Three student protesters were arrested at a University of California Board of Regents meeting at UC San Francisco’s Mission Bay campus this morning, university officials said.
Dozens of students, some of whom wore beach attire, attended the meeting as part of a “Spring Broke” protest of rising tuition costs at UC campuses statewide.
Many protesters argued during the public comment portion of the meeting that revenue from a proposed state tax initiative should be used to reduce tuition costs rather than accelerate bond debt payments, said Charlie Eaton, an organizer of the action.
Eaton is the financial secretary for United Auto Workers Local 2865, which represents about 12,000 UC teaching assistants and other staff.
The regents cut the public comment period short, and when the students insisted they had a right to speak, the regents had police escort all of them out of the room, according to Eaton.
UCSF released a statement saying that three dozen or so people were cleared from the room without incident, but a scuffle ensued in the hallway and three UCLA students were arrested at about 9:40 a.m.
Andrew Harkness-Newton, 26, Cheryl Deutsch, 27, and Mathew Sandoval, 32, were each arrested on suspicion of obstructing a police officer and failure to disperse, according to UC officials.
Harkness-Newton was also arrested on suspicion of battery on a peace officer and Sandoval was arrested on suspicion of taking someone from the lawful custody of a peace officer and the use of violence to prevent an officer from performing his or her duty, university officials said.
The trio were among 14 students who were also arrested at a protest at UCLA last November, according to UC officials.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
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