Berkeley's Free Speech Movement 


• Berkeley's Free Speech Movement

  Protests at University of California in December 1964 over restrictions on fundraising and political activity on campus
• Leader of the December 1964 protests

  • Mario Savio
  • Participated in the SNCC's Mississippi Freedom Summer and Black Voter Registration Campaign
  • Wanted to raise money for the SNCC
• University authorities didn't allow fundraising and political activity on campus


  Prompted thousands of Berkeley students to protest against this infringement upon their constitutional right to free speech
• Berkeley Free Speech Movement protests

  1. Occupied the administration building

  2. Police ejected them

  3. Made 800 arrests
• Students gained considerable support from Berkeley teaching staff

  University backed down and allowed political discussions and activities on campus
• Another flare up in 1965 when a student was arrested for displaying the word 'fuck'
• FSM (Free Speech Movement)


  • Triggered nationwide student protests
  • Students criticised their universities as impersonal, bureaucratic and excessively regulatory
  • Students demanded a say in the university government
• Anti-war students disliked universities undertaking (paid) research for government agencies