Student activists tried establishing an "Occupy Cal" camp on campus despite official warnings that such encampments would not be allowed.
Students had pitched at least eight tents next to Sproul Plaza before police in riot gear broke through a line of protesters encircling the camp site and tore down the tents. They arrested handcuffed protesters who resisted as others shouted, "Put down your guns!"
It was not immediately clear how many were arrested.
Shortly after they moved on, however, leaving behind the tents stuffed inside garbage bags, the demonstrators pitched two more tents and surrounded them.
"We see this as an illegitimate use of force," said Amanda Armstrong, a graduate student who was hit several times by police wielding batons. "We intend to stay and re-establish our encampment."
Earlier in the day hundreds of students rallied on campus before marching to a Bank of America branch to protest financial policies they blame for causing deep cuts in higher education spending.
They then held a "general assembly" during which they voted to establish "Occupy Cal" and to set up an encampment similar to Occupy Wall Street camps around the country.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_19298471
Just read this because a heliocopter has been buzzing over head ever since noon. I was at work four blocks away and a student came in, but was worthless of information. Out of towner, he had no idea how far this action can escalate. Sure he was in debt, but he was on Voc Rehab and had not felt the true bite of student debt. He was a Media Studies major. Good luck buddy.
``UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau warned Monday that community members could rally on campus, but that encampments and occupations of buildings were not permitted.''
Does this asshole realize his name sounds like Birkenau? It is completely illegal to bar public assembly on state property. Plus the fact that you do not need a UCB ID to speak or assemble on state property. So I would suggest students set up tents in solidarity so the assholes can't use this bureaucratic bullshit to have the cops sweep Sproul.
Earlier around 1:00p I went to ask a homeless guy to turn down his boom box and stop urinating on our wall in front. If you need to go, come back to my door and I'll show you the bathroom.
He was a sweet guy, shook hands and introduced himself, I am X something. Glad to meet you X... See that's not so hard. He turned down his boom box and contented himself for a couple of hours and went away. The extremely sad fact is that almost nobody deals with the homeless like human beings. It makes me profoundly sad, just because you look like shit, you don't need to be treated like shit.
Sometimes I sit out front of the building smoking and wave or say hello to the familiar homeless faces who sort our trash for food and recycled stuff or hit me for a cig. They almost always have a fun word to say, some drunk wisdom on life, which is a kind of human beauty that is rare in this terrible society. It is very strange to meet the ugly and find they are not ugly.
Other funny scenes. The metal recyclers Murphy & Co. showed up, two black guys with a 2 ton stake truck. I showed them the ton of metal we needed to get rid of. We worked for about an hour to get all that needed to be gotten. Me pointing, they hauling. Out at the truck I thanked them, because hey they saved my day. And are you Murphy? No. That was my dad. Fucking Irish. Go figure....
CG