The State - News from July 28, 1989

A group of between 200 and 400 rioters in Berkeley who broke store windows, overturned trash bins and threw rocks at police were denounced by area homeless, police and demonstration organizers for turning what was intended as a peaceful march for the homeless into a melee that resulted in 30 arrests. The event turned violent after police in riot gear rebuffed demonstrators attempting to occupy the fire-gutted Berkeley Inn and an abandoned ROTC building on the UC Berkeley campus. “The indiscriminate and random violence was immoral,” said Jacob Watts, 18, one of the homeless. “There are really nice mom-and-pop stores, and they ruined them.” Police said several officers suffered minor injuries when they were hit by rocks, bottles and cans.