Students at UC Berkeley re-grouped Friday evening to protest the early morning raid on the Open University at occupied Wheeler Hall. Police raided Wheeler at around 5am Friday morning while many of the students occupying the building were asleep. 66 people were arrested. Students had been occupying Wheeler since Monday, and the space was being used for study sessions, lectures, workshops, and celebrations during "Dead Week," the time between the end of classes and the beginning of final examinations.

At the evening rally, students denounced the arrests earlier that morning, which came without warning. Campus police and administrators had seemed to indicate that the students would be allowed to continue the occupation until Friday. Students also pointed out that while the occupation had not disrupted classes and study sessions at the building, the police locked the building and closed it to students after the raid. Speakers stated that the occupation was an example of how the university could be run and that it was a critique against the privatized nature of the university.

After the rally, a concert, featuring Boots Riley from the Coup, that had been scheduled to take place inside Wheeler Hall was held at an alternate location. The concert was followed by a march on the north side of campus. Police dispersed the marching crowd as it passed by the chancellor's residence. Eight people were arrested and taken to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. They are being charged with multiple felonies. Among the eight was an Indybay photographer covering the event. As of December 12th, eleven people arrested at student demonstrations in the past week remain in custody at Santa Rita Jail.

Read More: 1 | 2

Updates & Related Reports: KPFA report on UC Berkeley student suspension | Berkeley student suspended for protest | Update on the protests at UC Berkeley | Students protest fee hikes: an interview wit’ journalist Dave Id of IndyBay Media | The aftermath of "terrorism" | three songs from Live Week concert on december 11th | Cal student who was arrested outside chancellor's house can return to school | Solidarity Gathering for UC's Secret Hearing Against Zach Bowin, UC Undergraduate | UC8 Press Conference After DA Files No Charges and Santa Rita Prisoners to Be Freed--Pt.2 | No Charges Filed Against UC Berkeley Arrestees: Students & Attorney Declare Major Victory | WARNING SIGNS | Statement Read at Today's UC8 Press Conference by Detained and Arrested Reporter | UC8 Press Conference After DA Files No Charges and Santa Rita Prisoners to Be Freed | No charges for UC8. All out of jail tonight | Berkeley Protesters - Including Eyewitness Acount | Benefit for Dee Allen | Frame-up of UC 8 perpetrated by Nazi Gov Schwarzenegger & police | Breaking: No Charges For 2 of the UC8 Today | Support the UC8 - Arraignment Schedule | Support the UC8 - Mon. Arraignments | Support the UC8 - Tues. Morning Arraignment | Please call NLG if you witnessed the Berkeley arrests on Fri. and have info that may help | Support Carwil James | SUPPORT THE UC 8! | Torchlit Evening with Birgeneau

Open University: Letter from the Student Advocate Office at UC Berkeley regarding Wheeler Hall arrests | Wheeler Raid - photos | Police Raid on Wheeler 5 AM - 64 arrested | Join our solidarity in the ocupation of Wheeler | Victory at Wheeler Hall | Students win open doors all night at Wheeler | Live Week at UC Berkeley

See Also: Report on the UC Protests at Berkeley, Davis, & Los Angeles | Wheeler Hall Police Complaint Process | Statement from ASUC/UCPD "Forum"

Mario Savio's Historic Call to Action in Berkeley 45 Years Ago

Previous Coverage Of UCB Tuition & Budget Cut Protests

UPDATE April 2010: Indybay Reporter Succeeds in Quashing UCPD Search Warrant