Protest in Berkeley

I'm first going to put out there that I've only really heard the students' side of the story. I only have a couple of  emails from the Chancellor to go off of for the other side. There will be bias, but it's unintentional.

Here's what the students want:
-Repeal California Proposition 13 (limit on property taxes to 1% of property value), effectively "tax the rich"
-Reverse Proposition 209 (which is against affirmative action), which means they want education to benefit the underrepresented group, and make it easier for minorities to get into higher education.
-The Regents to be voted for democratically. Right now they are chosen by the governor, and many are bank managers, which they feel do not represent the students. Also, some make almost a million per year, which could better go toward public education.
-No fee hikes. They are thinking of increasing in-state tuition by 81% in the next few years.
-The Chancellor to step down. The police needed express permission from him to use force against the students on campus, and he agreed.
-Berkeley to be a "Sanctuary Campus" for undocumented immigrants.
-More free speech (regarding events happening on campus recently).

The Chancellor said no encampments. No tents, no sleeping bags, stoves, etc.

Here's what's been happening.
They marched down the street onto Sproul Plaza. There were speeches, teach-outs, rallies. They did bring tents. The Chancellor permitted the use of force to take down the tents, and the students blocked their way, chanting. There was no violence, just holding hands and chanting. Berkeley Police refused to use force, so they called in the Alameda County police. Batons were used. There are students and a couple of professors in Intensive Care Units. Some police were also hurt. Many arrests were made, including one professor, (from hearsay) for trying to protect his/her student. According to the students, the police targeted women leaders on the front line.

In the Chancellor's defense:

He has not seen personally the beatings of the students. He has not seen the videos out until now. The police are investigating police brutality, and amnesty is being granted to the students arrested for blocking the police's way to the tents. The students are now allowed to bring tents onto the plaza.

In my opinion, this doesn't make up for the students in the hospitals with internal bleeding and the emotional impact this has had on all of us. Hopefully this will be over soon.

There will be a strike today, teach-outs, a rally, march, and general protest tonight. We shall see how this goes. The last few days have been pretty calm, but I don't expect it to stay that way.