Police brutality forum questions number, type of force used

The issue of police brutality against anti-war protesters at last month's Fares Lecture -- where there was a confrontation when protesters tried to break a police line -- was discussed by about 20 students in a forum Wednesday.

The event, "Why Was There a SWAT Team at Tufts? A Forum on Police Brutality," was organized after 13 protesters were arrested for disorderly conduct, although the charges were eventually dropped. Several of the arrested claimed the police used unnecessary force and acted inappropriately while attempting to control the protesters.

The presentation began with a slide showing pictures of the police presence, including officers arresting students. Also screened was a FOX news clip where reporter Bianca de la Garza described the skirmishes between police and protestors which, when describing the scene, said "there were moments when this could have gotten completely out of control."

Panelists blamed the University and police for allowing the situation at Gantcher to escalate. The presence of armed police in riot gear, which were placed in front of Gantcher Center to meet the protestors, created a "bad environment" for protest, one student said. Many of the students at the panel preferred not to be named for fear of possible consequences.

Students alleged that the large police contingent was condoned by University administration, therefore making them responsible. "[President Larry] Bacow is unfazed by the rise of the police state at Tufts, and that bothers me," one student said.

According to that student, the administration was also a factor in the protest because the University set up the protesters as "the enemy."

"People need to realize that not all people who are protesters are bad," the student said.

Tufts University Police Department Captain Mark Keith stressed that the University respects "the right to express their opinions as long as they don't interfere other's people right to go about their business on campus."

Keith countered the claim that Tufts was responsible for the riot gear, as the protests were on public property, falling under the jurisdiction of the Medford Police Department. TUPD was only responsible for handling security on Tufts properties, including inside Gantcher.

Although Tufts was not responsible for the actions of police officers outside Gantcher, Keith defended police action, saying that TUPD and the City of Medford had several meetings with local law enforcement agencies before the event. Additional personnel were hired by the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Consortium, who provided riot police from around the Boston area.

"It's difficult to gauge [numbers]. There were several flyers around campus we knew about, and flyers on other campus. We didn't know what to expect, a hundred or a thousand people. I think it's always safer to have more bodies than needed," Keith said.

Attendees at the forum found issue with the police plans to enclose protesters in a small area, and were suspicious that there was any space for the protesters at all.

"I don't think [the police] were ever going let people in that pen. The protest area was just for mobilization," a TCOWI member said.

Participants said they felt "betrayed" by the University administration, which in an e-mail sent out by Bacow said there would be a place set aside for protesters.

Attendees of the forum also expressed a distrust of the police, saying that they were always against protesters and protesting in general.

Attendees did see a positive role for police at marches and rallies. Stories were relayed about how law enforcement officers have assisted protesters by closing off main streets to march down, or in one case shuttling groups of people in paddy wagons to reach the main protest site.

Others at forum said the most dangerous thing police and the general public can do is belittle their protests. Students criticized those who held an "anti-protest protest" at the event, which mocked the anti-war rally.

Finally, some worried all the attention focused on police brutality, counter protests, and University relations detracted from the heart of their messages.