International Student Movement

March 2nd marked the beginning of a Month of Action to Defend Public Education in the USA. According to studentactivism.net up to 50 protest actions in 16 states were recorded across the country on that day alone.

Organizers on the national level confirmed that this day of action is also linked to the "Spring of Resistance".

A few protests on that day are listed below in no specific order to give everyone an impression:

TEXAS

Austin: Around 100 students joined a rally

Throughout downtown, they chanted “They say cut back, we say, ‘fight back,’” and wore red T-shirts with “No Budget Cuts” on the back. Their posters boasted slogans such as “Budget Cuts have Faces” and “Save Our Staff.”

The College of Liberal Arts will lose $3.5 million in funding over the next three years, said Richard Flores, the college’s senior associate dean for academic affairs.

~ dailytexanonline.com

Dallas: "About 50 students walked out of classes Wednesday afternoon at El Centro Community College as a show of solidarity for the National Day of Action to Defend Public Education."

~ wfaa.com (WARNING: mainstream reporting)

CALIFORNIA

Berkeley: Hundreds gathered in front of Wheeler Hall for a rally. Afterwards about 200 reclaimed parts of the building until around 10pm, when riot police began to evict the building. 17 activists were arrested and taken away in a van. Up to 150 gathered outside during that time in support of those inside being detained.
Also the Berkeley Federation of Teachers and Berkeley Unified School District joined in a rally outside of Old City Hall.

~ dailycal.org + thosewhouseit.wordpress.com

The following day (March 3rd) nine students re-occupied the 4th floor of Wheeler Hall and chained themselves onto the balcony, while hundreds gathered to protect the action. A professor even held a lecture in front and fellow students provided the activists with food and water. Various demands were expressed and in the end some were fulfilled, e.g. all charges were dropped for those arrested the day before.

~ mobilizeberkeley.com + sfgate.com + abclocal.go.com

Santa Cruz: About 250 students came together for a rally.

As the rally came to a close, the last speakers took the stage and chanted that we should retreat to where we feel safe, the Ethnic Resource Center (ERC), to discuss the budget cuts and how the crisis has affected students of color. As UC Santa Cruz has recently cut several of the few programs that existed where these kinds of discussions could possibly take place, and as students at the university have unsuccessfully petitioned the administration for an Ethnic Studies program for decades now, the ERC seemed an appropriately symbolic space.

The sit-in ended the next morning.

~ occupyca.wordpress.com

Monterey Bay: At least 50 people gathered for a "speak out" for students to voice out their concerns at the California State University (CSU). Following that the crowd went to the administration to face them with their demands and had a very lively discussion. A second meeting was agreed on for March 7th.

~ guerrillathink.wordpress.com

Los Angeles: Hundreds of students united in a rally at California State University Northridge (CSUN). After a blocking a main junction for about an hour they carried their protest to the lobby of the Oviatt Library.

 

~ huffingtonpost.com

San Francisco: Hundreds of students also rallied at San Francisco State University (SFSU).

Irvine: About 200 students held a rally at the University of California Irvine.

Davis: hundreds gathered on campus and briefly occupied a lecture hall near the administration building.

~ youtube.com

WISCONSIN

Milwaukee: Close to 100 students began to squat the Peck School of Arts and Theatre building at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. A page and profile on facebook, a blog and twitter account were set up.

~ uwmoccupied.wordpress.com

NEW YORK

Protestors at Stony Brook University marched into an ongoing meeting, took it over and demanded answers over higher fees from the administration.

MARYLAND

Baltimore: Some students at the University of Maryland got organized and staged a rally, incl. a theatre performance on campus.

 

~ picasaweb.google.com

This is the material of protest actions as part of the Day of Action in the U.S. of A. on March 2nd that fell into my hands. Do drop a line at if anything has be put wrongly or you want to see your protest on that day added as well.

Check out the other activities linked to the "Spring of Resistance" around the world: ism-global.net

~ one world - one struggle ~