Post Academic

The protest days returned over at the University of California Berkeley. On Thursday night, what was supposed to be a dance turned into a riot over rising fees and slashed budgets. The riot involved tipped porta-potties and a flaming Dumpster.

Some of the rioting seemed misguided. One student explained that a Subway sandwich shop sustained damage because of the proximity of another Subway: “There will be two Subways within 100 feet of each other.” Wasn’t this supposed to be about budget cuts? What did Jared do to you?

Hatred of Subway aside, this riot shows just how tense campuses have become under the budget strain. Students know that they aren’t getting their money’s worth, especially if they pay a premium for a diploma and can’t get a job with it. Unless the students are taken seriously by the administration and the legislature, these incidents will continue. Alas, violence like this means the students are less likely to be taken seriously, period.

UC Berkeley fee protest turns rowdy [SF Gate]
Late-night protest at UC Berkeley turns violent [Washington Post/AP]
Businesses banged up when UC Berkeley protest party turns violent [San Jose Mercury News]