Roof of Wheeler Hall occupied

BERKELEY, California – 9 demonstrators chained themselves together on the ledge of Wheeler Hall at UC Berkeley earlier in the afternoon demanding that the tuition hikes be repealed. One has been pulled down by UCPD and arrested, while at least six are chained together along side a few that aren’t. This follows last night’s arrest of 17 students while occupying the foyer of the same building. Fire alarms appeared to have been pulled in several buildings, and at least one class appears to be continuing on outside on the steps of Wheeler Hall.

Update:

3:30pm: supporters outside are delivering some fruit, water and a megaphone to those on the ledge.

3:50pm: three supporters were detained after trying to hang up banners from the windows by police.

4:15pm: Demands:

1. Roll back the fee hikes, both the 8 % increase of 2010 and the 32 % of 2009.
2. End police repression on campus.  Hands off student protesters!
3. Democratize the Regents.
4. Put a stop to Operational Excellence, our campus’ incarnation of structural adjustment programs.

(via ThoseWhoUseIt)

5:30pm: According to DailyCal, the administration is planning on sending in the Multicultural Center coordinator to negotiate.

6:20pm: Pepper spray is reportedly being used by riot police who have arrived on the scene in droves (~80). Apparently so has a another wave of supporters (~400).

7:00pm: Police appear to be setting up metal barricades in the back of Wheeler. Supporters are asking for more folks to come out.

8:30pm: Ledge demonstrators are unlocking themselves.

9:20pm: Demonstrators come down, join the crowd in ecstatic cheering. The one demonstrator arrested earlier on the ledge rejoins them.

Demands won:

-Demonstrators on the ledge and those sitting in last night will not be charged and those involved in the previous occupations will be offered probation from the office of student conduct [corrected].

-meeting with chancellor