|
Student demo erupts into pepper spray melee Some Concordia University students are getting the feeling that their campus is no place for free expression. A student protest against the deportation of Chilean refugees ended in pushes and shoves, a few bruises and one arrest last Thursday afternoon. "There is a pattern of aggression from security guards towards students," Concordia Student Union president David Smaller told the Mirror. "They treat student expression of free speech as a form of violent conflict." A video of the incident, made by a student who arrived on the scene a few minutes after the 30 or so protesters entered the lobby of the Hall building, shows security guards yelling at the demonstrators and aggressively pushing them towards the exits. One protester, who climbed onto the hood of a police car, was grabbed by three police officers and pepper-sprayed. The police then turned towards the crowd of about 10 bystanders and indiscriminately pepper-sprayed them as well. Concordia Fine Arts student Stacey Miller, who participated in the demonstration, says the security guards' reaction to their presence is symptomatic of a double standard on campus. "Corporations on campus can approach students with applications for credit cards and cell phones. Even the Canadian military was allowed to approach students," says Miller. But, she claims, students wishing to promote their causes cannot actively solicit other students and are forced to stay behind tables. She has filed a complaint report against the university's administration over her treatment at the demonstration. But Charles Émond, vice-rector of services at Concordia, says the demonstration was not "common sensical." He notes that the university's administration was not informed about the protest ahead of time. Although his report on the incident has not yet been completed, he says witnesses have attested that "the first violent blow came from a member of the [protesting] group." A total of 67 Chilean refugees are currently defying their deportation orders by occupying St-Jean-de-la-Croix cathedral at St-Laurent and St-Zotique. -Dominique Ritter
|