Protesters halt construction on controversial UC Berkeley housing project after tense police standoff
CBSN
A group of protesters broke through an eight-foot chain fence erected Wednesday around Berkeley's historic People's Park and faced off with police officers standing guard as a construction crew began work on a controversial student housing project. The work was halted for safety reasons.
The park was cleared overnight Tuesday and the fencing was put up the following day after an Alameda County Superior Court judge on Friday ruled that the University of California, Berkeley — the site's owner — could move forward with its housing plan despite local groups suing to stop it.
By the early afternoon, parts of the fence had been cut down by protesters, prompting small celebrations of vindication inside the park. Some of the protesters remained on site after the university said it decided to stop construction for the day "due to the destruction of construction materials, unlawful protest activity, and violence on the part of some protesters." Some of the protesters climbed onto the bulldozers that remained near a basketball court in the park.
The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that the U.S. food supply is still "one of the safest in the world," in the wake of a number of foodborne disease outbreaks affecting items ranging from organic carrots to deli meats to McDonald's Quarter Pounders. E. coli, listeria and other contaminants have sickened thousands of people and forced a number of recalls in recent months.
We just had another election with a clear and verifiable victor, overseen by hundreds of thousands of election officials. Those public servants have suffered years of harassment, and despite their successes, are still being accused of taking part in a massive and impossible conspiracy — a conspiracy led by the party out of power to steal an election and cover up all evidence.
Washington — Former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz is meeting with senators on Capitol Hill on Wednesday as he seeks to shore up support for his nomination for attorney general amid calls for the House Ethics Committee to release a report on allegations he engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.