UC Davis Prepares For Tuition Protest On Three-Year Anniversary Of Pepper-Spray Incident
DAVIS (CBS13) — With a protest over proposed tuition hikes on Tuesday, UC Davis officials are hoping to avoid a repeat of the pepper-spray incident on the face off's three-year anniversary.
The video of UC Davis students peacefully protesting a tuition hike before they were pepper sprayed by a campus police officer John Pike gained national attention.
Pike was placed on administrative leave after the incident, then fired eight months later despite an internal investigation saying he acted appropriately. He won a $38,000 workman's compensation settlement against the school last year due to depression and anxiety he says he suffered.
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On the eve of the three-year anniversary of the incident, students are planning another protest in response to another proposed five percent hike.
"Exercising our rights to freedom of speech and assembly and we are hoping our administration and police respond accordingly," said rally organizer Harley Litzelman.
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UC Davis spokesman Andy Fell says the campus police chief has implemented new policies meant to strengthen the relationship between the department and students, including more dialogue, and a police accountability board to review complaints.
Litzelman, one of the organizers of Tuesday's rally says they don't expect excessive force from the police department, but still hope they get their message across to the decision makers.
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"It was students putting their bodies on the line that helped stop the excessive tuition increases that regents were planning," he said. "And of you listen to what the students have to say now..we're ready to put our bodies on the line."
Some of the students are planning to also attend the UC Regents meeting on Wednesday in San Francisco where the tuition hike decision is scheduled.
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