About 40 people gathered on the lawn at UCLA Thursday, listening to speeches about recent budget cuts.

The cuts have led to crowded classes and higher tuition at California's public universities.

The speeches were part of the National Day of Action to Defend Public Education.

After the speeches, the group marched around campus and inside buildings, playing the drums, chanting, yelling into a megaphone, and even doing handstands.

At one point, students and others marched to the hallway of the Chancellor's office and raised their middle finger in unison.

Police guarded the door, but students didn't try to enter the office, anyway.  

"The protest was very peaceful," said Nancy Greenstein of the UCLA Police Department.

Reach reporter Amy Silverstein here.