Feature Archives

10/16/2002: Students and community converged on UC Berkeley's Sproul Plaza to say: “We will not be silent. We will not be complicit in the UC's funding of the Apartheid State of Israel, and we will not be complicit in the UC's persecution of students and community members who exercise their rights of free speech and free assembly to criticize the policies of the Israeli government.” Specifically, protestors demanded that charges be dropped against the Wheeler 32, the 32 students who sat-in to demand divestment from Israel, and immediate divestment from Israel. Details 9/28: Joining hundreds of thousands in London and dozens of other cities around the world, thousands of San Franciscans came out to support Palestine and call for a US regime change. Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Video | Israel IMC | Palestine IMC

Anti-war activists with the Student Activist League of Sonoma staged a guerrilla theatre action on Sonoma State University's campus on 2/19/2003. According to their press release, their intent was to ?educate people on the ongoing wars that are escalating around the globe? and to ?illustrate the increased militaristic policies of the United States? government. Read more

4/7/2003: Nine students were arrested this morning while shutting down Interstate 280. At approximately 8:30 am a few of the students dropped a large banner off the Ocean Avenue overpass with a peace sign on it that simply read "No War." Six students with lockboxes then moved out on to the freeway and successfully shut down all northbound lanes of traffic, with the exception of the fast lane/shoulder. Other students wandered amongst the stuck motorists handing out orange juice, doughnuts, and this morning's chronicle, which had a headline about the United State's invasion of Baghdad, explaining to motorists that the U.S.'s invasion of Iraq was the reason for the lockdown. The students were arrested are reportedly being held on conspiracy charges at the Hall of Injustice. Full Story | Video

There were also over a dozen arrests Monday during protests at the San Francisco Federal Building (video) and at the Concord Naval Weapons Station.

18 people were arrested, cited and released, on 9/19 after the Daily Californian office was occupied for over 12 hours by up to 130 people demanding the newspaper issue an apology and meet six demands. Supporters - most of whom had occupied the Daily Cal office until a police dispersal order was given - cheered as the protesters were released one-by-one through the doors of Eshlemen Hall. Members of several student groups met with a representative of the Daily Cal editorial board and were refused their demands. Come out and support the continuous encampment in front of the Daily Californian office (in Lower Sproul Plaza) against racist scapegoating. Full Report

On 6/6, Oakland High School students led a lunchtime speak out to protest repression on campus. Students took the microphone to blast Principal Mok's responses to student organizing, including: suspending students who passed out fliers about anti-war walkouts, installing barbed wire on fences to prevent students from climbing them during walkouts, silencing dissent in classroom discussions, and eagerly cooperating with the Secret Service to come into the school and interrogate two students. Video | Photos | More Info

11/18/2003: U.C. Berkeley Dean of Students Karen Kenney turned the clock back decades by approving sanctions against three Berkeley students for their part in a peaceful on campus sit-in. Rachel Odes and Snehal Shingavi face 20 hours of community service and a letter of reprimand permanently placed on their academic record. Michael Smith faces 30 hours of community service, plus a stayed suspension for one semester.
Interview -- part 1 Interview -- part 2

The March 20th protest was organized by the Berkeley Stop the War Coalition and involved 4,000 students at a rally with 400 participating in the sit-in. Pictures: 1   2    |   Audio

Perhaps the most shocking component of the administration's prosecution stemmed from its conception of "progressive discipline." Under this theory, students who take part in more than one political protest face harsher and harsher punishments. This legal theory of "guilt by association" led the Daily Cal to editorialize that "by picking out only three, the message sent from the university seems to be that free speech includes the right to participate in a protest, but not the right to organize one."
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On Thursday, Nov. 19 2003, students, teachers, parents and concerned community members protested to demand a reduction in the number of people behind bars. Reducing prison populations could save the state millions of dollars that could then be restored to education. They visited lawmakers’ district offices with letters, poems, spoken-word, drawings and stories of how budget cuts have impacted their schools. Also on that day, students held a rally outside the UC Regents meeting at UCLA and another rally was held at UC Berkeley. Video:  1  2  3  4 | Education Not Incarceration