Police arrest 26 at S.F. State

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- The occupation of a building at San Francisco State University ended Thursday when police moved in, arresting 26 students protesting tuition increases.

The takeover of a building at the business school began Wednesday. Classes scheduled for that building were canceled for the day but the administration decided overnight to send police in, The New York Times reported.

"The doors were locked with chains from the inside so police broke through a window to get in," said Ellen Griffin, an administration spokeswoman. "We're approaching final exams and the end of the semester, and as many as 3,200 students have classes in that building."

The arrests were made before dawn.

California's fiscal crisis has led to a sharp cut in state aid to higher education and tuition increases of 30 percent at the 10 campuses of California State University and

32 percent at the University of California.

Buildings were occupied last month at Berkeley and Santa Cruz. Student protesters are planning a statewide strike March 4, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.