“The police are videotaping all demonstrations, whether or not there is a threat of violence from the protesters; they literally rip down any picket signs that get in their cameras’ way, and the Office of Student Activities is using these videos for PR and defamation purposes.”
—Flyer distributed by an unknown student group, 1985
Transcription:
The University Is Trying To Suppress FREE SPEECH
In early September, U.C. Berkeley's attorney spoke at a conference on "regulating campus dissent and enjoining campus disruption." University attorneys from across the country discussed how to legally restrict students' rights to free speech and due process. Speakers encouraged schools to intensify time, place and manner restrictions on free speech, saying they would probably be backed by the U.S. Supreme Court, and to punish students through campus disciplinary procedures instead of the court system, which is often "lenient and unreliable." They suggested keeping files on campus activists and using video surveillance at political demonstrations. (See Daily Cal, 9/18)
This conference only makes explicit the repressive purpose of tactics UC has used against the anti-apartheid and anti-intervention movement in the past year, and has escalated this semester:
- The university has initiated disciplainary action against seven participants in anti-ROTC demonstrations Aug. 27 and 29, against a few of the "Stephen Biko's" arrested on the steps last April, and against four students arrested for anti-apartheid action in Pres. Gardner's office June 19.
- The university is seeking severe penalties for eight people who attempted to speak with Pres. Gardner in his office June 19, before the Regents were to vote on divestment. Two defendants have been falsely charged with battery, and the DA offered a pretrial "deal" of two years' probation and a 90-day jail sentence, with 80 to 87 days suspended, which is way out of line from typical sentences in anti-apartheid cases across the country.
- The police are videotaping all demonstrations, whether or not there is a threat of violence from the protesters; they literally rip down any picket signs that get in their cameras' way, and the Office of Student Activities is using these videos for PR and defamation purposes, attempting to show them at ASUC and Academic Senate meetings.
- Sgt. Phil Finger, widely believed to be an investigator for the FBI, admitted on the witness stand this summer that he kept files on students involved in political activity, and advocated this practice in the police department. He also admitted that a police aide clandestinely attended a campus political group's meeting last year and reported back to the police department.
HELP PUT AN END TO THIS INTIMIDATION:
- Call Alan Kolling at the Office of student Conduct, 642-6770 and tell him to drop the disciplinary action against all students, including the anti-ROTC protesters, stressing that they did not disrupt a classroom as he charges.
- WATCH GARDNER GET GRILLED ON THE WITNESS STAND. He will be testifying at the trial of the eight people who entered his office June 19. Come support them at their trial, every day for at least two weeks (9/23-10/4) in Department 3, Milvia and Center Sts.
- Call the District Attorney (John Meehan, 874-6565), Pres. Gardner's office (642-1411) and Chancellor Heyman's office (642-7464) and tell them to drop the charges.
Date: 1985
Attribution: Flyer, 1985, Office of Public Information Records, CU-589, Carton 8, University Archives, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.