Judge Issues Temporary Restraining Order Against 'Occupy the Farm' Defendants

[Editor's Note: This story was updated May 17.]

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An Alameda County Superior Court judge in Hayward issued a temporary restraining order Wednesday against defendants named in a who took over university-owned land in Albany last month.

Judge David Hunter’s ruling prohibits the defendants from entering, occupying or farming on the Gill Tract themselves, or helping others in any of those activities. Another hearing is scheduled for May 31, when the judge will decide whether to order a preliminary injunction against the defendants.  

(The Order to Show Cause for the temporary restraining order is the first file in the PDF section to the right. It is followed by an 18-page document that includes background on the university's case.)

Those named in the temporary restraining order include Gopal Dayaneni, Anya Kamenskaya, Devin Murphy, Stefanie Rawlings, Eric Larsen, David Grefarth, Russell Bates, Alejandra Cano, Vaden Dabney, Erik Eisenberg, Marika Iyer, Nathan Pitts and Gabrielle Silverman. 

Three other names were added to the lawsuit on May 17, but they are not included in the restraining order: Ulan McKnight, Ashoka Finley and Corey Scher. 

Michael Siegel, a lawyer representing one of the defendants, said he was disappointed by Hunter’s decision. "We hope we can change the judge’s mind once the defendants have had a chance to present their side of the case at a full hearing," Siegel said.

The temporary restraining order came two days after University of California police arrested nine people in a designed to end the occupation of the Gill Tract and allow the university to begin research preparations this week.

On Tuesday evening in Albany in support of the dismantled occupation.  

University officials praised the judge’s decision Wednesday.

“The order underscores the fact that the occupation of university property was illegal and also provides important support for our efforts to protect academic freedom and honor our commitment to our faculty and students,” said university spokesman Dan Mogulof.  

Click the "Keep me posted" button below for an update when we publish future stories on this topic. Read more on Albany Patch about the Gill Tract occupation.

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