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tuesday
October 11, 2011
Continuing Coverage
Occupy Albuquerque
Staff Report
them, ‘You can’t stay here overnight,” she said. “We went and talked to them and said, ‘Please apply for a permit,’ and ‘You can’t stay here overnight.’ No, we don’t let students stay here overnight; we’re not allowed to stay here overnight.’” Wentworth said UNM administration made the decision call on authorities to remove protesters. Representatives from the Occupy Albuquerque camp met with Breda Bova, University President David Schmidly’s chief of staff, and UNMPD Police Chief Kathy Guimond Monday morning to inquire about the University’s decision. Guimond said protesters may have exaggerated the intensity of Sunday night’s events. “No force was used, and there was really no confrontation,” she said. Protester Kristen Gandy said police scared her and she didn’t think the show of force was necessary. “It was terrifying and I think it was dangerous to do that in the middle of the night when people are waking up and disoriented,” she said. Protesters said the police’s zipcuffs, dogs and ambush in the middle of the night was excessive. “There are no witnesses at midnight, so this is standard police behavior,” said protester Henry Edwards. “They do this in Mubarak’s Egypt; they do this in Gaddafi’s Libya; every police state will do this if there’s a group of people occupying.” Guimond said police approached protesters during the early morning hours for several reasons. “Frankly, that’s one of our least busy times,” she said. “The issue has been the overnight issue, so it
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Protesters meet with Schmidly rep news@dailylobo.com Protesters still occupied campus grounds as of late Monday night, Police showed up at midnight Sunday and told protesters they had to leave. Protesters had been staying overnight on campus since Oct. 1, and University representatives told protesters the next morning they were only allowed to be on campus between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.
“No force was used and there was really no confrontation.” ~Kathy Guimond UNMPD chief About 30 protesters were still on campus at 10 p.m. Monday. UNMPD officers arrived at 10:30 and told protesters to leave. Protesters moved just off of campus property onto the sidewalk of Central Avenue adjacent to Yale Park, where they were no longer under UNMPD jurisdiction. About four APD officers arrived on the scene, and after UNMPD left at about 10:50, protesters started ambling between Yale Park and the city sidewalk. As of midnight Monday, two APD officers remained on the scene, but issued no arrests and didn’t make any attempts to clear protesters off campus. University spokeswoman Karen Wentworth said staying overnight on campus is in violation of University policy. “All through the week, we told
Celebrating life before Columbus By Greer Gessler and Chelsea Erven news@dailylobo.com
The sound of drums echoed across campus Monday as UNM’s Native American Studies Indigenous Research Group celebrated “Indigenous Day.” NASIRG co-chair and student Alyssa Begay said the group organized Indigenous Day events as an alternative to the nationally recognized Columbus Day. “Indigenous Day is a protest and alternative to Columbus Day that emphasizes indigenous communities and culture worldwide,” she said. Indigenous Day events began at 6:30 a.m., and ended at 3:30 p.m. with a ceremony at the duck pond where participating students threw flowers into the pond. Begay said this year’s events focused on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
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Peoples (UNDRIP). The U.N. General Assembly resolution adopted the declaration in 2007. The declaration affirmed equality of indigenous people and dictated “every indigenous individual has the right to a nationality.” Begay said UNM’s Indigenous Day events urged attendees to use the declaration. “Today was about how can we incorporate UNDRIP into our communities now,” she said. “Even though it has been in effect since 2007, people aren’t really using it. There is some knowledge of it, but few people want to put that into action.” Begay said the event didn’t focus on negative aspects of indigenous people’s history, but on moving forward in a positive way. “We don’t really want to acknowledge that we were victimized — we want to look toward the future and how we can determine ourselves,” she said.
Dylan Smith / Daily Lobo Brittany Arneson passes incense around to “Occupy Albuquerque” protesters during a pre-meeting prayer Monday evening at Yale Park. The group was told to leave Yale Park by midnight on Sunday. wouldn’t have been appropriate to show up at noon. And the University opens at six, so we wouldn’t do anything then, either.” Protesters said they obtained the permit required by UNM to remain on campus, and didn’t expect to be kicked off. “All of us were led to believe we were doing what we were supposed to, so that made all of this even more surprising,” student and protester Michelle Hercher said. Wentworth said police determined several campers were intoxicated, which is also against UNM policy. Protesters plan to hold a teach-in in the SUB atrium today at 11:30 a.m. to draw attention to their cause.
Occupation Recap Oct. 1 — Occupy Albuquerque protesters marched along Central Avenue in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York. Some protesters set up camp on UNM’s main campus on the corner of Central and University Boulevard. Oct. 6 — UNM official released a statement to the media asking protesters to obtain a permit in order to remain on UNM grounds. Oct. 7 — Protesters moved their camp from Central Avenue and University Boulevard to Yale Park at administration’s request.
Oct. 8 — Protesters entered businesses along Central. One, Hani Barghout, was arrested on charges of battery, disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing. Oct. 9 Midnight — Police forced protesters to leave their camp at Yale Park. Some protesters slept at the Peace and Justice Center while others stayed just outside Yale Park, keeping watch over belongings left at the campsite. Oct. 10 6 p.m. — Protesters held a general assembly meeting where they said they would move off campus at 10 p.m per University request.
Jessikha Williams / Daily Lobo Kiva Club President Makhpiya Black Elk leads a march to the Occupy Albuquerque camp from the duck pond, closing a day of activities sponsored by UNM’s Native American Studies indigenous research group. The organization hosted Indigenous Day to raise awareness and education on the history of indigenous peoples and their role in today’s society, in protest of Columbus Day.
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