NYU protest ends with suspensions, no arrests

By From Staff Reports

NEW YORK (U-WIRE) -- Public Safety officers at New York University have taken back the dining building that was occupied by more than 50 students last week. The officers stormed Take Back NYU's third-floor barricades on Friday, according to Emily Stainkamp, Take Back NYU's spokesperson.

The occupation of Kimmel Center for Student Life was organized by Take Back NYU, an on-campus coalition founded around goals of increasing university transparency and accountability.

The group's demands included full disclosure of the university's endowment, investment strategy and operating budget, a reconsideration of the recent lift of the ban on Coca-Cola products, and tuition stabilization for all students beginning with the class of 2012.

"We're planning on occupying the space till our demands are met," event spokesperson Farah Khimji told Washington Square News last week.

However, they were forced to leave before their demands were met.

"The 18 students who stayed through the night of Feb. 19 after rejecting the university's offer to leave the building have been suspended pending the outcome of the university's disciplinary process," read a statement issued by the university Friday. "No students who were participating in the demonstration in the Kimmel Center cafeteria were arrested by the New York Police Department. None of the students' demands was met."

Despite a university press release that said all non-NYU students would be arrested, it seems as if the university has decided to drop that action, since no one left the building in handcuffs.

Whether the university will press charges against the students for trespassing remains to be seen.

Five of the non-NYU students walked out of the front door of the Kimmel Center after they were granted amnesty from the university for their peaceful cooperation.

The university has said that all NYU students who stayed past the university's 1:45 a.m. ultimatum have been suspended.

The lockdown began at approximately 10 p.m. on Feb. 18, but the group was at the Kimmel Center before then.

The students were participating in Study Breakdown II, an open dance event unofficially organized by Take Back NYU on Facebook and elsewhere. But the dance party only lasted a few minutes because it was a setup for the occupation.

"Barricade!" someone shouted.

Participants pushed the cafeteria's tables and chairs in front of the building's two entrances, where only a handful of public safety officers were standing at each of the doors.

The Kimmel Center's kitchen was closed off to the students by security gates, but the participants brought in food of their own.

When the crowd was largest, nine NYPD cars and 18 officers surrounded the building; six NYU Public Safety officers were stationed inside.

Outside of the building, a crowd of approximately 100 people gathered to cheer on the protesters. Many were from other city schools such as Hunter College, Columbia University and The New School, where a similar occupation took place earlier this year. Other observors came from as far away as Rutgers University and Drew University. They chanted phrases such as "The people are justified," "NYU is occupied," and "Whose school? Our school!"

Shortly before 2 p.m. on Friday, the final members of the coalition left the Kimmel Center and were greeted with wild enthusiasm from the crowd gathered outside.

The protesters have been declared "persona non grata" by the university, barring them from entry into any NYU building, protesters told WSN.

According to Khimji, those who lived in university residence halls will be brought to their residence halls to collect some of their belongings. The university will provide alternative housing for the time being.

Conor Tomás Reed, a student at The City College of New York, was one of the spectators on the street. He stressed that outside support makes an occupation go well, and he shouted to the crowd, "This struggle is larger than NYU. This struggle is larger than schools."

From U-wire reports and New York University. E-mail news@thesantaclara.com.