Cal Protesters Clash With Cops

Hundreds of student protesters in Berkeley took on riot police early Friday morning.

It was supposed to be a protest over fee hikes, but just after midnight, the students poured into the streets and the action became violent. Some of the protesters smashed windows, tossed news stands into the streets, turned over trash cans — setting several of them on fire.

Some of the protesters dragged police barricades through the streets and were seen riding on cars and throwing objects at cops.

…Videographer Josh Wolff told us the protest started as a dance party at Sproul Plaza that spread to Durant Hall. Protesters took over the building and eventually filed out and marched up Telegraph Ave. A spokesman for the protesters who took over the building told The Daily Californian that the the protest was organized in support of a March 4 day of action against tuition fee hikes.

Campus police were overwhelmed and called in help from police across the East Bay. Video from the scene shows police hitting some of the protesters with batons. Oakland police are among those who sent assistance with more than a dozen officers on scene. The CHP also sent officers to assist.

On a blog, one protester said it’s a “Real battle with cops, rioters winnin [sic]”.

Police say the streets finally quieted down at about 3:30 a.m. The students said there were 300 rioters and only 25 police.

Berkeley police are telling NBC Bay Area that it was more like 200 protesters and three dozen officers.