SDSU Students Hold Camp-Out at Mural
Student activists protesting planned class and budget cuts at San Diego State University camped out Tuesday night beside a controversial campus mural, prompting a visit from Thomas Day, president of the university.
None of the 27 students at the mural--a plywood fence surrounding a construction site in the center of campus--had been arrested by late Tuesday night. Over the past two weeks, students have used the fence as a canvas for art and graffiti protesting the cuts.
Day has pledged to paint the fence white in preparation for this weekend’s graduation ceremonies.
About 6 p.m. Tuesday, Day visited the protesting students and asked them to leave, sophomore Joseph Rogers, 21, said. The students refused, Rogers said, adding that activists intend to remain at the site through the weekend.
Day then walked over to a van from KNSD-TV (Channel 39) that was parked near the mural to report on the protest. “He walked up to us and said, ‘How would you feel if we turned your truck off?’ ” cameraman Greg Stickney, 30, said.
Day opened the doors to the van, stuck his head in and looked around, then left without touching anything, Stickney said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
