After two days of a student occupation of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) in Rio Piedras, San Juan, student leaders have declared an indefinite strike. The student assembly organized by the student General Council last week approved the two day walk-out and an indefinite strike if the administrators of the state run and owned university did not negotiate seriously with the students. The main student demands are:
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Teachers Occupation of Government Offices and their Removal by the Riot Squad
One of the largest universities in the Caribbean closed Wednesday as hundreds of students clashed with security guards during a 48-hour strike to protest budget cuts and changes to the academic program at the University of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico university closes as students strike
The reaction of the pro statehood government and university officials has been a heavy handed use of the riot squad which has on various occasions since Wednesday used force in an attempt to break the strike and student morale. An attempt by the riot squad to take over the main entrance to the university was resisted by the students who fought back the aggression.
However, the cops now control the entrance.
Various labor leaders in the fight against the government's firing of over 20,000 public sector workers have participated on the student picket line outside the university and some have entered the university in support of the student strike.
Other campuses of the University of Puerto Rico in Humacao, Mayaguez and others have also declared their intention to go on strike staring Friday.
On the other hand, some 100 teachers led by Rafael Feliciano, President of the Teachers Federation of Puerto Rico occupied offices of the government's Treasury (Hacienda) protesting the destruction of the teacher's retirement fund which is being privatized by the government.
Student Parody of Riot Squad