Police at a protest held in November at UCLA in response to a 32 percent fee hike.
(Madeleine Scinto)

After an open-air dance soured into a riot on the University of California-Berkeley campus, police say they are ready for anything during Thursday's statewide education protests.

Tens of thousands of students, teachers and staff are expected to protest education budget cuts, and fee and tuition hikes during California's National Day of Action to Defend Education.

Concerns have been voiced that what happened at Berkeley on Feb. 26 could be a harbinger of violence to come during tomorrow's protests. More than 5,000 people are expected to attend some demonstrations.

The grassroots protest - which, as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, spanned 32 states - will include afternoon and evening rallies, marches, class walk-outs, teach-ins and more.

"We know there's going to be a lot of emotion associated with this," U.C. Berkeley Police Capt. Margo Bennett told the Bay Area News Group. "It's going to be passionate."

Last week, Berkeley students broke into a campus building closed for construction, spray-painting walls and knocking over portable toilets. By 1:30 a.m. Friday morning, crowds on nearby Telegraph Avenue were throwing bottles, setting trash on fire and breaking windows.

Officials statewide say they plan to be prepared with extra officers and additional precautions for Thursday's protests.

The Berkeley Police Department will escort protesters on their march from campus to downtown Oakland, and San Francisco police are ready to face thousands of protesters at the Civic Center.

Peter King, a spokesman for the University of California system, told the Contra Costa Times that the 10 campuses can each handle protesters in their own way.

The activists, too, are prepared.

The Los Angeles March 4 Planning Committee said Saturday they planned to pass out rags soaked in vinegar to protect their faces if police use tear gas.

Ten events are scheduled in the Los Angeles-Orange County area, including a rally at Cal State Northridge, a rally at UCLA and a march from Pershing Square to the Governor's office in downtown.