"To protect and to serve" has never been UCPD policy when it comes to student protest. Back in 1969, police enforced UC policy on People's Park. UCPD failed, and today we have a park, not a parking lot. In 1999, when hunger strikers defended Ethnic Studies, UCPD attacked the protesters. Again they failed, and today ethnic studies has tenured faculty.

Recently, UCPD has made nearly 100 arrests at the oak grove and conducted numerous raids, stealing activists' personal property, blankets, food, water, and even leaflets, making a mockery of their alleged respect for free speech.

Michael Schuck, a former student who withdrew from in protest of UC's misguided policies, climbed a tree near Wheeler Hall in early March to raise awareness. UCPD's response was to violate the Geneva Conventions by denying food and water to a peaceful protester. Several students were arrested for tossing Schuck water bottles.

UCPD malfeasance extends into racist targeting of people of color. Recently UC Police Chief Harrison met with me to discuss UCPD's harassment of tree-sitters and the possibility of UCPD opening the gates to the oak grove to accommodate the Longest Walk, a Native America cross-continental trek to defend sacred sites and promote Native rights. After I went into the office to meet with Captain Beckford, I was arrested for an outstanding warrant-one that I had never been informed of because UCPD mailed the citation to an incorrect address.

The warrant charged me with violating the court order against the treesitters as well as obstructing a police officer. UCPD attempted to videotape grandmothers sending food and water to the treesitters on Dec. 2nd ­-the one-year anniversary party for the protest. My "Native American Burial Ground" banner allegedly interfered with their ability to spy on senior citizens armed with pies.

UC Executive Director of Public Affairs Dan Mogulof assured us that UCPD would not interfere with the party. The fact that UCPD targeted me ­-a woman of color-was not only a violation of this commitment, but also a racist action.

Many others held the banner, but only Native Leader Zachary RunningWolf and myself were charged. Furthermore, UCPD abused its discretion: They could have simply informed me of the warrant. I unnecessarily spent the night in Santa Rita Jail instead of studying for midterms, and I'm wasting time with numerous court appearances.

UC has tried to spin the truth about UCPD behavior at the grove. Mogulof claims that UCPD actions, such as building fences with barbed wire and cutting traverse lines, are for the sake of safety. However, Chief Harrison admits they are "making life difficult" for those living in the trees. Lines have been cut and not properly removed; a tree-sitter climbed out on such a line and nearly fell to his death.

UCPD likes to brag about winning a court injunction against the trees-it. An old white man's ruling doesn't make the treesit wrong: Activists who sat in at segregated lunch counters in the south broke "the law" for the right reasons. The overwhelming majority of the citizens of Berkeley support the treesit. UCPD has been misinterpreting and abusing the court order for months. UCPD claims that speaking to treesitters violates the court order, a total fabrication.

UCPD serves and protects not the people, but the imperial policies of the UC Regents. The regents' armed militia is anything but neutral when it comes to protest and resistance.

Tags: OAK GROVE PROTEST