Feature Archives

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