8 students, 1 professor arrested during Santa Barbara rally against Arizona immigration law

9 arrested during Santa Barbara immigration rally

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Police say nine people have been arrested during an immigration protest rally in Santa Barbara.

Activist Nayra Pacheco says those arrested Thursday included eight University of California, Santa Barbara, students and one professor.

Police Lt. Doug Kresky says the activists refused to leave an intersection after an unlawful assembly was declared. He says they occupied the intersection for more than 45 minutes.

Kresky also says between 150 and 200 people took part in the rally, which called for repeal of Arizona’s immigration law. They want the city council to declare Santa Barbara a sanctuary for immigrants and to stop doing business with Arizona companies.

The Arizona law requires that police ask people about their immigration status if there is “reasonable suspicion” that they’re in the country illegally. The law also makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally.