Dozens occupying UC Berkeley building in protest over fee hike, budget cuts arrested

Dozens occupying UC Berkeley building arrested

BERKELEY, Calif. — Officials say dozens of people occupying a campus building at the University of California, Berkeley, in a protest over fee hikes and budget cuts have been arrested.

UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof told KGO-TV late Friday afternoon more than 40 people, at least some of them students, had been arrested and the protest appeared to be coming to a “safe end.”

Demonstrators occupied Wheeler Hall on Friday morning to protest a 32 percent increase in student fees and job and program cuts. Campus police said earlier in the day the demonstrators were barricaded behind fire doors on the second floor.

A group of students also rallied outside the building.

The occupiers were demanding laid-off custodial workers be rehired and amnesty for anyone arrested in the protest.

Information from: KGO-TV

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Officials say dozens of people occupying a campus building at the University of California, Berkeley, in a protest over fee hikes and budget cuts have been arrested.

UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof told KGO-TV late Friday afternoon more than 40 people, at least some of them students, had been arrested and the protest appeared to be coming to a “safe end.”

Demonstrators had occupied Wheeler Hall on Friday morning to protest a 32 percent increase in student fees and job and program cuts. Campus police had said earlier in the day the demonstrators were barricaded behind fire doors on the second floor.

A group of students also rallied outside the building.

The occupiers were demanding laid-off custodial workers be rehired and amnesty for anyone arrested in the protest.

Information from: KGO-TV