Occupiers camp in UC Davis after pepper spraying

DAVIS, Calif. - Students have again put up tents near the site where University of California, Davis police used pepper spray on seated protesters in a conflict that has sparked outrage and calls for the school chancellor's resignation.

The encampment was again erected Monday, hours after the campus police chief was put on administrative leave and the chancellor was shouted down at a demonstration while trying to apologize for the incident that happened at a protest held Friday in support of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Two officers also were placed on administrative leave after the students were sprayed.

University spokeswoman Claudia Morain said the school was monitoring the protest and did not say whether the students would be allowed to camp overnight. She said the school will take action "step by step" to balance campus security with people's right to protest.

Complete Coverage: Occupy Wall St. protests

Chancellor Linda Katehi made a brief appearance, facing students, faculty and community members chanting slogans and pressing for her to step down.

"I'm here to apologize. I feel horrible for what happened Friday," Katehi told the crowd. "If you think you don't want to be students of the university we had on Friday, I'm just telling you, I don't want to be the chancellor of the university we had on Friday."

She asked the assembly to work with her as she strives to earn the trust of the campus. Then, as the demonstrators yelled at her to step down, staff members escorted Katehi away to a car.

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University officials and campus police have been the target of angry reprisals since widely circulated videos showed riot police dousing pepper spray on a row of students while they were sitting passively on the ground with their arms linked.

Meanwhile, demonstrators at the University of California, Berkeley, pledged to sleep overnight at Sproul Plaza, though they did not plan to set up tents. A heat lamp was set up in the plaza, and student protesters called the demonstration a "pajama party" rather than an encampment.

University of California President Mark G. Yudof called the chancellors of all 10 campuses and reminded them of the right to protest peacefully.

"We cannot let this happen again," he said, according to a statement from the president's office.

On Sunday, Katehi called on the Yolo County district attorney's office to investigate the police department's use of force.

With no uniformed officers in attendance, students who were pepper-sprayed opened Monday's protest, saying they now feel unsafe on campus.

Mechanical engineering student David Buscho, 22, of San Rafael, described being paralyzed with fear as he felt the spray sting "like hot glass."

"I had my arms around my girlfriend. I just kissed her on the forehead and then he sprayed us," he said. "Immediately we were blinded. ... He just sprayed us again and again and we were completely powerless to do anything."

Nine students hit by pepper spray were treated at the scene, two were taken to hospitals and later released, university officials said. Ten people were arrested.

Meanwhile, UC Davis police Chief Annette Spicuzza and two officers have been placed on administrative leave.

Before the assembly broke up, the crowd voted to hold a campus-wide strike Nov. 28 to coincide with a meeting of the University of California governing board.

The UC Davis faculty association has called for Katehi's resignation, saying there had been a "gross failure of leadership."

Yudof said Sunday that he was "appalled" by images of protesters being doused with pepper spray and plans an assessment of law enforcement procedures on all 10 campuses.

Katehi, speaking Monday morning on KQED Radio, said she had not authorized officers to use pepper spray and called it a "horrific incident." She said she takes full responsibility but will not step down.

"They were not supposed to use force; it was never called for," she said. "They were not supposed to limit the students from having the rally, from congregating to express their anger and frustration."

She has said she plans to appoint a task force of students, staff and faculty to investigate the incident and report back to her within 30 days.

[noloyalisti]

There is no excuse for this action of brutality. It does not matter if the police told them to do something they should not have told them, it is still wrong. And no matter what, you should not use chemical military weapons on our students. The police should not even have that stuff. No excuse. End of story.

[telephonemanray]

Since you don't like the Police, next time you are in trouble, call a protester. If that's your clssification for Brutality, then you have surely been sheltered. If the police say move over and over again, then Move. If you don't, you get what you ask for. End of story.

[telephonemanray]

The Police told them several times to not block the sidewalk. Have you seen the other tape? They finally told the leader of the group if they did not move they would be pepper sprayed, and he said fine. Peaceful protest are fine, just move it away from the sidewalks and streets, so everyone else can use them. If the Police say move (or stop)you should do so. Sorry, don't feel sorry for these people.

[noloyalisti]

I am a parent of a UC Davis student and I am getting ready to go up there and camp out with the protestors. Their raising fees and costs is really starting to irritate me.

They are STILL not talking about taxing the welfare that the Top 1% of Californians and giant corporations get. They are STILL not talking about getting rid of the ridiculous anti-tax nut Prop 13 that destroyed the CA public school system.

To think that we used to care about our kids education. We used to care about our country until the Top 1% took it over.

[kharn121]

You do know why the cost of tuition keeps rising right? So the overpaid professors can get raises. Also who is it that hires people? Oh ya, the 1% and corporations who are already taxed to the teeth. I make 20k a year and my boss makes nothing. All the "profit" from the store goes to pg&e, pac bell, wages, insurance, taxes and trying to get some new equiptment every so often. He hasn't taken a paycheck in 3 years. He lives off his Social security. How about we cut back on some of the insane epa regs and maybe just maybe be a buisness friendly state instead of driving companies out with over regulation and extremely high taxes? Oh but that means people like you will actually have to get out and produce something instead of cry that rich people have stuff you don't.

