1.All students have been released by the Middletown PD, with a range of charges from “inciting a riot” to “resisting arrest.” With regard to the students who were brought straight to the police station, one was released with no charges, and the felony charges on the other two were dropped. They were released on $5000 non-surety bonds. I’ll omit there names unless they choose to write in to Wesleying to explain their story.
Two students remain in the hospital, and here at Wesleying our thoughts are with them. The hospital is refusing to give out any information on their condition or when they will be released (except, they said, to family members), but we did manage to extract a “they’re fine.” Read: they’re as fine as you can be after being brutalized by police dogs, pepper gas, nightsticks and tasers.
Update 5:18 AM: The officer with the dog was Officer Doug Clark, badge number (or at least some number on his chest) 1288. I found him to be one of the most violent. The dog is Niko.
I’m still working on who the officer with the paintball gun was – help would certainly be appreciated.
Update, 5:31 AM: Unfortunately, there is a decent probability that the complaints filed at the PD do absolutely nothing. Props to everyone who made it down to the police station in solidarity, and don’t think the action was meaningless: certainly it is good to keep records and to write things down while they are still fresh. That said, I would encourage those of you who had unfortunate experiences (and those who are just really disturbed by this whole event) to write to one of the following three people. I’ll post emails and addresses, but I would encourage people to write actual letters: usually they carry greater weight.
Middletown Police Chief Lynn Baldoni
(860) 344-3201
Middletown Police Department, 222 Main Street, Middletown, CT
lbaldoni@middletownctpolice.com
Governor M. Jodi Rell
Executive Office of the Governor
State Capitol
210 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, Connecticut 06106
Governor.Rell@ct.gov
Congresswoman (for the 3rd District of CT) Rosa L. Delauro
2262 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-3661
Update, 5:50 AM: These are what they were shooting.
Again, if you were on the scene and witnessed any improper behavior by police, GO DOWN TO THE STATION AND FILE A COMPLAINT. ASK FOR A PHOTOCOPY.
2.President Roth will be having office hours, AKA students need to go talk to him about this and tell him exactly what they saw and how they felt, and express their concerns, feelings and thoughts. 9 am tomorrow but will likely be there most of the day.
3.The two news stations are definitely covering this, and if anyone has video footage or stills of the event, the emails of the on-site producers for the stations are:
NEWS8 (atttt) WTNH.com
and
JWS12875 (atttt) yahoo.com
They want your footage, so do we. It will get on the news today if you send it.
4.Additionally, if you are connected with alumni, inform them as soon as possible about what has occurred. Obviously, if you know any trustees, major donors, influential faculty members or friends of the university, now would be a great time to get them informed about the situation. Send an email, link to the news or here if you feel like it. Likewise, any local lawyers you’re connected to who have a background in civil liberties, police brutality, etc. etc.
5. Now would be a great time for a hardcore protest remix of Party On Fountain. (http://download.stereogum.com/mp3/Party%20On%20Fountain.mp3)
6. ??? THIS SHIT IS SO FUCKED UP. I mean seriously, I know what civil unrest looks like. Picture a bunch of LEO’s wading into a fucking floridian spring break drunkfest with Clubs, TASERS, MACE, Teargas and vicious fucking german shephards. How the fuck would that play?
7. An officer at the station stated that among the charges were resisting arrest, inciting a riot, assaulting a police officer, and a whole bunch of other shit. There was a bustle, so I’m not entirely sure about this, but an array of charges are definitely being filed. Its likely that the incarcerated students face varying charges based on the circumstances of their arrests. Direct quote from MPD “It doesn’t matter whether it’s a legal or an illegal arrest.” –>>> awroo??!
8. I’m sure this will happen, but someone should/needs to organize a forum on this right fucking now. This comes at the end of the semester and the end of a lot of people’s time at Wesleyan, so it’s absolutely essential that students meet with each other NOW to try to figure out constructive actions that will ensure that this does not happen again. Seniors do not need to go out feeling that this is going to keep happening, their final weeks at college besmirched by this b.s. Someone get a space and a time that works, and do it quick.
9. The Argus will be producing a Special Editon issue regarding last night’s events. We request you send your thoughts to wesleyanargus.com/submissions to Wespeak on this issue.The Argus will also be present later this morning to speak to students at the meeting with Michael Roth at 9 a.m.,
EDIT: I hope this is ok? keep merging, dudes. -braillewhohatesclutterszz
PS FYI there were at least 2 k9 units on scene
PS FYI there were at least 2 k9 units on scene
k cool do it. sorry
k cool do it. sorry
separate posts were better
separate posts were better
Hey Braille – I think it would actually be better to keep updating with short, separate posts. That way there is a clear timeline of information, and it’s much easier to sift through.
Hey Braille – I think it would actually be better to keep updating with short, separate posts. That way there is a clear timeline of information, and it’s much easier to sift through.
his office. south college.
his office. south college.
where is the press conference?
where is the press conference?