I was seated on some stairs just inside Wheeler Hall quickly going over my notes. I had less than 30 minutes before my midterm and I wasn't doing particularly well in my Anthropology class. As I scanned the pages a girl came up to me and quietly said, "If you don't want to be in a protest, you should leave now." I looked up as she walked away and noticed a few policemen standing on the outside of the entrance doors. I knew there was a pro-Palestine rally going on in Sproul Plaza but that was pretty far away. I went back to reading my notes.
A few minutes later I hear some shouting and the doors into Wheeler hall are thrown open from the inside and a torrent of protesters flood the hall. I sit dumbfounded as they surround me chanting "Free Palestine!" over and over. Slowly I gather my things and look across the occupied area to the doors that lead into the auditorium where my midterm would be starting soon. I opted to look for another way in.
After stumbling around the lower floor for a while I found another entrance and made my way inside. Everyone that actually made it inside was restless. The chanting and shouting could clearly be heard through the doors. The professor decided to give the exam anyway.
Seventy-nine protesters were arrested during their five hour occupation of the hall.
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Tension between Berkeley supporters of Israel and Palestine soared to alarming heights yesterday as a noon rally prompted activists to trade fiery accusations and slurs, and resulted in the takeover of Wheeler Hall.
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