Students, faculty and activists expressed their animosity toward budget cuts for higher education at the state Capitol on Thursday.

An estimated crowd of more than 1,000 protestors shouted and sang with the hopes of arousing empathy from the state Legislature on the designated “Day of Action for Public Education.”

Political science professor Wendy Brown was among the 200 UC Berkeley faculty members who traveled to the Capitol to rally.

“California, rich in resources, rich in human talent, rich in industries and very rich in the rich, can afford a first-rate education system,” Brown said to the crowd of protestors. “But our quagmired political system, anti-tax political culture, upside-down state budget priorities, and the configuring of higher education itself on the model of a business – these have demoted public education to the status of a failing discount store.”

Dimitrios Philliou, a high school senior from Maryland, took part in the protest at the Capitol in hopes of achieving his dream of attending college in California.

Growing up, Philliou’s parents were political activists for their union. Their political involvement encouraged Philliou to fight for what he thought was right.

“I think it’s great that California can unite for a single cause, regardless of social status or wealth,” Philliou said.

Phillious said he applied to many school across California, including Berkeley, UC Irvine, San Francisco State and Sacramento State, but is worried he may not get accepted.

“It’s looking pretty dubious. I’m getting pretty discouraged,” Phillious said. “If I don’t get in here, I’ll be forced to go to school in Maryland, and I really don’t want that.”

State Assemblyman Alberto Torrico, D-Fremont, said in order for higher education in California to be turned around, the state must first solve the problem of funding.

“We need to raise taxes and revenues,” Torrico said. “I will no longer be a part of the band in Sacramento that is leading us down the path of mediocrity.”

Torrico urged students to support Assembly Bill 656, a bill that would tax oil companies to provide funding for the California State University, University of California and state community colleges.

Margarita Berta-Avila, bilingual and multicultural education professor and Master of Ceremonies at the protest, said it is helpful for students and faculty to have allies in the senate like Torrico.

“We’re all teaming together to present a united front from the community,” Berta-Avila said.

Berta-Avila said change will only come with the continued pressure of students.

Outside the Capitol, the protests continued as enraged students made their frustrations clear.

More than 100 Berkeley students marched during rush hour on the Interstate 880 freeway in Oakland, which was temporarily shut down by authorities, shouting “They say class cuts, we say class war.” Continuing the freeway protests, nearly 300 UC Davis students attempted to block an I-80 onramp. One student was arrested and California Highway Patrol officers fired pepper spray balls to subdue the crowd.

Lillian Taiz, president of the California Faculty Association, said the March 4 protests were just the beginning of the fight for funding higher education.

Tiaz said, “If they’re not listening today, they will tomorrow and the next day and the next because we aren’t going to shut up.”

Brittany Bottini can be reached at [email protected].