400 Protest in Chico California

In solidarity with CAN 400 people participated in the walk out of class and work today in Chico, CA. Over 200 students from the local high school participated in this demonstration. The group that included people of all ages rallied in the downtown plaza then took off marching down the streets of Chico. In a brave act of civil disobedience over 30 protesters were arrested for blocking traffic for a couple of hours. The protesters formed a circle at the intersection of 3rd and Main and chanted while the cops and even the Mayor chatted with them about breaking it up so not to get arrested. On the sidelines the other protests sang and gave support to those that had made the decision to stay in the streets. The cops systematically started working on the crowd before they started arresting. They threatened the protesters that were on the sidewalk with arrest after they made the announcement that the protest was now an unlawful assembly. Half of the supporters stayed telling the cops they were witnesses. Two by two they handcuffed the ones in the intersection and took them to a Chico Unified School bus to transport them to jail.
After the cops dispersed the rest of crowd a candlelight vigil was held at the plaza.