Cal-Berkeley students protest

BERKELEY, Calif., Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Four students at the University of California-Berkeley were arrested Friday during a building takeover to protest a tuition hike, a school official said.

The Oakland (Calif.) Tribune reported the arrests came after nearly 50 students barricaded themselves in a second-floor classroom in Wheeler Hall.

The 6 a.m. protest came the day after University of California regents agreed to increase students' tuition by 32 percent, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

In response to the actions by the protesters, who carried signs bearing slogans like "32% Hike, 900 layoffs," local and university police cordoned off the classroom building. The protesters alleged police used pepper spray and force against them.

The Tribune said police were assessing the situation before potentially taking action against the remaining protesters.

The tuition increase set to take effect next fall would raise undergraduate students' tuition from $7,788 to $10,302.