BERKELEY — Upon approval of a 32 percent fee hike on Nov. 19, University of California students across the state reacted by organizing peaceful protests to condemn “the death of public education.”
“We’re angry, because we’re paying more but we’re getting less,” UC Berkeley student Stephanie Altamirano said. “They’re cutting classes, laying off staff, imposing furlough days and making education even more difficult to attain.”
The protesters from Cal had an active week, with a daylong occupation of Wheeler Hall on Nov. 20 and a staged sit-in at the UC Office of the President (UCOP) in Oakland three days later.
Forty people, including non-students, barricaded themselves on the second floor of Wheeler Hall for 12 hours while an estimated 1,000 supporters rallied in solidarity behind police barricades outside of the building.
“It’s raining. It’s cold. But UC Berkeley won’t be sold,” students yelled in unison. Members of the Brass Liberation Orchestra, a local musical group in support of political justice, jammed with the students’ chanting.
Students created a picket line area on the Sather Gate route, creating human walls to prevent passersby from “ignoring the problem,” Altamirano said.
The protesters were charged with misdemeanor trespassing upon their 7:30 p.m. exit and applauded by masses of supporters.
Their demands — repeal of the fee increase, rehiring of 38 custodial staff members who were laid off, complete amnesty and the dropping of charges against arrested protesters, just labor practices in negotiable contracts for Bears Lair vendors — were not met.
Despite this, Cal student Blanca Misse still felt victorious.
“We didn’t win everything, but this small action was a victory,” Misse said. “We were so impressed that so many students showed up in solidarity.”
Dozens of students marched five blocks from the Alameda County Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse to UCOP on Nov. 23 after determining that the felony burglary charges of three students who were apprehended by police the morning of the Wheeler Hall takeover were dropped.
Graham Archer, lawyer for one of the three protesters, said that the District Attorney’s Office is, however, legally able to file misdemeanor charges at a later time.
After leaving the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse, protesters stopped outside of the Oakland Police Department for a brief demonstration against alleged police brutality that students experienced at Cal.
Berkeley City College student Michael Demopoulos was injured at the Wheeler Hall protest. He held his bandaged left hand in the air as he carried a cardboard sign reading: “The police broke my hand.”
One of the lead protest organizers, Cal student Ruben Canedo, led the pack through the backdoor of the UCOP building around 3 p.m., where the students demanded to speak with UC President Mark Yudof.
“There’s a place for business people and contractors,” Canedo said of the sign-in log at the front desk. “What about students? Why isn’t there a column for students?”
Office personnel claimed that Yudof was not in his office and instead, UC interim Executive Vice President Nathan Brostrom and UC interim Provost Larry Pitts came to answer the students’ questions.
“It seems like education is no longer a fundamental value in this state,” Cal student Anna Juniper said. “It’s become a for-profit business.”
The students cleared the building around 6 p.m. and no arrests were made, Juniper said.
Spokesman for the UCOP Ricardo Vazquez said that while they understand the students’ anger and frustration, the fee increases were a necessary decision to maintain the quality of education.
Officials have responded to the allegations of police brutality by requesting further investigations, Vazquez said.
Contact Holly Pablo at hpablo.advocate@gmail.com
Youth uprising
Forty people arrested after taking over campus building
Published: Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Updated: Tuesday, December 8, 2009
 "Photo: Erik Verduzco / The Advocate")
Erik Verduzco / The Advocate
The power of democracy — A group of protesters communicate with the growing crowd of supporters about their reasons for taking over Wheeler Hall at UC Berkeley on Nov. 20. They called for an end to rising tuition costs.
 "Photo: Erik Verduzco / The Advocate")
Erik Verduzco / The Advocate
Called to action — A University of California police officer keeps an eye on protesters outside of Wheeler Hall.
Be the first to comment on this article!