October 7, 2010: Sit-in at Berkeley & Davis

In april, organizers for public education held a conference and called for a day of action on October 7th. Today was the first system-wide day of action across the UC and CSU this academic year. Updates will follow here:

last update: 7:04pm, (oct.7.2010).

Quick Updates:

(chronological order: more recent to less recent.)

• Photos of banner drops from Louisiana.
• The sit-in at Doe Library at Cal is over now.
• Sit-in at Mrak Hall, UC Davis over.
• Doe Library sit-in with 600-800 people at UC Berkeley. Video Stream here.

• Fire alarms are being pulled at Cal, more below.

• Demonstrators throughout the UC system are attempting to hold a virtual sit-in, akin to a DDOS attack on the UCOP website. Updates here. UCOP apparently is countering the DDOS attack.

• According to the blog StudentActivism, around 72 actions are being held throughout the US.

UC Berkeley:

11:50am: At least three campus buildings have fire alarms going off. (Pimentel, LeConte, Haas School of Business)

11:56am: A fourth building with fire alarms going off. (Valley Life Sci. Building)

12:02pm: ~500 people at sproul plaza.

12:06pm: Rally has grown close to 1000.

12:15pm: Fifth building with fire alarms going off, Wheeler.

12:45pm: Around 1500.

1:00pm: March has started, sit-in to ensue.

1:25pm: Around 200-300 in sit-in at Doe Library, in the north reading room. Police being sent in.

1:36pm: Around 600 at sit-in (according to DailyCal)

1:38pm: Staying until a General Assembly at 5pm.

1:40pm: Police closing doors, allegedly for fire hazard reasons.

1:53pm: UCPD not allowing any more to go into the library (Confirmed).

2:08pm: Demonstrators pleading with police to be allowed water and use of restrooms. They’re asking for people to come support!

2:17pm: Live video stream

2:30pm: UCB Librarians speaking, asking students to be careful to not damage anything, due to budget cuts. “We close at 9pm. You’re welcome to stay here and have your meetings…”

2:43pm: Fire alarm pulled at Dwinelle. 5 UCPD (more?) entering Doe.

2:46pm: Another fire alarm may have been pulled at Life Sciences Bldg.

2:57pm: “Whose education? Our education!”

3:00pm: Fire alarms pulled at Wheeler.

5:39pm: Police using Graduate Student Center as a meeting space. Rumors of imminent dispersal order.

6:05pm: Word is that the north door of the Doe Library is open. Some participants on the ground asking asking all those who can to come down and come inside. Cops are walking around the space but are not being belligerent at this point.

6:50pm: It appears that the participants have left Doe Library with intentions to join the AFSCME protest tomorrow and organize further actions later.

UC Davis:

1:40pm: Over 100 students at UCD have surrounded the ‘US Bank’ on campus, shouting “Banks off campus”.

1:58pm: Sit-in at Mrak Hall, around 80 people.

(FYI: Mrak Hall is the main administrative building at UC Davis).

3:30pm: UCD sit-in over.

UC Santa Cruz:

 

Banner drop early in the morning.

 

12:30pm: Rally at UCSC around 150-250.

12:56pm: Around 300-500 at the rally.

1:30pm: Rally over.

UC San Diego:

11:55am: Around 100 protesters clad in black so far.

12:10am: Around 250 at the rally.

12:25pm: Around 350 marching through Chancellor’s complex.

12:35pm: Holding a “Die-in”, asking for 5 minutes of silence.

12:45pm: 350 at teach-out at Triton steps.

1:53pm: Teach out over.

UC Irvine:

12:40pm: Around 50 protesters, around 20 cops.

1:10pm: protest over.

San Francisco State University:

12:45pm: Around 50 protesters, around 15 cops.

UCLA:

Photos from the day here.

In Louisiana

Photos from the day here.