Fwd: Student maced as Young Republicans cheer

October 2, 2005

http://www.campusantiwar.net/index.php?option=content & task=view & id=102 & Itemid=2

HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE ANTI-WAR COALITION, MASS - Approximately

thirty activists, many of them

members of Holyoke Community College's Anti War Coalition, exercising

their First Amendment rights

to " assemble and petition government for redress of grievances, "

participated in a planned, peaceful

picket of Army National Guard recruiters in the lobby of the college

cafeteria. The police assault

on the students began when one student standing in front of Officer

Landry held aloft with both

hands a hand-lettered, poster board sign reading " Cops are

hypocrites. " The sign had no stick

attached to it. At that point, Peter Mascaro, head of Campus Security,

reached over Officer Landry's

head, snatched the sign from the student's hands, saying " That is

inappropriate! " In surprise the

student tried to reach for his sign. At this point the campus police,

led by Officer Landry,

assaulted the student. Mr. Mascaro ordered Officer Landry, " Let him

go. " Officer Landry heatedly

replied " Are you serious? "

Three other officers joined Officer Landry in grabbing each of the

student's limbs and hoisted him

off the ground. Other students instinctively tried to protect the

student being assaulted. When the

officers lost their grip on the student, he backed away and raised his

hands in the air indicating

his non-violent posture. At approximately that moment, Officer Landry

maced a different student, one

who was not doing anything or making any gestures to do anything at the time.

As the assault was taking place, approximately a dozen College

Republicans were moving forward,

pumping their fists in the air, shouting and encouraging the officers

on. It should be noted that

the Officer Scott Landry (HCC Badge Number 4), the officer who used

mace on the student, is also an

advisor to the College Republican Club at HCC. Throughout the morning,

the campus police force

ignored the activities of the College Republicans and were only

deployed against the protesters.

At approximately this time college officials appear to have called

local and State Police, and at

least twenty state police arrived in riot gear and gas masks. Officer

Landry looked at one of the

protesters and, observing that he was wearing a button reading

" Lesbian and Gay Liberation, " loudly

uttered an obviously homophobic taunt: " He'll have fun in jail. "

LATER - We have just learned that Charles Peterson, the student who

was maced and assaulted by

police at yesterday's counter recruitment protest at Holyoke Community

College, has received a

letter from the HCC campus police, informing him that due to " his

conduct " he is indefinitely banned

from campus. If he steps foot on the property he will be arrested for

trespassing. In other words,

without any due process, or the opportunity to even speak to

administrators, Charles has been banned

from campus for the " crime " of being maced in the face by police

officers. It is important to say

that Charles Peterson, who witnesses described as playing a moderating

role at yesterday's protest,

is an upstanding member of the HCC community. He is the recipient of

the David James Taylor

Excellence in Philosophy Award. He is Vice President for Academic

Affairs on the Student Senate. He

is a member of the College's Learning Communities Committee, and is a

frequent contributor to the

student newspaper.

Furthermore, Officer Scott Landry, the officer who sprayed mace in

Charles's face yesterday, is also

an advisor to the College Republican Club. The College Republicans

were present during the protest

yesterday, cheering on the police as they attacked students.