People’s Park

A David And Goliath Story in Berkeley

The Free Speech Movement happened here at Sather Gate, Sproul Plaza, University of California, Berkeley; Photo by on

The battle for People’s Park in Berkeley between the University of California Regents and the nearby neighborhood communities, students and activists has lasted over 55 Years.

The UC Regents used Eminent Domain early on to expand university property, they have claimed, in order to meet the increasing demands for student housing. The Regents cleared lots, evicted low income residents including students in the process.

Activists say the fight for People’s Park is about Eminent Domain, property rights and the legitimacy of the university itself to act as a public education institution. In the late 1960s, student and resident groups mobilized to occupy the last vacant, undeveloped lot south of the campus, where there were several violent confrontations between students and the police.

The battle for this vacant lot in Berkeley drew national interest for the idea of community control of land. There were police review boards there were Boards of Education where you boys it’s comment to us now that the community has the right…