4/19/05 UCSC Vice-Chancellor of Communications lies to the media about police brutality at Tent University.

"'No, no, there were no batons, there were no Tasers. Someone said there was a Taser (gun) used. No, there was no force of that sort,' UC Santa Cruz spokeswoman Elizabeth Irwin said."

Video: Monday Night Arrests at TUSC

4/18/05 A couple hours after the University of California police began carrying people away one by one, a deal was struck between some of the TUSC organizers and members of the UCSC administration. The deal was that the UC administration would call off the police and allow TUSC to continue during the day on Tuesday if people began to disperse and no more than five people spent the night at the base of campus. The TUSC organizers accepted the deal causing a surreal scene where suddenly, the cops ran away and the people rejoiced! More coverage from SC-IMC

4/18/05 10:17 pm (pst): The arrests have begun, the police are employing pain compliance techniques. At least one person that was not involved has already been arrested.

4/18/05 9:53 pm (pst): The police and administrators have descended on the Tent University, and are going to begin arresting people soon. There are people locked down and chanting loudly. There are alot of tents currently erected. An estimated 50-100 campers are in a position to be arrested.

4/18/05 8:34 pm (pst): There are over 150 people gathered at the base of the University of Santa Cruz, where students staff and faculty have committed themselves to the creation of Tent University Santa Cruz (TUSC), and to keep it maintained for five days of workshops, resistence, and festivities.

Camping on campus grounds is a violation of university policy, however some folks have held out and made a final decision to camp at the base of the university. Some university officials offered the Quarry Amphitheatre as an alternative place to camp, however the offer was rejected because the organizers chose the base of the UCSC campus becasue of its visibility to the greater Santa Cruz community and that would be lost by moving to the amphitheatre.

The university has declared that if folks are sleeping or camping illegally, they will be arrested. Some folks have pledged to stay where Tent University currently exists, regardless of the consequences. There are others that have committed to support those that engage in civil disobedience.

related: Tent Universtiy Santa Cruz I TUSC Direct Democracy Forum Votes To Stay Put (7:23pm 4/18/05) I some photos from today I some audio from today
Catch up with the rest of the story at: Santa Cruz Indymedia