Two protesters from Sacramento State were among 65 students and educators who were arrested Monday evening on suspicion of staying past closing time at the state Capitol during the California Teachers Association rally.

Estevan Hernandez, senior anthropology major, and Eric Vega, ethnic studies professor, were zip-tied and loaded into minivans by police officers after they refused to leave the Capitol rotunda after the building closed at 6 p.m.

Monday’s rally was part of the California Teachers Association’s weeklong schedule of rallies, protests and an occupation at the state Capitol called “State of Emergency.”

The goal is to get the Legislature to pass tax extensions to avoid deeper cuts to education budgets around the state.

Hernandez was actively involved in protests at Sac State the past few weeks.

At an April 27 community forum at Sac State, Hernandez said Sac State protests are only one chapter in the larger movement for social justice.

“There are tax breaks being given when people are homeless, living on the streets. In Iraq, we kidnap people and put them in secret prisons while social services are cut back. We need to take a stand,” Hernandez said.

As of Monday evening, the protesters’ bail was set at $1,000 and the demonstrators were waiting to be booked. Later reports stated that the protestors were charged with misdemeanor trespassing.

Yeimi Lopez, senior communication studies major, said more than 150 people were still at the capitol at closing. She watched as students and faculty were taken two by two and put in minivans.

“They decided they would stay to defend higher education and got arrested,” Lopez said.

On the Capitol steps during the arrests, student protesters and educators from Sacramento, Santa Cruz and Yuba City chanted, “We got your back! Hold them back! We got your back! Fight them back!”