Boise Students Occupy State Senate Chambers

Bosie State University students occupied the Idaho State Senate chambers to protest the Legislature's refusal to enact a minimum wage bill that included migrant farm workers.

Students from Boise State University occupied the Idaho State Senate yesterday in an ongoing protest over living

wage issues for migrant farmworkers. While the state house had in recent years included farmworkers in minimum

wage bills the Senate refused to act for years.

Community activists and students from Boise State University gathered in the gallery of the state senate at 10:30 and as the gavel fell to open the session they

showered the Senators with red and black confetti, fake $3 bills, and copies of the senate wage bill. Two students

made their way to the center aisle and locked down to each other with bicycle locks while others chanted, "Justice

for all farmworkers now."

Police were called by the Senate and 16 protesters were arrested on charges of trespassing and disutrbing the peace.

The Director of the Idaho Migrant Council, Humberto Fuentes, thanked the protesters, saying that after four years of traditional political outreach "they were exercising their right to show their frustration". \

Jeremy Maxim of the ProgressiveStudent Alliance felt that giant corporate agribusiness had drowned out the views of the majority, "If they were white suburban middle class soccer moms testifying about this or that I'm sure the legislature would listen to their concerns. They're sytematically being denied their access to minimum wage and equal protection under

the law and they've had voices and opinions and testimony systematically silenced."

Farmworker activists are planning a 24-hour vigil on the state house steps today through the end

of the legislative session this week. BSU sociology professor RIchard Baker refered to it as "a clear case of

institutionalized racism."