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Thousands March in Sacramento and Occupy Capitol Building in Support of Education Funding

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AnQAilhCIAApOef.jpgUC-AFT union leaders and members are among thousands of education advocates from K-12, community colleges,  and the CSU and UC systems who are marching on the capitol today in support of funding for education in California. This page will have frequent updates throughout the day directly from Bob Samuels and other UC-AFT members.

--8:00 pm, Last of occupiers have been removed from the Capitol Building.  Reports that 74 people were arrested throughout the day.

--6:51, Protesters are given third dispersal order, they are giving up their personal items to make processing easier, cops warned protesters that they could be charged with resisting arrest if they link arms, press has been asked to move away from protesters, arrest vans are moving in, arrests seem imminent, ACLU assisting protesters

--6:38 pm, Second dispersal order is given, rotunda is full of chanting, "No justice, No Peace" and "We got sold out, banks got bailed out".  Outside a rally of supporters is chanting, "We are the 99%."  Several arrests have been made, but the crowd has not been forced out the the building.

--6:20pm,  First dispersal order given by CHP, protesters told to leave through north entrance

--6:00pm, Trainings on arrest procedure, police assembling

AnQlAgcCAAAEs5M.jpgList of Demands

--5:50 pm, Protesters inside rotunda finally release demands: 1. pass millionaire's tax, 2. Cancel all student debt, 3.  Democratize CSU/UC Boards, 4.  Fully fund education, 5.  Repeal Prop 13...move to split roll tax.

--5:20 pm, UC-AFT President, Bob Samuels is interviewed on Background Briefing with Ian Masters on KPFK.

--5:00 pm, Group inside rotunda vote to stay inside when dispersl order is given.  Chants of "This is what democracy looks like" reverbating though the building. 

--4:50 pm,  Dispersal order is expected at 5pm.  Protesters will have 5 minutes to leave the building, or risk arrest.  It looks like some will stay and some will leave.

--4:45 pm, People's Assembly discussing whether to hold the building, or head outside.  Speakers on both sides, meanwhile, more reports of cops gathering just outside.

--4:30 pm, Rally starting outside on the north lawn

--4:15 pm, Reports of 200 police in full riot gear preparing to enter the Capitol Building.  Those inside fearing dispersal order may happen soon.

Tweets of the Hour- @britbarsotti "riot police are staging outside."

@ChrisMYee  "A collective #occupythecapitol "Ohm" is reverberating through the Rotunda. Stunning.

--4:00 pm, Reports of some arrests on the 2nd floor after attempts at banner drops, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom joins the general assembly, GA still trying to pull together vote on demands. 

--3:00 pm, Top 5 demands are being voted on.  The list of demands is unclear, but votes were held on support of the millioaire's tax, and on repeal of Prop 13.  

Tweet of the Hour- @daortellado:#Occupythecapitol protesters have chanted "No cuts, no fees, education must be free"

--2:15 pm, Over 300 are in the rotunda.  The group has decided to issue 5-10 demands.  GA is deciding what the demands will be.  Capitol Building is scheduled to close at 6pm.

--1:30 pm, the CHP closed down access to the Capitol Building rotunda.  About 200 people inside are using mic check and beginning to break into small groups to talk about demands, and goals.

Tweet of the Hour from @cfa_news, "Just received word that the State Capitol is officially occupied by higher education supporters!"  #occupythecapitol#calstate

--As of 11am this morning, there are reports of several thousand people marching in Sacramento, and beginnning to enter the Capitol Building.  UC-AFT President, Bob Samuels, is inside the Capitol, and is preparing to do a teach-in on State and UC financing.

On March 1st, several dozen people began a 99 mile march from Oakland to Sacramento.  They arrived in Davis yesterday (3/4).  This morning, the 99 mile marchers were joined by several thousand people from across the State in the final leg of the march to the Capitol.

Check, #occupythecapitol, and #M5 on twitter for live feeds.

Click here for media coverage of Fund our Future/Occupy the Capitol events.