BERKELEY — Yet another student protest turned violent at UC-Berkeley late Thursday and into Friday morning, when more than 200 people spilled out of a dance party on campus and trashed university buildings and smashed windows along Telegraph Avenue.
Forty-five officers from several law enforcement agencies responded, including the Berkeley and Oakland police, and the California Highway Patrol, officials said. At least two people — current and former students — were arrested.
Now there is much concern that Berkeley's on-campus violence could be a harbinger of far more damage next Thursday, when demonstrations against education budget cuts will take place all over the state.
"We know there"s going to be a lot of emotion associated with this," said University of California-Berkeley police Capt. Margo Bennett. "It's going to be passionate."
Others fear the protests scheduled for next week may be overshadowed by rogue protests aimed at issues other than the prohibitive costs of higher education. But on Thursday night students attended what was to be a low-key event called the Rolling University. It was part of a series of teach-ins on state and UC budgets and other education issues, followed by a dance at Sproul Plaza. About 11 p.m. trouble started and police were called.
By the time police arrived they found someone had cut a chain on the fence surrounding Durant Hall, a former library in
the center of campus that is closed for renovations, and hung a banner reading "March 4" above the entrance to the building, a reference to Thursday's statewide "Day of Action" to protest education budget cuts.
Forty-five officers from several law enforcement agencies responded, including the Berkeley and Oakland police, and the California Highway Patrol, officials said. At least two people — current and former students — were arrested.
Now there is much concern that Berkeley's on-campus violence could be a harbinger of far more damage next Thursday, when demonstrations against education budget cuts will take place all over the state.
"We know there"s going to be a lot of emotion associated with this," said University of California-Berkeley police Capt. Margo Bennett. "It's going to be passionate."
Others fear the protests scheduled for next week may be overshadowed by rogue protests aimed at issues other than the prohibitive costs of higher education. But on Thursday night students attended what was to be a low-key event called the Rolling University. It was part of a series of teach-ins on state and UC budgets and other education issues, followed by a dance at Sproul Plaza. About 11 p.m. trouble started and police were called.
By the time police arrived they found someone had cut a chain on the fence surrounding Durant Hall, a former library in