Demonstrations and respect for the rights of others

We are upset by reports today that UC Santa Cruz students were apparently involved in demonstrations that obstructed traffic on local highways and streets for several hours, impacting countless members of our community.

According to authorities, six UCSC students were arrested early this afternoon on charges that include conspiracy, creating a public nuisance, and resisting arrest. Campus leaders will investigate the incident and the reported involvement of UCSC students.

As we have said before, we fully respect the free-speech rights of students, faculty, and staff to engage in lawful protest. However, we cannot support actions that infringe on the rights and movement of others.

We are all members of this community, and we deeply regret the impact these events had on our neighbors. It's more than just an inconvenience; obstructing traffic jeopardizes public safety in ways that potentially could put people's lives at risk. We strongly condemn this form of public protest and will exert our full responsibility as campus leaders to discourage its use in the future.