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UCSC protesters speak out after dozens of arrests

Theo

The entrance to UCSC is blocked again. (NAT POP) Protesters and police are physically attacked early Friday morning as dozens of police officers in riot gear and carrying batons move in to break up a student encampment and blockade. (CAROLINE) (24:25 It was really interesting to see some officers go completely nuts :30 and you could see they had some kind of anger issue or something where they just freaked out and you could see it in their face and their colleagues were visibly uncomfortable :41) citing campus SAFETY AND SECURITY ISSUES AND VANDALISM. IN ADDITION TO REPEATED WARNINGS TO DISSOLVE THE STAGE, UNIVERSITY LEADERS SAID IT WAS TIME TO CALL IN. THE POLICE, WHO HAD BEEN HOLDING OFF FOR THE LAST MONTH, ARE FINALLY BACKING DOWN. THEY ARRESTED ABOUT 80 PROTESTERS WHO WERE LOADED ONTO BUSES. (AT 2:00 PM WE JUST HAD TO SIT THERE AND WAIT WHILE THE COPS SAID PIZZA? THE COPS GAVE YOU PIZZA? NO THE COPS ATE PIZZA IN FRONT OF OUR EYES AND WE JUST SAT THERE :08) (NAT POP STUDENTS GET RELEASED AND CLAP) T-2 THIS WAS THE SCENE OUTSIDE A CAMPUS OFFICE WHERE MANY OF THE DETENTED WERE RELEASED. INSIDE YOU COULD SEEN STUDENTS BEING FINGERPRINTED AND SUBMISSIONED. Most of the protesters received a misdemeanor citation for not moving off the road. Those arrested said it was worth it. (Aydan 16:41) I believe that. I mean, people in Palestine go through much worse things than just a summons. SO YES, I THINK IT WAS WORTH IT :53) (CAROLINE 21:26 ABSOLUTELY. BECAUSE THE INCONVENIENCE I AM EXPOSED TO IS NOT LETHAL. AND IT CAN MAKE A PERCEIVABLE DIFFERENCE IN DRAWING ATTENTION TO A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE TO THIS GENOCIDE :42) T-2 THE PROTESTERS WERE ARRESTED FOR BLOCKING ACCESS TO CAMPUS.. LET’S SAY THEY ARE PREVENTED FROM GOING TO CAMPUS FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.. (REBECCA 33:13 WE’LL SEE. I THINK PEOPLE ARE COMING TOGETHER AND HELPING, KNOW YOU, THE STUDENTS WHO ARE FORBIDDEN FROM THE CAMPUS, TO CLEAR THEIR DORMITORIES. THESE STUDENTS ALSO NEED A PLACE TO LIVE. THESE PEOPLE :25 YOU KNOW, THERE IS A BAI TOO

“It was worth it”: UCSC protesters speak out after dozens of people were arrested

Some of the UC Santa Cruz protesters arrested early Friday morning after dozens of police officers cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment and roadblock are speaking out about their ordeal. “It was really interesting to see some officers go completely nuts and almost have something of an anger problem. They just flew into a rage and you could see it on their face and their colleagues were visibly embarrassed,” said Caroline Kuspa, one of the arrested protesters. Police who had stood on the sidelines for the past month finally struck back early Friday morning. Dressed in riot gear and wielding batons, they moved in to break up a student encampment and blockade. Citing campus safety concerns and vandalism and repeated calls to disperse the protests, university administrators said it was time to step in. They arrested about 80 protesters and loaded them onto buses. “We just had to sit there and wait while the police ate pizza in front of us, and we just sat there,” Aydan Beavers said. Most of those arrested were taken to a building off campus where they were fingerprinted and charged with failing to disperse the protests. For many, it was their first arrest, and they said it was worth it. “The people of Palestine have to go through far worse things than a charge.” “So yes, I think it was worth it,” Beavers said. “The inconvenience I’m facing is not fatal, and it can make a tangible difference by bringing attention to a direct connection we have to this genocide,” Kuspa said. The protesters arrested for blocking access to campus now say they will be barred from entering campus for the next two weeks. “We’re going to see people come together and help the students who have been banned from campus to vacate their dorms, because these students need a place to live too, so give these people a home,” said Rebecca Gross, leader of the UCSC graduate unit of the United Auto Workers 4811. Many of those arrested received summonses to appear in court in July. University administration has not yet made a decision, but those arrested also face disciplinary action from the university.

SANTA CRUZ, California —

Some of the UC Santa Cruz protesters who were arrested early Friday morning after dozens of police officers cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment and roadblock are speaking openly about their ordeal.

“It was really interesting to see how some police officers went completely crazy and almost had something like an anger management problem. They just went into a rage and you could see it in their faces and their colleagues were visibly unsettled,” said Caroline Kuspa, one of the arrested protesters.

Police, who have stood aside for the past month, finally struck back early Friday morning. Dressed in riot gear and wielding batons, they moved in to break up a student camp and a blockade.

Citing security concerns and vandalism on campus, as well as repeated calls to disperse the gathering, university officials said it was time to intervene. They arrested around 80 protesters, who were loaded onto buses.

“We just had to sit there and wait while the cops in front of us ate pizza, and we just sat there,” said Aydan Beavers.

Most of those arrested were taken to a building off campus, where they were fingerprinted and charged with failing to disperse the gathering.

For many, it was their first arrest, and they said it was worth it.

“The people of Palestine have to go through far worse things than a subpoena. So yes, I think it was worth it,” Beavers said.

“The inconveniences I face are not fatal and they can make a tangible difference by drawing attention to a direct connection we have with this genocide,” Kuspa said.

The protesters who were arrested for blocking access to campus now say they are banned from entering the campus for the next two weeks.

“I think we’re going to see people come together and help students who are banned from campus to vacate their dorms. These students need a place to stay, too. So we’re providing a home for these people,” said Rebecca Gross, head of the graduate unit of United Auto Workers 4811 at UCSC.

Many of those arrested have received summons to appear in court in July. The university administration has not yet made a decision, but those arrested may also face disciplinary action by the university.

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