Police arrested at least 17 students yesterday, after they blocked an intersection near the UC Santa Cruz campus.
Video footage shows an officer restraining one of the protestors with their hand and foot on the student’s neck.
One of the people arrested may be held in custody for days, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Santa Cruz is one of the most expensive places to live in California. Grad students are asking for wage increases to keep up with the cost of living.
They say the average worker is paid twenty four hundred dollars a month. But the average one-bedroom apartment in Santa Cruz costs twenty six hundred dollars per month.
It’s a wildcat strike. That means student teaching assistants are operating without support from the union that represents them.
A university spokesperson said the students arrested face charges, including unlawful assembly.