situation at sfsu seems to be over

Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 14, 2010



(04-14) 09:39 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Two women were arrested at San Francisco State University early today after a group of protesters broke into a campus building, angered by sanctions handed down to demonstrators at a December building takeover, authorities said.

The two women, who are not San Francisco State students, were among 19 people who broke into the Cesar Chavez Student Center at about 4 a.m., said university spokeswoman Ellen Griffin.

University police responded, pepper-sprayed the two protesters when they resisted and arrested them, Griffin said. Their names were not immediately released. The other protesters dispersed but remained on campus, Griffin said.

The protest was in response to fines that were leveled as part of misconduct charges against 11 students involved in a two-day protest in December in which activists barricaded themselves inside the business school to protest fee hikes.

In that incident, 25 protesters were arrested after officers broke windows to get into the building.

The 11 students had apparently believed that each would be fined about $50 and had signed agreements with the university, but they became upset when the bills amounted to about $750 each, Griffin said.

They may not be able to register for fall classes if they don't pay by July, Griffin said.

"They were all offered payment plans as well," Griffin said. "So far, none has taken advantage of the payment plan."