[wolfman40]

Watching the policeman spray sitting students with harmful pepper spray took me back to the peaceful protests during the Viet Nam War. He should be fired and never given a job in the public service sector EVER again in his lifetime. Who died and made him God? He not only sprayed them once, but some of them numerous times. Did he think he was showing his manly side of his personality? His actions are exactly what gives law enforcement a bad reputation, and what is commonly known in some circles as criminals with a badge. Please do not get me wrong, there are thousands and thousands of law abiding police officers who put their life on the line to protect our citizens from fool hardy and dangerous people every day. They should be held to a very high place in our society, but every job has it's bad apples, and it seems this one needs a lot of mental help. His actions were uncalled for, his life was not in danger, nor were those of any of the people at the campus. The person/s giving the orders to spray also needs to get booted, no matter who they are. We are supposed to be living in a democratic society, but lately, I am beginning to wonder who is really running the people in charge of security, is this McCarthyism all over again?

[Moravecglobal1]

University of California Davis Chancellor and UC Berkeley Chancellor increase student debt. University of California Berkeley Chancellor Birgeneau hijack's our kids' futures. I love University of California (UC) having been a student & lecturer. But today I am concerned that at times I do not recognize the UC I love. Like so many I am deeply disappointed by the pervasive failures of Regent Chairwoman Lansing, President Yudof, Chancellor Birgeneau from holding the line on rising costs & tuition increases
Chancellor Birgeneau has molded Cal. into the most expensive public university. Paying more is not a better education.
Californians are reeling from 19% unemployment (includes: those forced to work part time; those no longer searching), mortgage defaults, loss of unemployment benefits. And those who still have jobs are working longer for less. Faculty wages must reflect California's ability to pay, not what others are paid.
Current pay increases for generously paid University of California Faculty is arrogance. Instate tuition consumes 14% of Ca. Median Family Income!
Paying more is not a better education. UC Berkeley(# 70 Forbes) tuition increases exceed the national average rate of increases.
UC President Yudof, Cal. Chancellor Birgeneau($450,000 salary) dismissed many much needed cost-cutting options. They did not consider freezing vacant faculty positions, increasing class size, requiring faculty to teach more classes, doubling the time between sabbaticals, cutting & freezing pay & benefits for chancellors & reforming pensions & the health benefits.
They said such faculty reforms "would not be healthy for UC". Exodus of faculty, administrators? Who can afford them and where would they go?
We agree it is far from the ideal situation, but it is in the best interests of the university system & the state to stop cost increases. UC cannot expect to do business as usual: raising tuition; granting pay raises & huge bonuses during a weak economy that has sapped state revenues & individual Californians' income.
There is no question the necessary realignments with economic reality are painful. Regent Chairwoman Lansing can bridge the public trust gap with reassurances that salaries & costs reflect California's ability to pay. The sky above UC will not fall when Chancellor Birgeneau is ousted.

Opinions? Email the UC Board of Regents [e-mail]

[mullerohana]

She needs to go. She's lying. She defended the actions of the police right after it happened.

[noloyalisti]

We need to seriously go after these police perps and prosecute them as the criminal they are. We need to send a message to ALL the police department and the mayors, etc. that We The 99% will not stand for their brutal, excessive military tactics in America.

[koza_dereza]

LOL.
Nobody really cares about the OccuCry babies.

[Moravecglobal1]

Campus police report to and take direction fron campus Chancellors. Fire OUST sack UC Davis Chancellor and UCBerkeley Chancellor Birgeneau.

[DenverBroncofan]

by steeler254 November 22, 2011 12:43 PM EST
Bush hangs out with classier people
===============================================================

In other words he hangs out with other criminals

[damond1]

It seems any police action or use of force is seen as "police brutality." Nevermind the fact that there seems to be a human chain going across the entire sidewalk and past it. With linked arms that prevent officers from being able to remove any one person. So I guess blocking free passage on a public area is OK? If anyone here understands use of force continuum, then they might understand why OC was deployed. 1)officer presence, 2)verbal commands, 3)soft techniques, 3)hard techniques, 4)less lethal, 5)lethal. I'm pretty sure 1 and 2 didn't work. #3 would work if the officer could lift one of them up and disbust them but their arms were linked. A part of three is also OC or Taser or pressure points. Would you rather tase them? Or use #4 and start striking them them fists or batons? OC was resonable and there is such a thing as passively resisting and OC is used for such resistance. It's an irritant not some sort of brutal nazi death ray.

[DenverBroncofan]

Break out the water canons this time. Give them all a bath as they are washed out like a spider in the shower