperse from an unlawful assembly. The legal process for his misdemeanor charge is ongoing. Haley was arrested right before giving a speech on the suppression of speech, he told New University. Haley was detained in the Orange County Central Jail and bailed on Thursday night after SJP at UCI raised bail.
The university issued Haley a Withdrawal of Consent to Remain on Campus on the day of his arrest, resulting in a two-week ban from physically being on campus.
“I’m pretty frightened about that and especially since I know it is affecting my teaching,” Haley said of the ban. “I’m really worried that even those small parts in changes in my teaching might be used against me in the future as a critique of my professionalism.”
Because there is no formal appeal process with UCIPD, Haley launched a campaign with his union — the University Council of the American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT) — to communicate his belief that he was wrongfully arrested.
“I know that I did not commit any crimes, and I want to draw attention to the fact that I was singled out,” he said. “I think it is a very bad sign of what is possible for just about anyone else who wants to exercise their free speech rights legally and I’m ready to stand for that.”
Vasich shared a UCI statement addressing the arrests in an email to New University.
“UC Irvine respects the rights of individuals to free speech and peaceful assembly. At the same time, we are committed to helping maintain a safe and lawful campus environment and to protecting university property. The university continues to uphold its policies and all applicable laws,” the statement read.
The university has not yet inflicted any professional or academic repercussions on the arrestees, but any actions will remain confidential, according to Vasich.
Mariam Farag is a Features Staff Writer. She can be reached at msfarag@uci.edu.
Editors Note: This article was edited on 5/23/2025 to remove the name of someone for privacy.