DAILY LOBO new mexico
Mixed messages see page 4
October 27, 2011
thursday The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
(un)Occupy crosses street to hold meeting by Chelsea Erven and Greer Gessler news@dailylobo.com
UNM Police Department blocked off Yale Park, the former camp site of the (un)Occupy Albuquerque movement, Wednesday afternoon and told protesters they could not hold their general assembly meeting there. The protesters, who hold the meetings at 6 p.m. each day, instead met on the corner of Harvard Drive and Central Avenue. The protesters dispersed after the meeting ended. On Tuesday night, UNMPD and the Albuquerque Police Department were called in to permanently kick the protesters
off campus, and 22 people were arrested for defying orders. University spokeswoman Karen Wentworth said the protesters were in violation of their expired permit and policy no. 2220 of the UNM Business and Procedures Manual, which states: “The University recognizes that the exercise of free expression must be balanced with the rights of others to learn, work and conduct business. Speech activity that unduly interferes with the rights of others or the ability of the University to carry out its mission is not protected by the First Amendment and violates this policy.” Protester Benjamin Hansen said he thinks the administration’s decision isn’t about the protesters’
expired permit, rather that it is an attack on the protesters.
“The park doesn’t close until 10 p.m., so I feel they’re targeting us,” ~Benjamin Hansen protester “The park doesn’t close until 10 p.m., so I feel they’re targeting us,” he said. “I’m not sure if they don’t like our message or what they don’t like about us, but they’re definitely
targeting our rights.” Hansen said he doesn’t think the protesters have been disruptive. “I’ve never occupied a faculty building or locked doors or tried to stop people from going to class, so, quite literally, I’m not disrupting anything,” he said. “Just talking isn’t very disruptive unless it’s the things we’re talking about they consider to be disruptive.” Wentworth said UNMPD is prepared to keep protesters out of Yale Park but doesn’t anticipate largescale arrests. “We’re just going to advise them of the policy that their permit to assemble is not renewed and go from there,” UNMPD spokesman Sgt. Trace Peck said. Protester Larry Kronen is a
lawyer who said he is working with the American Civil Liberties Union to file an injunction against the University. “I believe that we do not need a permit to exercise our First Amendment rights, even though University policy says we do,” he said. Protester and Peace Studies professor Desi Brown said the University’s disregard for the protesters’ rights might not be in its best interest. “There could be serious repercussions for the University if the community and faculty and students stand up against this most basic abuse of rights,” he said. ~Elizabeth Cleary contributed to this report
Police stay civil, but jailers rude (Un)Occupy Albuquerque protester relates night of defiance and arrest by Charlie Shipley
charlieshipley84@gmail.com
Juan Labreche / Daily Lobo A State Police officer escorts student and (un)occupy Albuquerque protester Brittany Arneson from Yale Park in zip cuffs Tuesday night. She was on of 22 protesters arrested for remaining on UNM’s Yale Park after University administration ordered the protest off campus.
Brittany Arneson, a UNM student who has become an increasingly visible face of the (un)Occupy Albuquerque protests, said she experienced both kindness and callousness from law enforcement during her arrest and incarceration at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center on Tuesday night. Arneson was one of 22 protesters who voluntarily risked arrest in an act of civil disobedience when State Police, Albuquerque Police Department, and UNM Police Department officers arrived at Yale Park to enforce the expiration of the protesters’ permit for the park. Arneson said she and 12 other arrested protesters were held at the scene in a police transport van for nearly two hours before being taken to the detention center. “They kept us in there for several hours,” she said. “Then they took us down to the jailhouse and we went through the booking process. A lot of us were let out on our own recognizance.” Items such as identification cards, pens, lighters and other pocket items were confiscated from them upon arrest, she said. When they arrived at the detention center, items such as belts, scarves and jewelry were also removed. She said men and women were put in separate cells, and that the protesters weren’t grouped with more serious offenders. “We could see each other sometimes,” she said. “We were specifically told not to talk to each other.” Arneson said she was charged with criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor, while others may have been charged with resisting arrest. She said she was the first person to be released, and was out by about 10 a.m. Wednesday. She said some officers were rough with the protesters, but most were sympathetic. “Overall, I would say that the police officers were
very kind to us and respectful,” she said. “They did use unnecessary force with some people — not me. I did watch them pull people up aggressively, but that could also be because the police felt (those people) were more aggressive.” She said the jail staff acted “ridiculous,” and said four female protesters ended up with missing items upon their release, including shoes and jewelry. She also said staff was hostile on several occasions.
“We got more respect from the people who arrested us than from the people who were containing us.” ~Brittany Arneson protester “They said that we weren’t taking this seriously enough … the fact that we were protesters and we were still doing our chants and singing while we were in the paddy wagon. … On several occasions we were called stupid. They said many things that led us to believe this is pointless and that we don’t have a justice system anyway.” Arneson said protesters were teased and sworn at. “We got more respect from the people who arrested us than from the people who were containing us,” she said. She was released on the conditions that she not violate any federal, state or local criminal laws and to notify the court of any address change. Arneson said the punishment for her criminal trespassing charge will be decided in court next month.
Top education officials discuss student loans by Luke Holmen holmen@unm.edu
During a conference call Wednesday, White House education representatives spoke about the Obama administration’s new efforts to help student loan borrowers manage their debt. The Daily Lobo talked to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes and Special
Inside the
Daily Lobo volume 116
issue 47
Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Raj Date about a new proposal from the Department of Education. Duncan said the proposal will contribute billions in loan restructuring for students to help them secure jobs. “Young people today are struggling,” he said. “They are struggling to find a good job and they are struggling to find a job at all. We are increasing Pell grants and
funding students by $40 billion over the next decade.” Duncan said funding would come from redirecting bank subsidies toward student loan funding, and would not require additional taxes. Barnes said a “pay as you earn” plan will help Americans manage student loan debt by capping monthly payments at what each individual can afford: 10 percent of the individual’s monthly income.
Rolling thunder
Squash sacrifice
See page 2
See page 6
“Ensuring that every student has access to a quality, affordable education has been a priority for the president,” she said. “While college is an excellent investment, (the president) also knows that those costs are high. Some may be discouraged from entering education or other lower paying jobs because of loan debt.” A similar bill passed by Congress lowering the repayment cap from 15 to 10 percent is scheduled to go into effect in 2014, but the
current proposal will accelerate the change to 2012. Additionally, students would be forgiven remaining debt after 20 years, rather than 25. Barnes said the plan would help about 1.5 million borrowers. She said the conference call was an effort to reach more students about the new plans. “Three hundred and sixty million borrowers are out there, only 450,000 are taking advantage of
see LoansPAGE 3
TODAY
53 |39