Students at the University of California-Berkeley protested an event marking the anniversary of the Free Speech Movement seeking further security for First Amendment rights. Protesters sought to raise awareness for current problems with the repression of speech in the University system. The event was put on by the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC).

The 45th anniversary of the Free Speech Movement, which drew a crowd of about 350 people, attracted a group of protesters looking to commemorate the anniversary in a different way, not through what protesters called, "museum-ification."

"Free speech is not a fossil—it is a constant struggle, and that struggle continues right now on UC campuses through this movement," said Praba Pilar, a graduate student of performance studies at UC Davis.

Event coordinators eventually compromised with the protesters, who had refused to allow ASUC President Will Smelko to speak. The compromise allowed representatives of both groups to speak at the event.

”There are serious issues with the [University] administration repressing free speech," said Zak Solomon, a senior majoring in interdisciplinary studies. "They didn't support it years ago, and they're not supporting it now—that hypocrisy, we don't accept."

The event was not correlated with recent large-scale protests and demonstrations at UC-Berkeley around budget cuts and no arrests were made.


More info from The Daily Californian at the University of California Berkeley