12/06/05: Anti-war Group, Uw At Odds Over Police Actions
Anti-war Group, Uw At Odds Over Police Actions
Stop The War Has Protested At Job Fairs, Rotc Offices
The Capital Times :: FRONT :: 1A
Tuesday, December 6, 2005
By Aaron Nathans The Capital Times
An anti-war group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison says it is the target of harassment by campus police and the Dean of Students Office.
But police say the group has consistently crossed the line between protest and intimidation; the Dean of Students Office says it needs to balance the right of free speech with the right of the university to go about its business.
The student group planned to rally at 2 p.m. today on Library Mall, and march to Bascom Hall.
The group, Stop the War, protested at three career fairs and picketed the campus ROTC offices this year, and members said they encountered resistance from campus police at each event. At the career fairs, the group was protesting military recruiters who had set up tables there.
"We feel this is a pattern of systematic intimidation of anti-war activists," said Bill Anderson, a member of Stop the War. "There's something seriously wrong saying military recruiters have free speech rights and we don't."
At the first such incident, at a career fair at the Memorial Union on Feb. 16, protesters chanted and stood near the Navy table, Anderson said. University police arrested a woman for disturbing the peace. The group says the woman was so shaken by the arrest that she has left the group.
The group also demonstrated at career fairs on Sept. 28 at the Kohl Center and Oct. 10 at the Memorial Union, and had confrontations with police at each event.
Lt. Bill Larson of the University Police said that if the group had protested quietly and off to the side, chances are they wouldn't have encountered police resistance. But at each event, they chanted loudly and approached the tables, he said.
"They're welcome to be there, to protest, to do what they need to do, but if they're disruptive, and vendors become disturbed by their behavior, that's where the violation of law occurs," Larson said.
The group is under investigation by the Dean of Students Office, particularly for a rally outside the ROTC offices on Nov. 2. An unnamed person in the military science department complained that during the rally, the group "jeopardized the safety" of several employees there.
The complaint alleged that members attempted to enter the building by pounding on doors and windows, and attempted to destroy university property. The group denies the charges, arguing that high school protesters unaffiliated with the group did most of the pounding on doors.
Larson said that detail doesn't matter.
"That's a very fine line. It's their event, so you're responsible for the actions of people attending your event," Larson said.
During that incident, a high school student was detained, brought to University Police headquarters, and later released. Larson said he was suspected of throwing something against a window, but after it was found to have been a penny, and there was no damage, he was released without being charged.
Elton Crim, associate dean of students and director of student advocacy and judicial affairs, said: "The university has a long history of student activism, and we embrace that history. We have absolutely no interest in preventing anyone from voicing their views and concerns about this war issue.
"We want to make sure the university buildings and the people in them are able to conduct university business as they normally would."
\ E-mail: anathans@madison.com