December 2003    

Students Arrested at Hostos for Protesting Cuts

From:  Christopher Day
Reply To:  CUNY UFS Discussion Forum
Subject:  STUDENTS ARRESTED AT HOSTOS FOR PROTESTING ESL CUTS
Date:  Wed. 15 Aug 2001

I was released about an hour ago after being arrested for trying to attend a demonstration at Hostos Community College. The campus is locked down and crawling with CUNY security in a manner that simply would not be tolerated at other colleges. I understand that three Hostos students have just been arrested as well. Faculty and community members need to speak up against the repeated criminalization of protest at Hostos.

People can call the office of Hostos President Dolores Fernandez at (718) 518-4300.

Below is my account of my arrest.

Christopher Day

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I went to Hostos Community College this morning (August 15) to support a demonstration organized by the Hostos Student Government on the first day of registration for classes. The purpose of the demonstration was to expose and challenge the policies of Hostos President Dolores Fernandez, in particular the elimination of ESL and Spanish-language classes.

Without even approval from the CUNY Board of Trustees, Dr. Fernandez has been eliminating class sections in a manner that is effectively forcing Spanish-speaking students out of the college. The students have drawn up a list of 15 demands including not only their language rights, but also the quality of various services (tutoring, library hours, cafetaria food).

The demonstration was scheduled for 10 am and I arrived about 20 minutes late. Aside from a long line of students standing outside the building nothing seemed to be happening. I entered the building and asked at the reception desk for directions to the Student Government office.

There were more security guards than usual including several members of the so-called SAFE Team. They asked for my name. After making a call they informed me that non-Hostos students would not be allowed on campus today because of the “danger of student unrest.” I informed the officer that I had been invited by Hostos Student Government and that as a CUNY student and as a citizen I had a right to be there. At this point Chief Bernabe arrived and immediately ordered one of the SAFE Team officers to “collar” me. The officer hesitated (presumably because of the absurdity of the situation) and I said  “what?” Chief Bernabe then modified his position and said that if I did not leave the campus immediately I would be arrested.

I walked to the door and turned to ask what the officer’s name was. At this point Bernabe ordered the officer to arrest me. I was immediately handcuffed and led away to the CUNY Security Office in the basement. There I was kept cuffed and ticketed for “disorderly conduct” (supposedly for making noise and obstructing the flow of traffic – neither of which is even remotely true). I was escorted off campus told not to return again today.

In front of the school I learned why there was such a long line: Hostos students were only being allowed onto campus at the time of their registration appointments in an apparent effort to prevent any protest inside the school. Just as I was writing this I got a call  informing me that three Hostos students were just arrested.

The denial of first amendment rights and naked political repression taking place at Hostos right now should be a cause of outrage across CUNY and across the city. Hostos students have a right to protest policies that are aimed at denying them access to an education. They also have a right to request and receive solidarity from other CUNY students and the larger community CUNY is supposed to serve.

See also:
Defend Miguel Malo! (November 2003) 
Day One of Miguel Malo Trial  (1 December 2003) 
Day Two of Miguel Malo Trial  (2 December 2003) 
Day Three of Miguel Malo Trial  (3 December 2003) 
Day Four of Miguel Malo Trial  (4 December 2003) 
Day Five of Miguel Malo Trial  (5 December 2003) 

Return to The Frame-Up of Miguel Malo