[lbo-talk] Berkeley City Councilmember to UCB

[Chuck Grimes]

``The U.C. Police Department recently used violence against Berkeley 
students, workers, faculty and community supporters on November 9. This was 
unprovoked, unexpected, unjustified and unreasonable.  The General Assembly 
at the event had publicly and clearly committed to nonviolence, and the 
participants appear to have maintained their nonviolence despite the 
violence inflicted on them.  The police clearly could have arrested 
individuals rather than repeatedly hitting them with batons and grabbing 
them by their hair....'' Kriss Worthington

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2011/11/12/councilmembers-open-letter-re-police-violence-on-campus/

Wish he'd get me a break on my numberous parking tickets....

His district represents much of south campus, so staying in good with
the students is his bread and butter. There is a long history of tension
between UCB and the City, with the City obiviously more liberal than
the Uni administration. The university is on Regent owned property and they 
can invent any rule they want. There are jursdiction disputes with long 
histories.

As to beating students to make them go away, there are practical reasons. 
They were probably not violitating any particular university rule. I'd wait 
and see how Birkenau writes up some fake rule or policies. The real power of 
these fake rules, is getting enough violations to get kicked out of school. 
One of the old ones, was improper use of university facilities. These are 
handled in an administrative law system within the university. You appeal to 
a Dean .. So we'll see.