Protest ends with arrests
By Daily Bruin Staff
May 19, 1998 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 20, 1998
Protest ends with arrests
POLITICS: Students take over Royce Hall, call for university
noncompliance with Prop. 209
By Barbara Ortutay
Daily Bruin Staff
Illuminated by the spotlights of police helicopters, 85 students
were arrested after a day of passionate protest.
The arrests were the climax of a day of resistance, solidarity
and negotiations. Organized by the Affirmative Action Coalition,
the protest called for Chancellor Albert Carnesale to meet a list
of demands. Students ready to stay in Royce Hall for as long as it
took to meet those demands were arrested by UCPD for charges of
failure to disperse.
"Our opposition to Prop. 209 … is not a result of a skewed
perception of affirmative action as a cure-all for all of our
communities and the racist, classist violence perpetuated on our
people daily," said USAC President Kandea Mosley.
"Rather, the reason behind raising a political struggle in this
university is created out of our understanding that organized
struggle … is necessary on every level," she added.
After taking over Royce earlier in the day, protesters refused
to leave the building until Carnesale met with student leaders and
answered their demands.
These demands include a university non-compliance with
Proposition 209. After a meeting where Carnesale refused to meet
this demand, student leaders were informed that if they did not
vacate Royce, protesters would be arrested for trespassing.
Instead, students were charged with failure to disperse, which is a
misdemeanor, later lowered to an infraction. They were booked
inside Royce and subsequently released.
As police led students off one by one inside Royce Hall, those
remaining outside showed solidarity by solemnly raising their fists
in the air.
The 400-person protest, which was the final Day of Defiance,
also commemorated the birthday of Malcolm X.
"The power of Malcolm was that he was ready and able to stand up
for his rights, and he was ready to confront power when they told
him he couldn’t be certain places, think certain things," said
Stacy Lee, the USAC president-elect.
"This campus has a legacy of activism and a legacy of struggle
that we as students have a responsibility to uphold," said Chad
Williams, chair of the African Student Union, in his speech at the
protest’s beginning.
The event began at 10:30 a.m. in Westwood Plaza. After an
initial rally, protesters embarked on what would be a long,
circuitous march toward Royce.
Protesters urged students sitting around to join them, but most
just stared back unresponsively. Students looking outside from
their classrooms were met with chants of "walk out!" but almost
nobody did.
Several members of Bruin Republicans and Young Americans for
Freedom were present throughout the rally, holding American flags
and signs supporting Proposition 209.
"We are here to officer an alternate opinion on Prop. 209," said
Martin Chippas, chair of the Bruin Republicans.
Down in Westwood, over 20 LAPD officers in riot gear were
waiting in front of the Federal Building in anticipation of the
march, but the students headed back to campus. Reaching Royce Hall,
students rushed to the building, trying two locked doors before a
third one opened up.
Students made their way inside the building and eventually sat
down on the first and second floor hallways. Shouts and demands
resonated throughout the building, but the protesters themselves
remained organized and peaceful.
"The activism you see here won’t ever go away," said Mike
Swartz, a member of the Affirmative Action Coalition.
For the rest of the afternoon, about 100 to 200 students
remained inside Royce.
Eight police officers, four of them in riot gear, stood on the
first floor of Royce.
Late in the afternoon, about 50 riot police lined up in the back
of Royce Hall. A group of about 100 protesters moved up toward
them. The rally’s own security guards created a human barrier
between students and the police.
"This is our campus," shouted the protesters.
"The scariest thing is that I’m unarmed except for my voice,"
said May Lee, a fourth-year English student, as she faced a police
officer with his hand on the trigger of a tear gas gun.
"I’m innocent, and they are treating us worse than criminals,"
she added.
The protesters managed to climb up on the balcony of Royce, from
which they flew banners reading "Education not segregation," and
"Defy Prop. 209."
Chants calling for justice and education alternated with moments
of silence, as demonstrators stood facing LAPD officers in full
riot gear, armed with tear gas and drawn batons. The division
called for the protest was the elite of the LAPD.
Police said they would begin arresting people inside Royce at 8
p.m. Riot police surrounded the building, blocking the walkway
between Royce and Haines hall.
As time went on, the mood outside grew more and more solemn and
determined. Illuminated by police helicopter spotlights, protesters
began to light candles. Someone placed bright orange flowers at the
feet of police officers.
"We’re with you," they shouted up toward the balcony. One sign
read "Regents, look what you started."
"I feel so consumed by passion and love I feel for all the
students standing here in solidarity," said Jason Sufer, a
third-year economics and international relations student.
Inside, students were arrested – one by one. Each time a cheer
was heard outside meant that one more person was being
arrested.
One of the students arrested was Kelly Archibald, a third-year
women’s studies student.
"These arrests will not stop us – it does not discourage me,"
she said as she was being led off by police.
One of the last people to be arrested was Alberto Retana,
fifth-year political science and Latin American studies
student.
"It demonstrates that students have a fundamental belief in
education as a human right, and are willing to step outside the
‘proper’ channels to achieve justice," he said
Late into the night, students remained outside Royce. Organizers
passed out water and oranges to the protesters. The sentiment from
beginning to end remained peaceful, yet defiant.
"This is just the beginning of a long-term struggle," said Liz
Geyer, her voice hoarse from a day of defiance.
With reports from Matthew Schmid, J. Jioni Palmer, Mason
Stockstill, Stefanie Wong and Laura Luu, Daily Bruin Staff.
MICHAEL ROSS WACHT/Daily Bruin
First-year student Katynja McCory was one of the first arrested
when UCPD began to remove students from the balcony of Royce
Hall.
MICHAEL ROSS WACHT/Daily Bruin
Fourth-year student Ed Valtierra holds a sign during the rally
in Westwood Plaza.MICHAEL ROSS WACHT/Daily Bruin
Cori Shepherd, a member of the African Student Union, applies
paint to one of the protesters on the balcony of Royce Hall.
