Hugo's Introduces Vegan Mac & Cheese
![_Bye, Bye Hollywood Sign... at Least Temporarily [Updated]](http://laist.com/assets_c/2009/12/view_behind_hwdsign-thumb-110x110-464762.jpg)
Bye, Bye Hollywood Sign... at Least Temporarily [Updated]
Mandoline Grill Truck Debuts, Offers Tons of Vegan Options
Photos: Laundry Day in L.A.
One Way to Take Care of Business
It was a busy, loud and raucous day at UCLA as emotions ran high before and after a vote to increase tuition by 32 percent. Shortly before 1 p.m., the Board of UC Regents voted in favor of the increase, with only one dissenting vote from student regent Jesse Bernal. The extra money will help reduce layoffs, stop course reductions and put money away for financial aid.
Protests began yesterday morning before a Regents' finance committee voted to push the tuition increase to the full board today. At yesterday's meeting inside Covel Commons, 14 were arrested, 12 of them students. Outside, protesting students gathered around the building resulting in various quick scuffles with police caught on video. A UCLA statement said two officers used tasers "in light stun mode" against two protesters, though they were not hurt. Two other students sustained minor injuries for unknown reasons.
With a tent city on campus, protests began early today when a group of about 25 entered Campbell Hall around 12:30 a.m., renaming it "Carter-Huggins Hall, after two Black Panthers who were murdered there in 1969," according Angus Johnston at the blog Student Activism. Three other UC buildings across the state were also occupied: Kresge Town Hall and Kerr Hall at UCSC and Mrak Hall at UC Davis. The Carter-Huggins Hall students made no demands, but those occupying the UCSC buildings released a list of 35 demands.
Protests grew outside Covel and in and around campus after today's vote, even at one point marching on Westwood and Wilshire boulevards. Regents and other officials were blocked in the building for hours with those trying to leave immediately accompanied by police.
A UCLA Police Department representative told LAist tonight that one student was arrested, cited and released for obstructing a police officer. Another was taken into custody, but was later released with no arrest. She was unaware of any taser use, but photos from the Associated Press indicate that it was used at least with one student, Rustin O'Neil (see above). It is unknown if he was the arrested student.
Not all students will see the increase. "Low income families are not affected by this tuition hike," reported ABC. "Low income is considered families making $70,000 or less and tuition is free for them. Really, it is the middle class that will feel a pinch because they will have a $2,500 increase a year and some middle class families don't qualify for financial aid."
The money for low income families will come from UC, state and federal grants, explained the LA Times, which said it will cover basic education fees.
By 7:30 p.m., the students in Campbell Hall dispersed.
Background: UC and CSU Seek Combined $1.797 Billion From State to Recover Budgets
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
I believe the university police policy was changed so that tasers could not be used against students passively resisting after the last taser incident at Powell Library- is this not the case? If so there's a lawsuit waiting in this, and the UCPD deserves every bit of it.
What is the protocol for using a taser? I mean if the suspect is threatening or attacking...yes. But if they are sitting in the driveway engaging in civil disobedience but not threatening or attacking anyone. Don't you just pick them up and move them out of the way? Have we become such a dehumanizing and lazy-ass society where the taser is used at every turn? It also looks like the taser is being administered close to the individuals heart. Isn't that potentially dangerous? Does the state need more wrongful death lawsuits before it reigns in this type of action?
How far we've come with a former bodybuilder as our Governor. I'm shocked.
apparently this cop didn't get the memo not to tase people in the chest...
"If a stun gun is discharged to the chest, a lawsuit likely will follow, charging that police used excessive force, the document said."
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/22/taser.advice/index.html
It's really a sad state of affairs that students are getting tasered. These tasers are torture weapons used to force people into "compliance" with authority. Totally un-called for force. And they kill people. We really should demand a ban on tasers and similar devices.
He probably did get the memo. This is attempted murder.