Five Campus Hunger Strikers Arrested

Five hunger strikers were arrested Sunday after camping out for 13 days on the University of California, Irvine, campus to protest the end of affirmative action.

The protesters, and two of their supporters, were booked at the Orange County Jail on misdemeanor charges of obstructing a police officer. All were expected to be released after their paperwork was processed.

About 200 supporters chanted “No justice! No peace!” and “People united will never be divided” as the protesters were led to police cars. The hunger strikers, who had consumed only liquids, had erected tents in front of the campus administration building.

The protests were aimed at a July 20 decision by the Board of Regents of the nine-campus university system to drop race- and gender-based admissions, hiring and contracting policies.