Feature Archives

March 7: In solidarity with one of the world's largest refugee populations, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) constructed a Palestinian refugee camp on the UC Berkeley campus, rallying in support of Palestinian rights and demanding that UC divest from Israel.

5/7/2003: At an annual fundraising dinner on 5/7, about thirty students protested the presence of executives from ChevronTexaco and the I-House's acceptance of funding from Bechtel -- corporations that stand to benefit immensely from the rebuilding (read: pillaging) of Iraq. Report/Photos | Press release | Call to protest

A student fistfight escalated into a violent confrontation with police at Thurgood Marshall Academic High School in the Bayview district Friday, 10/11. Over 60 police officers came into the school wielding batons, and hitting students. Channing Hale said the police hit her with a baton as she was standing in the hallway, trying to get around the fight on her way to class. "I was told to move by an officer, and then I was hit in the face," said Hale. She said she fell to the ground after being struck. Full story | Eyewitness accounts | Mini riot | Bayview newspaper

5/9/2002: UC-Berkeley has reinstated Students for Justice in Palestine as a campus organization, but criminal charges against them are still being pursued after intensified actions in solidarity with Palestinian resistance took place on campus, including a non-violent takeover of Wheeler Hall. SJP is asking for all concerned individuals to show solidarity and take action. Rallies were held on 5/2 and 5/6 and more protests are planned in coming weeks. Read More 1 | 2 | 3 | Photos of 5/6 Demo | Photo from 5/9 rally at Foothill College.

4/30 press conference audio | Labor Committee for Peace & Justice's Resolution defending SJP

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.