Protesters shut down most of UC Santa Cruz as students across Calif. protest education cuts

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Student protesters at the University of California, Santa Cruz, shut down most of the campus Thursday as part of statewide demonstrations against budget cuts to higher education.

Hundreds of students blocked all entrances to the coastal campus and prevented vehicles from entering, said Josh Brahinsky, a graduate student and union representative who helped organize the action.

Car plows through Occupy Education demonstrators blocking entrance...

SANTA CRUZ — About 150 students and faculty gathered at noon today for a rain-soaked rally at the base of UC Santa Cruz, where demonstrators have blocked the entrance since early this morning as part of an Occupy Education rally.

Standing in the back of a truck, students and other speakers addressed the crowd about social inequity, the prison-industrial complex and other issues. Just minutes before, faculty gathered in solidarity with the demonstrators to discuss sit-ins, strikes and other possible action to raise awareness about state budget cuts and university administration.

Literature professor Susan Gillman, chair of the Academic Senate, said she was impressed with the behavior of students, police and the administration to work together to maintain a safe place for the demonstration.

"It's really quite astonishing," Gillman said while standing under one of several canopies erected by the protesters to keep dry from persistent showers. "They are well prepared and calm."

The demonstration began at 4:30 a.m., with students blocking all entrances to campus, allowing only emergency vehicles and those serving the disabled. The administration essentially closed the campus, with most classes being canceled today in advance of the closure.

The protest was without incident until 8:30 a.m., when a man driving a Ford Mustang drove up High Street and attempted to make a right turn onto campus. He revved his engine, but the crowd tried to stopped him from entering. The driver then revved his engine again and drove through the crowd of demonstrators at a low rate of speed at the High Street entrance, striking four people, police said.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_20078788

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