Alex Darocy Photography

A misdemeanor charge against Indybay journalist Alex Darocy was dropped in Santa Cruz Superior Court on October 19. An officer with the California Highway Patrol cited him with the misdemeanor on March 3, 2015 after Darocy photographed the six UCSC students who locked themselves together and blocked Highway 1 in Santa Cruz as part of the “96 Hours of Action” protests against tuition hikes and racist police violence called for by students across the UC system. A previously unpublished photo taken of the six UCSC students blocking Highway 1 on March 3, 2015. Darocy submitted this photo to the court to enter it into evidence in April of 2016. The office of District Attorney Jeff Rosell charged Darocy with violation of Vehicle Code section 2800(a), failing or refusing to comply with a lawful order of a peace officer (a misdemeanor), and violation of Vehicle Code section 21718(a), stopping on a freeway (an infraction). It looked like the case was going to trial. It wasn't un...

The six UCSC students charged in association with the March 3 blockade of Highway 17, where it meets Highway 1 in Santa Cruz, will be back in court on June 29 and June 30. On June 29 at 10:00am, there will be a hearing in Santa Cruz County Superior Court to finalize their sentence, and on June 30 at 1:30pm there will be a restitution hearing. The defendants and their supporters gather May 7 at the Santa Cruz Court House. The students all pleaded "no contest" to two misdemeanor counts each at their last court appearance on May 7, which was followed by a press conference where three members of the group, Sophia DiMatteo, Ethan Pezzolo, and Lori Nixon, discussed for the first time publicly what motivated them on March 3. The students each face a possible sentence of 30 days, and the prosecution has estimated the amount of restitution they are seeking is approximately $40,000. They have issued a call for court support: "We need to fill the court room with suppor...

Students at UC Santa Cruz occupied the Stevenson Coffee House for a short period of time on April 27 to expose a person they say is a known rapist who is presently employed at the business. The small cafe, which is privately owned and operated under a lease with the university, is located within Stevenson College on the east side of the UCSC campus. The person who they say raped at least two students was not in the coffee house at the time the group marched inside. They had first assembled in Quarry Plaza for an "Activists IN! Rapists OUT!" rally. Students announced the intention of the Activists IN! Rapists OUT! rally as follows: "The University of California is targeting and repressing student activists as “threats to the health and safety” of the community, while protecting students who repeatedly rape and sexually assault our fellow slugs. 6 students are facing unprecedented sanctions (suspension until September 1, 2016, 100-120 hours of community service, and ...

The six UCSC students arrested and charged in association with the March 3 blockade of Highway 1 (where it meets Highway 17 in Santa Cruz) returned to court on April 8. As the six defendants and their attorneys made their second appearance as a group before Judge Denine Guy, a prosecutor indicated the District Attorney's office will not offer them a plea deal to reduce misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and creating a public nuisance. The Santa Cruz DA also desires a restitution amount of $19,000 be paid. The HWY 6 defendants, family members, and supporters gather in front of the Santa Cruz Court House. Buttons were printed up and distributed that had the following messages on them: "Stop Political Repression At UCSC - Free The HWY 6!" "Slugs Against First Amendment Suppression - Drop the HWY 6 Charges," "Sit Down Fight Back - Support the HWY 6," and, "Repeal the Suspensions - Reject the Regents!"  Food Not Bombs arrived an...

Supporters packed a Santa Cruz courtroom today for preliminary hearings concerning the six UCSC students who were arrested for blocking traffic on Highway 17 on March 3 to protest tuition increases. Today's hearing was the first time all six of those arrested have appeared together in court, and they all have legal representation now. None have pleaded guilty to the charges they face, which include misdemeanors for "resisting arrest" and creating a "public nuisance." The six UC Santa Cruz students and their attorneys assemble before the judge for the first time as a group. Judge Denine J. Guy set the next hearing date for the defendants for April 8, and said the issue of restitution could come up as part of the proceedings. During the highway blockade on March 3, the students sat across multiple lanes of the roadway and locked themselves to garbage cans full of cement. It took officers with the California Highway Patrol several hours to release them a...

During the 96 Hours of Action demonstrations at UC Santa Cruz, students marched to the campus police station for an FTP vigil on March 4. As they marched, they carried two coffins with them to symbolize those killed by police. Some also carried "Drop the Charges" signs, which referred to the criminal charges six UCSC students face in association with the Highway 17 blockade in Santa Cruz that occurred on March 3. Demonstrations during 96 Hours of Action were organized from March 2-5 to oppose tuition increases and to raise awareness about the connection between the privatization of education in California and institutionalized police violence. UC Santa Cruz police station After a rally was held at Quarry Plaza, demonstrators marched across campus to the police station. When they arrived, a group of University of California Police officers outfitted in riot gear that nearly equaled the size of their own group was deployed. As officers created an elaborate "defe...

On March 3, six students protesting tuition hikes at UCSC blocked traffic where Highway 1 meets Highway 17 in Santa Cruz by sitting in the highway and locking themselves to cement filled cans. One can was spray painted with the message, "Fight the Fees," which references the large tuition increases recently approved by the Regents of the University of California. As a group of Caltrans workers, California Highway Patrol officers, and other police worked to saw the students free, several dozen students marched onto the highway in solidarity, which triggered its closure and caused a major traffic tie-up throughout Santa Cruz. UCSC students lock themselves together to stop traffic on Highway One. A police riot squad was eventually deployed to the highway, and after a notice to disperse was issued, students marched to the Santa Cruz County jail, where they knew the six lock down participants would arrive after being arrested.  As they waited, small groups blocked traf...