People’s Park — land seized from the people of California —  was forged in the crucible that was the Berkeley Free Speech Movement in 1968.

It served as a gathering place for the free speech movement for years.

And much like some segments of the free speech movement today, it has become a wretched caricature of the original sentiments that led to its occupation.

And make no mistake about it.

It has been an illegal occupation.

The land belongs to the University of California system, and not the hordes of homeless and less-than-desirables that chose to use it as their much more ruthless and less civilized adult version of Lord of the Flies.

After nightfall Wednesday, university officials working with police, private security, and construction crews, pulled off a surprise offensive to end the illegal occupation once and for all.

Activists decried the temporary fence that was being erected around the 3 acre park — double-stacked shopping containers as both outrageous and barbaric.

Actually, it was brilliant.

The university owns the property.

They have a $312 million plan to build below-cost apartments for more than 1,100 Cal students.

It also includes a separate building for 125 apartments of permanent supportive housing for the formerly homeless.

They are doing this because there is an acute housing shortage for Cal Berkeley’s 32,831 students.

It has the lowest percentage of on-campus housed students — less than 20 percent — in the entire UC system. And it will get worse as they pursue plans to increase enrollment.

Investing university money intended to educate students in homeless housing is certainly what more than a few People’s Park activists have demanded over the years.

In a twisted take of “not in my backyard”, the People’s Park banner carriers are now saying not in People’s Park.

On Thursday, the media sought out people for quotes to support the narrative that Cal Chancellor Carol Crist is channeling Hannibal Lecter.

After all, People’s Park is a pure place. Right?

Ponder this gem of a quote for a second, “It’s a space to come together. It represents democracy.”

Now, consider what has happened during the last past seven years on that supposedly hallowed ground of democracy and free speech.

Three homicides.

More than 200 reported assaults and batteries.

Dozens of those incidents involved deadly weapons.

It’s little wonder students and residents avoid the park.

Up until Wednesday evening, People’s Park was a high profile example of what happens when anarchists combine their efforts with those among the homeless who have never encountered a rule of civilization that they liked.

People’s Park stopped being a shining example of free speech years ago.

The saga in recent years has been nothing but endless paradoxes.

There have been rallies and protests for affordable housing on the turf.

Yet, when Cal took steps to build housing for students, the People’s Park activists pushed back.

Peace has been a long running them of protests. Yet, the park is a cesspool of murderous behavior and violence against individuals. And that doesn’t include peaceful protests turned violent.

As for free speech these days, rest assured that anything to the right — even if it is just only as far to the right as near left center —isn’t embraced. It isn’t even tolerated. It’s scorned.

Homeless advocacy, People’s Park style, is another milestone in absurdity.

The UC system is offering on a scale no one else can, or has, in Berkeley — long-term supportive housing for the formerly homeless.

The university’s plan has been warmly embraced by churches, neighbors, city leaders, and professionals that have dedicated their lives to helping the unhoused.

But that is not enough for the anarchists.

The housing project isn’t the only initiative the university has undertaken concerning the homeless at People’s Park.

A previous effort to clear the park ended with 48 homeless voluntarily relocating to the Berkeley Rodeway Inn the city had leased for 18 months with $4.7 million provided by the state and $2.2 million provided by the university.

All 48 are now on the path to permanent housing. Already, a handful have transitioned into permanent housing.

Other shelters was also offered to those still remaining.

A relatively few people made it clear they’d rather sleep outside where they please.

The “drop-in services” at People’s Park was replaced with a new drop in center a block away on the grounds of the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley.

It is being partially funded by the university.

The unhoused are free to use bathrooms, charge smartphones, prepare a meal, get water, or simply drop by to rest.

The site also provides access to services to help the homeless whether it is housing, mental health, or counseling.

The “park” won’t completely disappear when the three acres are developed.

About two thirds of it will still be open park space that the public can access.

As for Cal students, a university financed survey by a “leading” independent polling firm determined 57 percent of surveyed graduate and undergraduate students supported the university’s plans for People’s Park.

Another 27 percent were in opposition.

Perhaps the most amazing finding is that 16 percent of the students surveyed at a university that gave birth to the Free Speech Movement and was considered the face of outspokenness for higher education did not come down on either side of the issue.

The new park will also include commemorations of the People’s Park movement.

It will be a trip back down memory lane.

And it will show that the mutant People’s Park that was freed from the grips of anarchists and malcontents Wednesday via a wall of shipping containers designed to serve the consumerism appetite of a capitalist society hasn’t been the real deal for years.

Finally, the people — as in the State of California — have the power to move forward and improve lives.

Long live the people who work for solutions, disown anarchy, and actually want to extend a hand up instead of just handouts to the homeless.

People’s Park has been freed for the people of California that want to build a future and not accelerate civilization’s decay.

This column is the opinion of editor, Dennis Wyatt, and does not necessarily represent the opinions of The Bulletin or 209 Multimedia. He can be reached at dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com