UC Davis Protest Stays Peaceful

UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi spoke at Monday's protest.

Hundreds of people gathered on the campus of UC Davis Monday to protest the pepper-spraying of non-violent protesters last Friday.

The two campus police officers who were videotaped  deploying pepper spray against protesters were placed on administrative leave over the weekend.

Officials at the school announced Monday that the university also placed campus police Chief Annette Spicuzza on administrative leave while it reviews the officers' actions against protesters.

Video on YouTube went viral with more than a million people around the world viewing the images of an officer spraying what appears to be a large amount of liquid spray on to protesters.

UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi said in a statement about  the move, "As I have gathered more information about the events that took  place on our quad on Friday, it has become clear to me that this is a  necessary step toward restoring trust on our campus."

Katehi said, "I take full responsibility for the events on Friday  and am extremely saddened by what occurred. I eagerly await the results of  the review, and intend to act quickly to implement reforms that will  safeguard the rights of our students, faculty and staff to engage in  nonviolent protest."

Katehi has also called on the Yolo County District Attorney's  Office to investigate the police department's use of force. 

A number of students from the University of California at Berkeley  who are part of the Occupy Cal movement traveled to UC Davis to participate in the protest.

Navid Shaghaghi, a senior in electrical engineering and computer  science at UC Berkeley, said an anonymous donor provided a van to shuttle  about 15 Occupy Cal protesters to UC Davis for Monday's rally.   

Additional UC Berkeley students may also travel to Davis on regular shuttles that go between the two campuses, he said.   

He said there also will be "a week of action" at all UC campuses  next week to protest the incident at UC Davis on Friday in which campus  police officers pepper-sprayed demonstrators who were sitting on the ground.

In addition, Shaghaghi said, Occupy Cal protesters plan to have a  "sleepout" at Sproul Plaza Monday night to show solidarity with UC Davis students.  He said he's not sure how many will participate but that so far, 375 people  have indicated on a Facebook page that they will be there.

Shaghaghi said Occupy Cal protesters will decide at a 6 p.m.  general assembly whether to make another attempt to set up tents on the steps  of Sproul Hall.

Occupy Cal members set up tents there last Tuesday night, but  campus police removed them early Thursday.

Shaghaghi said Occupy Cal members plan to sleep out on the Sproul  steps even if there's a vote against setting up another encampment.

Bay City News

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