Berkeley Cops Provoke UC Berkeley Students

On March 3, 2011 there were protests on the UC campus by students concerned about access to public education. Seven or eight students were in Wheeler Hall and they chained themselves together while on a balcony. They were blocking no doors and there was no danger. Mutual was invoked by UCPD and cops from a variety of local police departments were sent to the campus. Berkeley police were also sent. They formed a skirmish line on the steps and at points were pushing, shoving, provoking students. At one point, pepper spray was used on the crowd. Witnesses say that BPD officers were involved despite their direct prohibition against using pepper spray in crowd control situations.

Why were Berkeley Police even there? Who called for mutual aid? Under what circumstances are the people of Berkeley required to send (and pay for) cops to get in the middle of UC’s relations with its students? Speak out during public comment:

Come to the Police Review Commission Meeting on April 13th at 7pm at the South Berkeley Senior Center 2939 Ellis Street (near Ashby and below MLK).