"In February, university administrators stripped all the artwork from the center's walls, including a large-scale colorful mural depicting heroes of the ethnic studies movement, a poster of Martin Luther King Jr. and a Free Palestine sign."
"The student interns who help run the center also say they have been told they cannot allow community or student organizations to schedule events at the center, a longtime part of its programming."
"UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons says the changes come in the wake of complaints that some students felt unwelcome at the center, citing pro-Palestinian artwork as one element that visitors experienced as hostile."
In California, a rise in right-wing politics has resulted in anti-immigrant sentiments and restrictions on affirmative action. In response, UC Berkeley students organized a hunger strike in 1999 to protect ethnic studies programs. They demanded a multicultural community center, which became a vital space for teaching diverse histories and cultures. However, recent actions by university administrators have threatened the center's mission, including the removal of artwork and restrictions on events, citing complaints from students about feeling unwelcome due to certain displays.
Read at www.berkeleyside.org
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