Black staff, faculty stage silent protest at Sproul

More than 100 members of the African American community at UC Berkeley held a silent protest in front of Sproul Hall on Monday to demonstrate solidarity with the nationwide #BlackLivesMatter movement of recent weeks.

Standing two to five deep across the width of the Savio Steps, campus staff, faculty, students and alums stood silently for 28 minutes, in a driving rain, shortly after noon.

The duration of the silence was by design. “We’re here to proclaim that black lives matter and inform others that every 28 hours a black person is killed by law enforcement, vigilantes or security,” the Black Staff and Faculty Organization (BSFO), which organized the action, said in a flyer.

“Our silence is respectful of the time of year for our students,” who are taking finals, “but our voices will be heard and our message clear,” Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Harry Le Grande – one of a number of top administrators present — said in a statement for the group.

Some wore tape across their mouths. Others held signs reading “I Can’t Breathe” and “Black Lives Always Matter,” along with more Berkeley-specific messages: “#Ferguson2CAL” and “Not on Our Watch.”

https://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2014/12/15/black-staff-faculty-stage-silent-protest-at-sproul/