Late-night protest at UC Berkeley turns violent

BERKELEY, Calif. – A late-night demonstration over budget cuts turned violent in Berkeley when protesters broke into a campus building, torched trash cans, smashed windows and threw rocks and bottles at police, authorities said Friday. Police arrested two people near the University of California, Berkeley campus, said Officer Andrew Frankel, a spokesman for the Berkeley Police Department.

The unrest began around 11 p.m. Thursday after a crowd of more than 100 people gathered on campus for an open-air dance party to build support for an upcoming statewide protest over education funding cuts. Students and activists have staged demonstrations in recent months at public colleges across California to protest deep budget cuts that have led to steep tuition hikes, enrollment cuts, faculty furloughs and reduced course offerings. In Berkeley, about 50 people broke through a fence surrounding Durant Hall, which is closed for renovation, and about 20 entered and occupied the building, said Cpt. Margo Bennett of the UC Police Department.

The group smashed windows, sprayed graffiti, damaged construction equipment, knocked over portable toilets and hung up a banner promoting the March 4 rally, UC officials said. Others blocked police from entering the building. UC police is investigating the incident, Bennett said. It's unclear how many of the people involved were UC Berkeley students.

news.yahoo.com...

Here it comes.

I think some people are going to start lighting their torches very soon...

I hate violence, but bitching about things isnt getting us anywhere except being labeled "Mentally unbalanced" by tptb.

Things are just way out of hand now. :shk:

reply to post by dgtempe

think some people are going to start lighting their torches very soon...

Once people are pushed too far...they will break.

They are going to break...but to hell with it.... let's continue to bash the unemployed and promote wallstreet getting more money! That's the problem.

The young will bring about change should it happen...IMO.

Thousands will be leaving college each year with no jobs to be found....and with HUGE loans that they will not be able to pay off.

The storm is brewing.

[edit on 27-2-2010 by David9176]

I personally paid $3600/semester for college back in the 80's with loans and work.

What is the CA crybabies paying now? $500 $600?

Give me a break college babies. Jeez.

Sounds like a bunch of vandals to me. Hope they like not being in college anymore. I am sure the college will throw them out, or being Berkeley, they may get medals.

[edit on 2/27/2010 by endisnighe]

reply to post by endisnighe


students.berkeley.edu...

Almost 20,000 to 52,000 a year..depending on their living situation.

reply to post by David9176


So actually a LOT lower than what I paid. I quoted my college's $200/credit hour cost. Not including any other costs.

It will happen in California before it happens anywhere else. Hasn't it always? The looting will start there. The torching will start there. The unrest will start there.

reply to post by endisnighe


That very well may be....but those numbers from the link don't reflect the tuition hikes either....nor is it the only thing they are protesting.

College shouldn't cost that much in the first place. I payed roughly 7000 for the lone year I attended.

Sallie Mae will kick your ass all over the place. I was glad when I finally got rid of that hag!

I was going to post about this this morning, since I do live here... I was still up, per usual, at 6 am this morning and noticed a big big helicopter hovering up over downtown Berkeley. I could tell it was big, but it had hardly any lights on it and wasn't flashing its spotlight. I didn't find out why it was there until the 7 am news. Seems they also trashed a good part of downtown Berkeley as well.

Looks like laid back Berkeley is gonna go back to the good old 60's style Berzerkeley soon.

Especially if everyone gets up in arms over (off topic) those new Smart Meters that PG&E have installed, peoples gas/electric bills are doubling! I havent got my new bill yet.. we will see.

peace out from the peoples republic of berkeley!

Everyone assumes that if the economy collapses that there will be martial law as a response, bu tno-one considers that if a collapse is triggered by external sources, events could happen prematurely compared to TPB planning and overtake attempts to enforce martial law. In this case, it could quickly descend into civil war, seriously.

If the Gordo Brown in the UK has a giveaway budget it wcould cause UK bonds to be rerated and cause bond prices, sterling and the stock market to collapse truggering a run on the banks. That would spread in hours ot the USA.

If this occurs, by May, there could seriously be fighting in the streets of America and the UK.

[edit on 27-2-2010 by aristocrat2]

I had one thought after reading this.

"Another Brick in the Wall"

I wonder how long until we start seeing more of this kind of behavior here in this country.One year? Two?

Without condoning nor condemning, I do see more of this in the future here.

I am all for a loud and forceful protest of the current slashing of education budgets. But, as in the 1960's, destruction of school property is simply a way to vent hostilities and serves no useful end. It will probably cost thousands to repair the damage they did, money that could have been used for tuition subsidies or other educational expenses.

I appreciate the message, but the messengers are worse than counter-productive.

Originally posted by endisnighe
I personally paid $3600/semester for college back in the 80's with loans and work.

What is the CA crybabies paying now? $500 $600?

Give me a break college babies. Jeez.

Sounds like a bunch of vandals to me. Hope they like not being in college anymore. I am sure the college will throw them out, or being Berkeley, they may get medals.

[edit on 2/27/2010 by endisnighe]

Protesters found guilty of destroying university property, including contractor's property/construction equipment should be permanently expelled from any state university or college. It's time that the spoiled elite in California and elsewhere learn some economics. Let them add to the economy by bussing tables and working as middle school custodians.

Originally posted by aristocrat2
Everyone assumes that if the economy collapses that there will be martial law as a response, bu tno-one considers that if a collapse is triggered by external sources, events could happen prematurely compared to TPB planning and overtake attempts to enforce martial law. In this case, it could quickly descend into civil war, seriously.

If the Gordo Brown in the UK has a giveaway budget it wcould cause UK bonds to be rerated and cause bond prices, sterling and the stock market to collapse truggering a run on the banks. That would spread in hours ot the USA.

If this occurs, by May, there could seriously be fighting in the streets of America and the UK.

[edit on 27-2-2010 by aristocrat2]

If the economy collapses, martial law should absolutely be the response. Martial law will preserve so measure of safety for the majority. The hand wringers of society will finally realize what a tiny minority they are.

this is almost funny to me since its the hippy weed loving 60s generation who are and have been in power in california for decades.

there is no such thing as a "free" lunch and to quote some its chickens have come home to roost.

california by nature is a "high cost of living state" no argument

are they paying too much? could be worse i think.

why does this generation think they are better than previous generations when it comes to paying for things.

the major reason this country is so screwed up is our nations youth have been spoiled so much and think what your parents did and what you did they dont have to............its called life and in life you do have to work for what you want

crazy times we live in