Police create an inner cordon to arrest student protester, and an outer cordon that prevents the press from reporting close-by accounts and photographs.

     “It would seem that the Police is trying to prevent the people from seeing how they are arresting civil disobedients. The Police kicked cameras and forbid members of the press to enter the university campus,” reads the document signed by Rafael Lenín López and Luis Rolón, presidents of ASPPRO and the Photojournalists Association, respectively.
     In light of the events that transpired during the second day of civil disobedience at the UPR, both organizations demanded from Police Superintendent José Figueroa Sancha to desist from this practice and instruct the officers accordingly.
     “The Police cannot determine how the press should cover the news, but the people do have the right to see how he [Figueroa Sancha] and the Police do theirs,” reads the communication.
     On Thursday, 44 students were arrested in the second day of acts of civil disobedience against the controversial fee. The students were charged with obstruction of justice. Around 49 students were arrested Wednesday.
     GDB has a $50 million surplus
     Meanwhile at the House of Representatives, Popular Democratic Party Rep. Luis Vega Ramos said Thursday he has received a certification from the Government Development Bank, showing the Fiscal Stabilization Fund has a $50 million surplus.
     Vega Ramos urged the government to earmark the money to UPR so the $800 tuition fee can be eliminated. "That money has yet to be earmarked," he said.
     According to information published in the GDB website: "Expenses decreased by 8.4% when compared with the quarter ended on December 31, 2009 mainly as a result of a reduction of payroll expenses. - When compared with the previously published cash flow projection of 9/30/2010, expenses were in line, decreasing 1.5%. There was a reduction of $50MM or 6.1% in the drawing of Stabilization Funds when compared to estimates. Ending cash balance of $401 MM was significantly higher than the $86 MM projected in the previously published cash flow projection."
     Despite protests, students still register for classes
     University of Puerto Rico President José Ramón de la Torre on Thursday said 90 percent of the students in nine campuses have registered for courses.
     His remarks confirmed a story the Daily Sun published last week in which Board of Trustees president Ygrí Rivera also said most UPR students were registering despite the controversial $800 tuition fee.
     At the Humacao campus, around 27 percent of the students have registered over the past three days. The Mayagüez campus has not started registration. In Rio Piedras, where students began a strike December 14 against the $800 Fiscal Stabilization Fee, 12,874 students, or 83 percent of the students, have registered for courses.
     According to a UPR press release, at the Utuado campus, around 106 percent of the students have registered for courses or 1,192 students; in Ponce 98 percent or 2,773 students; in Cayey 96 percent or 3,199 students; in Aguadilla 96 percent or 2,550 students; in Carolina 95 percent or 3,482; in the Medical Sciences campus 95 percent of 909 students; and in Bayamón 91 percent or 4,008 students. "The massive participation of the students shows that they want to continue academic studies," De la Torre said.