UC Santa Cruz tells pro-Palestinian protesters to stop blocking entrances

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - UC Santa Cruz will continue to offer only remote learning on Wednesday and Thursday because of a campus strike and protest that's been going on for a week.

On Tuesday, UC Santa Cruz officials called on the demonstrators to leave the main and west entrances.

They said the protest is preventing employees and students from getting onto campus and blocking the childcare center.

Protesters have thrown rocks and debris into the road, which they also splashed with red paint.

Union academic workers on the three campuses said they're upset about how university leaders have responded to pro-Palestinian protests.  

"It is a hard decision to go on strike," said UC David PhD student Ximena Anleu, who is also the UAW 4811 vice president.

She too, is supposed to walk in her own graduation.

An estimated 12,000 union employees are walking the picket lines at UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis and UCLA.

The strike is causing frustration among some students who say it's led to research delays and withheld grades as they're getting ready for finals.

The UC Office of the President calls the strike illegal saying that its contract with the union includes a no-strike provision.