Occupy UCLA protests tuition hike, UC Davis pepper spray

WESTWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- UCLA students gathered Monday night in Westwood to protest tuition increases and the recent pepper-spraying of students by police at UC Davis.

Sixty students rebuilt the Occupy encampment after it was shut down last Friday by police in riot gear, who arrested 14 people that day.

The students want to show their solidarity with Occupy UC movements across the state. UCLA is one of four UC campuses to protest.

While students are prepared for a possible run-in with police, they think there are a few reasons they have been allowed to set up camp again.

The demonstrators think police could be treading lightly after the pepper-spraying of UC Davis students, and they are also camping near a group of students who camp out annually to protect the UCLA Bruin Bear from USC in anticipation of the upcoming rival football game.

"This time it's a little bit different because we're trying to protect the Bruin bear from USC intruders, and it's kind of our way of saying we're also trying to protect public education from becoming the type of privitized institution that USC is," said UCLA student Andrew Newton.

UCLA police said there are currently no plans to move the encampment.

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protest, ucla, los angeles news, christina salvo

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