CW at Open University, Live Week

This is a brief reportback from Monday’s activites on the campus at UC Berkeley.

For the most part, the day was pretty uneventful. There was limited cop activity until around 7 PM when there was half-hearted attempt to remover students from the Wheeler Auditorium. At the time, there were likely more than 100 students and only 3 cops.

Students and protesters held the auditorium and things were again very smoother until around 10:15 PM when police locked the front doors and attempted again to remove the students. They brought in a video camera and there were up to 10 police present at this time. I have video of my own attempt to enter the front door during this period, and it shows most all of the cops who were present including the person videotaping. Everyone involved would probably agree, as well, that there has been tight collusion between cops and low-mid-level administrators in the building.

Although we initially decided to spend the night, my partner and I decided to leave at around 11:15 PM when things were most heated – neither of us wished to be arrested. Outside, there were 20 or so people gathered watching the police on the inside. I hung out for a few minutes, but it didn’t seem that things were going to go much further. There were no police cars or paddy-wagons in the immediate vicinity at the time I left.

Students were ultimately able to remain in the space for the whole night. You can find footage and other information here.

Over and Out.