Ben Margot / AP Photo
Campus police in riot gear descended on UC Berkeley student protestors Wednesday, resulting in seven arrests and several violent confrontations. Around 3:40 p.m., campus police pushed their way through a human chain and began dismantling tents, leading led to scuffles with students. "It really, really hurt—I got the wind knocked out of me,” said doctoral student Shane Boyle, who added that he was “lucky I only I got hit twice." Campus officials later told students they could protest “24/7” for this week but that tents were forbidden. In total, six students and one professor were arrested for resisting arrest and delaying police officers. Students said their protest is in preparation for a confrontation at next week’s San Francisco meeting of the California Board of Regents, who many students blame for the state tuition increases. Meanwhile, in neighboring Oakland, Occupy protesters hijacked a news conference calling for the end of their tent city.