Crime & Safety

Occupy Cal Returns for a Campus Takeover

Tuesday's day of action activities include boycotting classes, teach-outs, rallies, a general assembly meeting and a lecture on class warfare. Occupy Oakland plans to lend support.

Occupy Cal demonstrators returned to campus Tuesday with vengeance — turning Sproul Plaza into a giant living room, complete with rugs, couches and even a couple of pianos. 

Dubbed the "Open University strike" by organizers, the movement aims to protest "the defunding and privatization of public education in California," according to Reclaim UC, as well as reassert the right to freely assemble.

After last week's attempt to set up an encampment at UC Berkeley resulted in , Occupy Oakland has pledged to lend support to the Occupy Cal movement. A march from Frank Ogawa Plaza to campus is planned for 2:30 p.m.

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Teach-outs began Tuesday morning to kick off the day's activities, as professors and lecturers took their students to Sproul Plaza for class. Classes being taught in the demonstration area included Sociology 5, Sociology 1, Spanish 1 and a German section, according to the Daily Cal's live blog.

Unable to set up tents due to university policy, demonstrators have instead created an outdoor living area — decorating with protest signs and posters, as well as art and sculptures. 

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The morning's teach-outs will be followed by a convergence at Sproul Hall at noon to formerally inaugerate the day-long open university. There will be a rally at 2 p.m., and a general assembly meeting is planned for 5 p.m., during which demonstrators will vote on whether or not to try to establish an encampment once again. A full schedule of the day's events is available online on the Reclaim UC website, and can be found in the media box at the top right of this article.

The day's actions culminate in the annual Mario Savio Memorial Lecture at 8 p.m., delivered by UC Berkeley professor of public policy and former U.S. secretary of labor Robert Reich. The lecture, titled, "Class Warfare in America," was moved from its intended location at the Pauley Ballroom to Sproul Plaza . 

Support for Occupy Cal demonstrators includes Berkeley City Councilmember Kriss Worthington, who intends to present to the council a bill in support of the movement at Tuesday evening's council meeting

UC Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau has granted amnesty to all students arrested during last Wednesday's protest. "We share the aspirations of the Occupy movement for a better America," said Birgeneau in an open letter to the UC Berkeley community.

Occupy Cal’s demands are listed as follows on the Reclaim UC website:

Local Demands

  • Respect Free Speech, Including the Right to Set Up Tents.
  • Immediate Resignation of Robert Birgeneau, George Breslauer, Harry LeGrande, and Mitch Celaya. Democratic Election of their Replacements by Students, Faculty, and Staff.
  • Charge the Police Responsible for Brutalizing Protesters. No Use of Force Against Protests on Campus.
  • Amnesty for All Protesters. 
  • Make UC Berkeley a Sanctuary Campus for Undocumented People. Pass the UC-wide Dream Act.
  • Equal Benefits and Retirement Security for UC Union Workers.

Statewide Demands

  • Reverse the Fee Hikes, Cuts, and Layoffs To At Least Their 2009 Levels.
  • Refund Public Education and Public Services: Tax the Banks and Billionaires. Repeal Prop 13.
  • Full Implementation of Affirmative Action. Overturn Prop 209.

Nationwide Demands

  • Stop the Privatization of Public Education. 
  • Bail Out Schools and Public Services. Redirect Military Funding to Education.
  • Immediate Forgiveness of All Student Debt.
  • Repeal Race to the Top.
  • Stop the Attacks on Teachers Unions.

To follow stories from Occupy Cal, visit the Occupy Berkeley and Cal page on Berkeley Patch.

Are you participating in any of the Occupy protests? Why/Why not? What do you think will be achieved? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.


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