Cali was definitely active yesterday, as Occupy Cal saw arrests and violence against students. UC Berkeley kids gathered at noon to protest a spike in education costs and privatization. To show their allegiance to the various Occupy movements across the country, a group of protesters pitched tents near Sproul Plaza. Riot police were called in, so students formed a circle around their camp site. It's unclear exactly what instigated it, but riot cops can be seen jabbing and then swinging their batons at students in the video below. Their decision to swing for the fences was met with a chant of "STOP BEATING STUDENTS!"
The aftermath included six students and one professor being arrested, and many others receiving treatment for injuries sustained as a result of police playing Home Run Derby. The confrontation didn't halt the protest, which continued into the night and drew over 1,000 participants according to The Daily Californian. Meanwhile, 11 students from UCLA were arrested for blocking traffic in Westwood, which was already awful due to freeway construction. This could only be the beginning, as The ReFund California Coalition hints at November 16 protests at both schools and many more in California.
[via Mercury News, Gawker, The Los Angeles Times and The Daily Californian]
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