IRVNE – With more than 100 Black Lives Matter protestors gathered outside of UC Irvine’s Student Center on Friday, Los Angeles police Chief Charles Beck, the keynote speaker at a race-and-policing symposium held inside, criticized the group for its unwillingness to engage in dialog.

“The Black Lives chapter in Los Angeles is unfortunately more about making statements than having discussions,” Beck said. “Oftentimes, our Police Commission meetings are more about theater than substance.”

Several hundred people attended the symposium sponsored by UCI’s schools of Law and Social Ecology.

As Beck spoke, 20 Black Lives Matter supporters, some with clenched fists above their heads, held signs listing the names of people who have been killed by LAPD officers.

Beck’s remarks covered a variety of topics, including the impact of the public using social media to disseminate videos of police activity, officer body cameras, and the media’s perception of the LAPD.

The conclusion of his talk was punctuated by members of the group shouting out the names of the dead. Beck quickly left the Pacific Ballroom.

Beck’s presence on the normally quiet, bucolic campus didn’t sit well with protestors who shouted anti-police slogans – “LAPD you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide” – and carried signs such as “Blackness is not a crime” and “Fire Beck.”

Demonstrators were made up of the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter, UC Irvine’s Black Student Union and other supporters.

“This is not just a civil rights issue, but a human rights issue,” said Trevor Gerard, a member of the L.A. chapter.

Manny Suarez, 25, a grad student, said he came to support the rights of students to peacefully organize: “It’s good to see this kind of social activity on campus and them organizing in a safe way.”

About 20 counter-protestors joined in.

Ariana Rowlands, 19, a junior at UC Irvine and president of the College Republicans, held up a U.S. flag and verbally sparred with protestors.

“Blue lives and all lives matter,” said Rowlands, wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat. “We’re not against Black Lives Matter, but we find their stance against the police disrespectful and appalling.”

Kimo Gandall, 19 and a freshman at UC Irvine, carried a “Black Lies Matter” banner.

“This movement perpetuates anarchy, violence and lies against the police,” he said of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Protests against Beck and the LAPD are not novel.

On Tuesday, protesters converged on a Los Angeles Police Commission meeting to express outrage over two recent deadly officer-involved shootings in South L.A. Beck has defended the use of deadly force in both cases.

On Friday at UCI, Beck said that LAPD officers are trained to use techniques to de-esculate potentially violent encounters but sometimes those tactics are not effective.

“We police a city that can be a violent city,” he said. “To expect police to police a violent society with the absence of violence is unreasonable.”

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