Police Arrest 141 Protesters at UC Berkeley

University of California campus police wearing riot gear moved in shortly after dawn today and arrested 141 anti-apartheid demonstrators camped on the steps of Sproul Hall, birthplace of the Free Speech Movement of the 1960s.

The arrests were largely peaceful, but a few minutes later, a crowd of sympathizers sat down on the pavement of Bancroft Avenue, just outside the campus, blocking the path of a bus loaded with arrested demonstrators en route to Alameda County Jail at Santa Rita.

The sympathizers pounded on the sides of the bus, and the arrestees inside chanted and shouted encouragement before police were able to clear the street and the vehicle was able to proceed.

Police Officer Bitten

The arrested demonstrators--66 of whom identified themselves as UC students--were all booked on counts of trespassing and illegal lodging. In addition, 26 of them were booked on suspicion of resisting arrest. One demonstrator reportedly bit a police officer in the hand during the arrests, but there were no other reports of injury.

The demonstrators began their protest last Wednesday, vowing to camp out on the steps of Sproul Hall until UC Regents agreed to the divestment of $1.7 billion in UC funds invested in firms that do business in South Africa.

The protesters blocked the main entrance to the building with their bodies, sleeping bags, camping gear and large banners protesting South Africa’s policies of racial segregation. University workers, however, continued to use the building, entering through side doors.

Chancellor’s Warning

On Monday morning, UC Chancellor Michael Heyman warned the demonstrators--whose numbers varied from 50 to 300--that their protest was illegal and that the university would “take action to open the doors of Sproul Hall, take down the signs and end the camping out.”

At 5:30 this morning, the police arrived and announced that the demonstrators were camping illegally and had to leave or face arrest. While about 150 left, about an equal number remained, and the arrests began a few minutes later.