UC Berkeley Served With 15 Million Lawsuit For Police Brutality On Students

On Wednesday, June 13, 2012 University of California, Berkeley served with 15 million dollar federal lawsuit on behalf of 30 plaintiffs for police brutality and "UCB's political witch hunt" as a result of November 9, 2011 Occupy protest on campus and later arrest.


The lawsuit asks for redress and damages calling the University's actions against the plaintiffs “..UCB’s political witch hunt against protesters.” 

The lawsuit names as defendants UC Berkeley Chancellor, Executive Vice Chancellor, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and many others.

Lead plaintiff and BAMN national organizer, Yvette Felarca, stated “We demand justice. Education is a right, and people fighting to defend it should not be met with brutality and a political witchhunt by UC-Berkeley or any other university administration,” She was the first person struck and the target of multiple baton blows in the YouTube video that went viral of November 9 police brutality.

Felarca went on to say “We want this to set the precedent for every university administration that they will not attack our right to protest for public education. Through the course of this lawsuit, we will use every means at our disposal, including legal and direct action, to expose UC-Berkeley’s policy of political suppression and win justice”.

The federal complaint was newly amended since it was originally filed with the U.S. District Court last November to add a demand of $7.5 million in compensatory damages for physical and emotional harm and denial of constitutional rights as well as $7.5 million in punitive damages.

After the police brutality on the students of Berkeley campus, hundreds of people emailed complaints to the administration regarding how it managed the situation.

 A Sampling Of Some Of The Letters Sent To The Chancellor's Office:

"The police response you authorized tumed the placement of seven tents on campus property into an occasion for brutality, injury and mass resentment. You ... should stand with the 99% by supporting the Occupy Cal encampment and calls on Wall Street corporations and the super-rich to pay their fair share refunding public education. By authorizing police violence, you are promoting the interests of the 1% including the many UC regents who sit on corporate boards. You have defaulted on your responsibilities to protect students and steward of this University in these difficult times."