This post was updated Sept. 30 at 7:23 p.m.

The Jackie Robinson Baseball Stadium was locked Thursday afternoon in accordance with a federal ruling.

Judge David O. Carter ruled that UCLA is prohibited from accessing the Jackie Robinson Baseball Stadium until the university provides a plan for using the 10 acres of land the stadium sits on in a way that predominantly benefits veterans. Carter’s ruling came Wednesday, giving the university one day to shut down the stadium.

According to the Los Angeles Times, UCLA Interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt arrived to the courtroom Wednesday evening after getting word that Carter would be shutting the stadium down. Carter also planned to arrive at the stadium Sept. 26 – eventually stopping by later that evening – to make sure the ruling was enforced, said Rob Reynolds, an Iraq War veteran and veterans advocate, who gathered outside the stadium after its closure.

The decision comes after another federal ruling earlier this month initially deemed the stadium illegal for sitting on VA land but not primarily serving veteran affairs. 

[RELATED: Federal court ruled UCLA’s lease of baseball stadium on VA property illegal]

UCLA Athletics and UCLA issued a joint statement Thursday saying they are disappointed with the ruling but will comply. 

“UCLA Athletics is actively working to adjust operations and training, as this means our students are no longer able to access Jackie Robinson Stadium,” the statement said. 

Thursday afternoon’s closure saw gatherings from veterans advocates, as well as VA police presence, telling people not to cross police tape surrounding the stadium. 

David Echavarría, a veteran demonstrating outside the stadium to show his support for the ruling, said he hoped to see the land turned into veteran housing. 

“If a veteran shows up, needs a place to stay, we should have it for them, period,” Echavarría said. 

Echavarría said he believed Hunt’s tardiness to court and subsequent disinterest in participating impacted the ruling. UCLA said Hunt was not late to the meeting. 

“Chancellor Hunt personally expressed his and UCLA’s deep interest on this matter and unequivocal support of veterans, including making sure our country’s heroes get the housing and healthcare they need and deserve at court last week,” said Ricardo Vasquez, a UCLA spokesperson, in an emailed statement.  

Terrence Hayes, VA press secretary, said in an emailed statement that the ruling is a sign that the United States is making progress in the fight to end veteran homelessness. There are nearly 3,000 homeless veterans in LA, according to a July report from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority – a 22.9% decrease since 2023. 

“While we do not comment on ongoing litigation, we will continue to do everything in our power to end Veteran homelessness – both in Los Angeles and across America,” Hayes said in the statement. “No Veteran should be homeless in this country they swore to defend, and we will not rest until Veteran homelessness is a thing of the past.”

Carter graduated from UCLA as an undergraduate in 1967, served as a marine in the Vietnam War and later attended UCLA Law School. He has previously been at the center of several high profile rulings relating to people experiencing homelessness, including an order to house people living on Skid Row, which was later overturned on appeal.

Robert Canas, another veteran demonstrating outside the stadium, also alleged that student housing – including the Weyburn Commons university apartments – were illegally built on VA land that should have been designated for a hospital. The Daily Bruin was unable to confirm the claims, and UCLA Media Relations did not respond in time to requests for comment about those allegations. 

The baseball stadium, formerly known as Sawtelle Field, has been home to UCLA baseball since 1981. 

In addition to being home to UCLA baseball’s training room and the UCLA Baseball Hall of Fame, UCLA Athletics constructed the Branca Family Field, a practice field, at the stadium in 2022. 

The baseball team traditionally begins its official season in winter quarter, but the team uses the facilities all year for practice and fall ball. 

UCLA recently ranked as the No. 1 university for veterans in the U.S. News and World Report ranking. However, Reynolds said in spite of the university’s record with veteran students, he believes what the university has done on the VA campus is unethical.

Reynolds also said the decision to construct the training field was made by UCLA and the VA behind closed doors, which he alleged was because the two parties were concerned that veterans would be upset with the new construction. 

“If we need land from UCLA to build that (veteran) housing, I’m fine with that,” Reynolds said. “As long as it means veterans aren’t sleeping and dying on the street.”

Contributing reports by Dylan Winward and Felicia Keller, Daily Bruin staff