Chronicle libels University of California workers with unsubstantiated "arson" rumors

San Francisco Chronicle reported Henry Lee has published (8.21.09) unsubstantiated "arson" rumors in the case of a burnt car in UC president Mark Yudof's street in the Oakland hills.

(Meehan said...he believed Mark Yudof was targeted by someone upset about budget cuts to the UC system..."We weren't as concerned when it was just protests, but now that's its vandalism and arson and that sort of stuff, that takes it to a different level," )

I work at UC Berkeley. I have visited President Yudof's home more than once on behalf of my union, AFSCME. These quotes from the owner of the torched Volkswagon are a slander against student, faculty and staff who are contesting the cuts at UC. For the Chron to publish them before any investigation of the burned VW is complete is anti-union media terrorism, not much different the way the paper treated the BART employees last week.

Activists at UC don't burn cars; we organize, picket, lobby and educate, and we are asking folks to vote "no-confidence" in President Yudof next week...

Besides, anyone who knows any UC history understands that "if" an arson occurred, the list of folks angry at UC is pretty long.

The SF Chronicle owes me and my co-workers an apology for repeating these unsubstantiated and libelous statements.