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  ANGIE LEVINE One thousand protesters from around the state gathered in Westwood Plaza Wednesday to urge the UC Board of Regents to repeal SP-1 and 2. The day ended peacefully with no arrests.

By Robert Salonga

Daily Bruin Reporter

After the voices of more than 1,000 peaceful protesters echoed throughout campus, several hundred students took over Royce Hall Wednesday, demanding that the UC Board of Regents vote to repeal its ban on affirmative action.

“I fight today for people who fought for equal access before us and for future generations,” said Ryan Smith, a member of the African Student Union. “We will not be denied.”

Despite the looming threat of arrests throughout the evening, no one was apprehended for the takeover, which also led to the cancellation of a mayoral debate to be held later in the evening.

The takeover was the culmination of two marches and several speeches throughout the day to call for the repeal of the regents’ 1995 policies, SP-1 and 2, that ended affirmative action in university admissions and hiring.

“The last time there were this many students, a student demonstration this powerful, was when they passed the policies,” said Undergraduate Students Association Council Internal Vice President Elias Enciso at the day’s end. “It was a really emotional day.”

Protesters from across the state gathered at UCLA, including students from other UC campuses, local high schools and various advocacy groups. They gathered at Westwood Plaza at 11 a.m. and proceeded to march through campus, chanting continuously.

Demonstrators carried banners, signs and stickers with the words “Access Denied” imprinted on them – referring to the drop in the number of underrepresented minority students admitted to the UC since the loss of affirmative action. They also sported colored armbands and chanted along with rally leaders, using bullhorns, amplified speakers and even a conch shell to make themselves heard.

Fifty-eight university police officers were assigned to patrol the demonstration, according to UCPD Assistant Chief Karl Ross.

UCPD officials also said they enlisted the aid of California Highway Patrol officers for back-up support.

“We were very pleased with the absence of arrests,” said Nancy Greenstein, community services director for UCPD.

Coordinated by the Affirmative Action Coalition, the first march eventually settled in front of the James West Alumni Center, where the regents were meeting, where students chanted “You work for us,” to the regents.

After negotiations between students and administrators, a delegation of four students, including ASU Chair Karren Lane, went inside the alumni center to speak with the regents.

Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, a regent by virtue of his office, emerged from the board meeting with Lane and a contingent of bodyguards to tell the crowd why the vote to repeal SP-1 would not be on the regents’ agenda until the May meeting.

  MINDY ROSS/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Chicana/o studies and political science student Eric Lopez protests Wednesday. “If we took the vote today, it wouldn’t pass,” Bustamante said as some protesters drowned out his voice. “We’re going to make sure that when the vote comes, we put this thing away.”

Demonstrators responded by shouting “Show us, don’t tell us,” accompanied by the beating of drums.

Noni Limar of the African Student Union refuted Bustamante’s claim, saying the regents have postponed action for six years.

“In May, they may postpone it again; we can’t afford to wait,” Limar said, adding that even if the repeal is on the May agenda, it will not affect next year’s admissions policies.

Noluthando Williams, a UCLA graduate and former chair of ASU, did not sympathize with Bustamante’s statement either.

“Until there’s a vote, none of (the regents) are on our side,” Williams said.

Even if the regents were to repeal SP-1, the passage of Proposition 209 in 1996 by California voters which eliminated affirmative action in all state-funded programs would still make affirmative action illegal under state law.

After several more speeches, Lane initiated a second march through campus – this time stopping at Royce Hall. The protesters, who dwindled to half their original number, staged a sit-in in the Royce lobby shortly after 3 p.m. After dismissing minors for liability issues, they held an open forum.

Eventually they gained access to the auditorium, which was being prepared for the mayoral debate scheduled that evening. Filling several rows, the crowd – mostly current and former UCLA students – stated their intentions to use the upcoming mayoral debate to convey their views.

“If we get the mayoral debates cancelled, it’s a victory,” Ghaith Mahmood, president of the Muslim Student Association, said to those still outside Royce. “It sends the message that an event cannot be held on campus when there is a student crisis.”

University police, led by Chief Clarence R. Chapman, were ready to intervene at 5 p.m., but Chancellor Albert Carnesale had them wait until 6:30 p.m. Carnesale then approached the protesters, saying that if they left Royce by 6 p.m., he would write a letter stating his support for the repeal of SP-1.

The protesters refused, saying this matter had to do with the regents and not the chancellor. Carnesale then repeated that police would take action at 6:30 p.m. as planned. As 6 p.m. approached, Los Angeles mayoral candidates Xavier Becerra and Antonio Villaraigosa arrived on campus, fully aware that the debate was cancelled.

Both Becerra and Villaraigosa talked with Carnesale and asked for time to speak to the demonstrators. Carnesale agreed on the condition that the demonstrators leave Royce before 8 p.m.

The two candidates spoke with protesters and gave their support of the repeal. At 7:45 p.m., everyone filed out of the building peacefully.

Following their exit, the demonstrators collected in front of Royce and chanted, “We’ll be back and we’ll be better.”

With reports from Lily Jamali, Timothy Kudo, Shauna Mecartea, Barbara Ortutay, Marcelle Richards, Linh Tat, Marion Wise and Scott B. Wong, Daily Bruin Senior Staff.

UC ADMIT NUMBERS 1997-2000

Minority population increases since 1997 have been gradual and actual percentages of minorities continue to lag behind affirmative action levels.

SOURCE: UC Office of the President Original by VICTOR CHEN/Daily Bruin Web Adaptation by HERNANE TABAY/Daily Bruin Senior Staff

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