On March 1st, hundreds of students at the University of California Santa Cruz, with the aid of local community members, built a tent university at the base of campus as part of a coordinated day of Occupy Education actions statewide. A general strike with regards to the main campus was also planned, and students blocked both entrances to the university, which effectively shutdown UCSC for approximately 16 hours. In the words of one UC police officer that day, "students have taken control of the campus."

It was a cold, rainy day, but according to reports from demonstrators, hundreds of students showed up to both entrances of the UC Santa Cruz campus during the pre-dawn hours. Police subsequently set up roadblocks down the hill from the campus entrance on Bay Street, and vehicular traffic heading towards UCSC was limited. While the police barricades were in place, the actual blockade of the main entrance was only casually maintained by the demonstrators. At the time of the first rally, which was scheduled for noon, tents and geodesic domes were set up, and a variety of classes and workshops were held. At the rally, in addition to student speakers, professors spoke, as did community members involved with Occupy Santa Cruz.

Read more and view photos | Photos part 2 | A Small Taste of Student Fists: The UCSC Campus Shutdown

March 5th, 2012: Thousands Protest at State Capitol to Save Public Education and Social Services

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