Students Protest Cuomo’s Budget, Smash Doors Outside His Office

A demonstration by thousands of people against Gov. Mario M. Cuomo’s proposed state budget cuts turned violent Tuesday as student protesters smashed glass doors outside the governor’s office.

Police officers charged into the protesters, identified by authorities as students from the State University of New York and City University of New York, causing many to flee.

Three officers suffered minor injuries. Eight protesters were arrested and charged with criminal mischief and misconduct, said Albany Police Inspector Dwayne Bennett.

Aides said that Cuomo was in his office at the time of the incident. The glass doors, which had been locked to keep demonstrators out, lead to a corridor outside of the governor’s office.

Cuomo issued a statement deploring the “violence of the small group” and said their conduct “discredited their cause that brought them to Albany.”

The governor also recognized that a larger rally conducted by other opponents of Cuomo’s budget plan had been peaceful.

“Thousands of others came, advocated, lobbied and left, using their constitutional right intelligently and peacefully,” Cuomo said.

The larger Operation Budget Storm rally outside the Capitol drew about 20,000 demonstrators, police said. It was staged by the state Legislature’s Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, labor unions and other interest groups.

“The people are hurting, the people are upset, the people are outraged,” Democratic Assemblyman Al Vann said.

Cuomo, in putting together a $51.9-billion budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins in less than two weeks, said he faced a potential $6-billion deficit. His plan to counter that shortfall calls for major cuts in some state programs, which he said would be worth $4.5 billion, and more than $1.2 billion in new taxes.

Among other things, Cuomo has called for a 10% reduction in state aid to schools and cuts in health benefits for the poor.

The demonstrators said that Cuomo and the Legislature should raise taxes on the rich and on businesses.