Editor, Daily Nexus,

Protesters against the war and rising tuition costs strongly urged students to ditch classes and regular business last Thursday. Though they were simply exercising their right of freedom of speech, the protesters crossed the line during their strike. By 8 a.m., the Pardall Tunnel, a heavy trafficked area for students crossing between campus and Isla Vista, was blocked by large orange cones, large pieces of wood, cardboard and bikes, all in efforts to prevent students from attending classes. Urging students not to attend classes and preventing students from attending classes are two very different things. The rough barricade resulted in highly stressed and pissed off students who started to tear the hindering rubble down, screaming spouts of anger and annoyance at those who were preventing them from getting to class on time – a great way to start a sunny Thursday morning.

Hundreds of posters, flyers and graffiti supporting the lobby group’s protests now litter campus, forcing maintenance services to repaint many surfaces mindlessly spray-painted upon. The Pardall Tunnel is plastered in “Strike Against the War” flyers that will be probably be left for the rain to clean up. Dozens of paper bombs left lying in the bike path, strung around light posts and crude chalk designs covering the road at the Pardall Tunnel entrance result in a trashy campus. Nonviolent and organized protests make a more effective and respected impact. So clean it up or shut up!