The Daily Bruin

LOS ANGELES -- Demanding the return of affirmative action policies, 31 UCLA students were arrested in the middle of a major Los Angeles intersection, capping a massive 3,000-student march from the university campus into Westwood yesterday afternoon.

Students nationwide held rallies, marches and class walk-outs in support of affirmative action as part of the National Day of Action. The University of California Board of Regents decided July 20 to abolish UC's race-based admissions and hiring policies.

"I think it will be a very uncomfortable year for the regents and the Office of the President if they don't at one time or another begin to reconsider that they've done," said student regent Edward Gomez.

"And I'm glad that it will be uncomfortable for them," Gomez added. "I back the students, the faculty and the staff 100 percent. This is my children's and my grandchildren's world and I wish that the regents would get É out of it and quit making stupid decisions for them."

The march was the culmination of the student-organized "12 Days of Education," which began on Oct. 1.

Yesterday's demonstration began at about 10 a.m. when students and faculty gathered at Westwood Plaza to chant, play music and deliver speeches. About an hour later protesters began to march throughout town.

The line of protesters snaked its way through campus, with demonstrators calling to passers-by and classes to join them.

As students left campus and moved into Westwood Village, the police presence increased dramatically. Demonstrators were greeted by an estimated 61 horse-mounted L.A. police officers, while dozens of others were dressed in riot gear.

Observers leaned out of their windows in the nearby business office buildings, and demonstrators flocked to street intersections, joining hands while chanting and singing.

Thirty-three protesters broke off from the main group and moved into the intersection, while demonstrators formed a ring around them.

"The people united will never be divided," they chanted, as police wearing face shields and wielding batons tried to keep them out of the intersection and on the sidewalk.

By 12:30 p.m. the police had issued a dispersal order, declaring the demonstration unlawful. The 31 protesters in the center of the intersection were given only a minute to leave.

When the students in the intersection deliberately failed to heed the warning, police began making arrests at about 12:45, and began loading them onto blue LAPD buses.

They were taken to the West Los Angeles precinct and booked on misdemeanor failure to disperse charges. By 1:30 p.m. they were released on their own recognizance.

"I think what we saw today was a beginning of a movement of students of color and women united to stand against white supremacy," said African Student Union member Kendra Fox-Davis, who joined other students in participating in civil disobedience.

"Today was a tremendously impressive display of student power and the potential that we all have as students to change our environment and take control of our university," Fox-Davis said.

The aim of the demonstration was to demand a renewed university commitment to maintaining diversity among students, faculty and staff, marchers said.

"Affirmative action is necessary as long as there people out there in society who make decisions about who gets what job and who doesn't, about who gets into a university and who doesn't," said Bruin Democrats President Tristen Sotomayor.

"We want to overthrow the regents' decision," said Adolfo Bermeo, director of UCLA's Academic Advancement Program, which offers tutoring services to under-represented students. "Equal access and opportunity for academically qualified students has got to remain part of the UC's commitment.

"The regents turned their back on that by voting against affirmative action," Bermeo said.

Although UCLA Chancellor Charles Young has called demonstrations ineffective means of protest, administrators yesterday seemed to approve of the students orderly and thoroughly prepared march.

"I was particularly, personally very pleased with the way students conducted themselves today," said Robert Maples, assistant vice chancellor of student and campus life. "I think they did a terrific job ... and the leadership and the organization far surpassed our expectations."

One of the primary figures in preparing the day's march was Undergraduate President York Chang. Joining members of his staff, Chang chose the route of civil disobedience and was among the 31 students arrested.

Although his decision seems certain to fuel the fire of debate of student government involvement in politics, Chang feels confident he played his role properly.

"Student government has an obligation to advocate on broad educational issues

that are going to impact students' access," Chang said. "Student government -

you know, we don't really govern anything. Our role is to get students to

empower themselves."

Many UCLA faculty members lent their influence to pro-affirmative action

efforts as well.

"I really support taking ethnicity and gender into consideration in admissions

and hiring," said classics professor Katherine King. "Without taking these

factors into explicit account, we just won't have enough women and minorities

at this campus."

But others weren't as supportive.

"We don't like it," said Frank Ponder, manager of Bel-Air Camera in Westwood.

"I think there are more positive ways for students and faculty to attack

problems such as the mentoring and tutoring of students. Every street closure

affects business."

Although university police said there were no reports of injuries or

unnecessary use of force, some students were unhappy with police treatment.

"One of the things that surprised me was the flippancy of the arresting

officers. They were making jokes," said Lloyd Frades, a member of the SAGE,

who was arrested.

"One officer commented to me that they call UCLA the University of Communists

and Liberal Assholes," Frades said. "They were making jokes about deportation

as well that I didn't think were particularly appropriate."

According to police spokesperson Sergeant Stephany Payne, there were no other

disturbances or demonstrations on other Los Angeles area universities.

"When society (reaches) such a state of injustice, such a state that cannot be

tolerated, such as what happened with the regents' decision, then it's time to

step out of the bounds of society," said Undergraduate External Vice President

John Du, during a press conference held by visibly relieved and jubilant

protest organizers later Thursday afternoon.

"We reject and disobey the laws that society has set for us and that's why we

must have the courage and sign up and put our lives on the line," Du said, who

was also among those arrested.