About one-hundred college students made it inside the Capital Rotunda before the California Highway Patrol could block off the entrances. The protest started before noon. At the same time another, un-related education rally was taking place outside.
Occupiers started with a long list of demands and whittled them down to five. Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsome attempted to negotiate bathroom breaks on their behalf. Many students, like Alan Ross, were suspicious.
"It's pretty obvious that he's part of the one percent," said Ross. "This guy has major money. He probably has a nice car and a nice house, while all of us are getting our education under attack, right?"
The order to disperse came at about six o'clock. Thirty students like Isaac Kreisman was one who decided to stay and get arrested.
"We can't take any more fees. We can't take any more layoffs," said Kreisman. "And the only way to make our voices heard is by staying here and occupying with our bodies because we don't have the money to buy the kind of influence that the big banks and corporations can buy."
After four warnings, CHP officers entered the Rotunda at a little after seven o'clock and took the students away one-by-one while the remaining students sang.
While the rally at the Rotunda was taking place, two rallies were held outside both with permits. But a hundred or so students also tried to rally on the west steps, without a permit. They were met by three rows of riot police and another row of officers on horseback.
The CHP says a little less than three dozen students have been charged with trespassing and demonstrating without a permit.
