14 Charged With Misdemeanors In UC Berkeley Protests
BERKELEY (CBS SF) -- A total of 14 people were charged Monday with misdemeanor offenses for refusing to leave Wheeler Hall during a protest at the University of California at Berkeley last Wednesday, according to prosecutors.
However, Alameda County District Attorney spokeswoman Teresa Drenick said no charges have been filed so far against another group of nine protesters who chained themselves to the ledge on the fourth floor of Wheeler Hall in a second day of protests on Thursday.
Drenick said UC Berkeley police are still finishing their report on that incident and have not turned it in to prosecutors for possible charges.
The demonstrations were held to protest budget cuts to public education.
Drenick said three people who went limp and were uncooperative when campus police arrested 17 people on Wednesday were charged with misdemeanor resisting arrest and trespassing.
She said another 11 protesters who were more cooperative with police by agreeing to walk to a booking area were only charged with misdemeanor trespassing, not resisting arrest.
Drenick said her office is still reviewing whether to file charges against the other three people who were arrested on Wednesday.
Doctoral student Callie Maidhof, a spokeswoman for the protesters, said the students came down from the ledge at Wheeler Hall on Thursday after UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau agreed to meet with them at a future date.
Maidhof said protesters will meet on Tuesday to set up a meeting with Birgeneau.
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