700 students storm TUSD in Arizona

http://arizona.indymedia.org/

Meeting canceled after 700+ students walk out of classes and blockade TUSD headquarters. Fifteen arrested during occupation of Arizona state building

Breaking: On Tuesday, May 11 Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed HB2281, a bill that legally prohibits ethnic studies programs from Arizona public schools, equating such classes with sedition and removing state funding from districts that offer them.

On the morning of May 12th state superintendent Tom Horne, who for years has advocated eliminating ethnic studies, tried to hold a meeting with Tucson Unified School District officials to discuss the district’s curriculum. Rumors began circulating around 10:00 a.m. among Jr. high and high school students that Horne was in Tucson to immediately “pull the plug” on their classes.

In response, more than 700 spontaneously walked-out of their classes, with participants from Rincon, Cholla, Tucson and Pueblo high schools. Students then marched to TUSD headquarters and proceeded to surround the building and blockade the entrances to prevent Horne from entering. Shortly thereafter, school district officials canceled their meeting, claiming that Horne, who is running for state Attorney General, had turned it into “a political event”.

After learning that the meeting was canceled, about 200 among those gathered left TUSD and marched through downtown Tucson to the Arizona state building, where Horne was scheduled to hold a press conference at 2pm. More than a hundred entered and occupied the building lobby, and fifteen were ultimately arrested for refusing to leave.

In addition to HB2281, student demonstrators spoke out against SB1070 and SB1097, a bill that would force school districts to check the legal status of all students and eliminate public funding for those undocumented. A statement was circulated at the rally encouraging others around the country to engage in protests and direct action on Friday, May 14 in solidarity with students in Arizona.

See also: SB1070: Battle at the Grassroots

Riots begin after SB1070 is signed into law

These videos show a fast-moving and unfortunately a quickly-contained moment of unrest at a peaceful protest outside the capitol building in Phoenix. A Neo-Nazi/Minuteman type and the cops defending him were under attack by the crowd, most of whom had just legally been made second-class citizens based on the color of their skin. The eruption of rage was calmed by peace police (who should probably just join the force already). Note that the videos are titled “Mexicans” riot because they are uploaded to Youtube by racist fucks; obviously there are many nationalities rioting in the video.

The Phoenix Class War Council reports on more actions resisting SB7010 including a lockdown and statewide walkouts involving thousands of high school and college students.

Blackout at UC Berkeley

From http://occupyca.wordpress.com
Black Student Union blocks gate to Berkeley campus in outrage and solidarity with the UCSD BSU.

Anti-racism Occupations at UCSD, UCLA

From UC Regent Live

This morning, students with the Black Student Union at UCSD and allies
began a sit-in at their Chancellor’s office demanding action, after a
noose was found in Geisel Library. Students are demanding that the
campus be closed down for the safety of students.

Beginning around 1:50pm, Afrikan Student Union and at least 100 people
are occupying Murphy Hall, the administrative building of UCLA. They are
meeting with the chancellor as we speak in order to call for the
following, in light of the racist incidents at UCSD:

1. Closure of UCSD until there is a full investigation of events
surrounding Compton Cook Out and the noose left hanging in
Library.

2. Expulsion of offending students and dismantling of The Koala newspaper.

3. Diversity needs be met by March 4th. (see BSU demands from UCSD)

Statement from UCSD Black Student Union

(From Occupy California)

5:10pm: The UCSD sit-in has turned into a civil disobedience action. Chancellor Fox apparently has not attempted to meet the demands of the students. Some students have left the office to support outside, but estimates of 80-100 students inside are willing to be arrested. So far no word of police action or likelihood of arrests.

5:20pm: Drum circle forming outside Chancellor’s office. Police are threatening arrests. Students: “We will stay until BSU demands are met.”

5:23pm: According to one source, as many as 300 people still inside the office. A live audio stream is available here.

5:35pm: Students meeting with Chancellor Fox return to the sit-in to discuss the letter they received from the admin, describing it as, “bullshit.” They plan to return on Monday with their response. The student(s) involved in the noose incident is being suspended, although a time frame hasn’t been established. The protesters are not satisfied with this weak response by the administration, considering this new document from the Chancellor to have no new concrete improvements over previous ones.

Video available on CNN ireport: http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-413766