UC Berkeley police are in the news again, for searching a journalist’s camera after a December 11 protest on the college campus at Chancellor Robert Birgeneau’s home. The issue at hand was weather or not the search of the journalist David Morse’s camera was done properly in accordance with the law. Last week Alameda County Superior Judge Yolanda Northridge ruled that the search by UC Berkeley police was illegal, and ordered the California university to return all copies of the photographs to Morse. This ruling was well received by many journalist’s, as the judge upheld the state law which restricts the police from searching journalists’ unpublished work.
UC Berkeley has been home to various protests since the 1960’s, as college students and residents have stood up for issues which they feel passionate about. This demonstration at Chancellor Robert Birgeneau’s campus residence was focused on the cuts in funding for education which have forced fee increases, reduction in classes, and faculty furloughs. These issues have created situations where students are having to pay more, but be offered less options and fewer choices for classes. It is likely that there will be more protests around the state, as the California State University trustees voted last week to raise fees for students by 5 percent. This move was in response to state funding cuts and students are definitely upset, as the rough economic conditions in California have made it tough for them to pay their increasing expensive school bills.
Journalists and photographers for the press need to cover these events, and this ruling by Judge Northridge will keep them in the trenches reporting around California.
