Racial Tensions Escalate In Berkeley

Building off of this story, three more separate "hate crimes" have been reported to the Chancellor's Task Force on Hate and Bias. Each report has a unique victim (Chicano/Latino, LGBT, Black) and the degree of each crime varies, though none of the reports seem to elevate above the level of the first attack on the eight Muslim women last Thursday. On top of these attacks, UCLA and UCR have both been victims of what have been categorized as hate crimes by local authorities.

While none of the attacks have been conclusively linked to student perpetrators, racial tensions have begun to rise locally. A Sikh student was recently asked by a employee to leave Crossroads Dining Facility after being cited for wearing his Kirpan (ceremonial sword), an act not seen as optional by many of those who follow that faith. In retaliation, the Sikh Student Union staged an "eat-in" Thursday night that was attended by several members of Cal-SERVE, Student Action, and SQUELCH! Parties, as well as representatives from many student groups. There were not any problems with getting in, but the two UCPD officers that the SSU requested accompany them into the dining commons might have helped facilitate that.

While none of these scenarios have been overwhelmingly radical or different, their frequency this early in the year has many people worried about an increase in racial tension on campus, and what it can lead to. Already, student groups from opposing viewpoints have started to come to each other’s aid, but it is too soon to tell whether or not this will have any effect in securing unity among Berkeley’s student body.
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