RCC Students Protest Police Brutality at BPD Headquarters
BOSTON/Roxbury - Over 50 Roxbury Community College students and community supporters held a protest against police brutality on Thursday in response to the beating of a 16 year old teenager by several Boston police officers on their campus on October 22nd. According to the police, the teen had escaped from a nearby junvenile detention facility and was resisting arrest. It is not yet known how the police knew the teen was on the RCC campus. The incident was captured on video by an RCC student and released on numerous social networks - resulting in immediate community outrage and national media attention.
The students - led by the RCC student government association - are demanding that the responsible officers be fired by the Boston Police Department, and that their own campus administration take a public stand against the incident. One of the officers involved in the beating, Michael T. McManus, has been suspended from duty with pay pending investigation by the BPD and the Suffolk County District Attorney's office. No further action has yet been taken against the officers involved in the beating.
The event began with some short speeches by organizers followed by a march from RCC to BPD headquarters in often driving rain. Upon arriving at their destination, the activists set up a picket line, and several people spoke through a megaphone to police looking down on the scene from their office windows.
"We are not protesting the BPD," said RCC student Kieashia Hartfield. "We are marching against police brutality, due to the incident that happened on Oct. 22nd, 2010 when a young man was viciously beat down by Boston police officers while he was already subdued in handcuffs. If you watch the video you can cleary see that excessive force was used and that there was no sign of the young man resisting arrest. For this to have happened in front of our school and infront of people it is a total embarassment and we find it very disrespectful. Police brutality has been a problem in our neighborhoods for generations. I felt as though we should not be afraid of the police or any law enforment agency. They are supposed to protect and serve us not terrorize us. We have had enough and we are standing up to them and we are letting them know we want change in our communities."
Several other students spoke at the picket, as well as RCC professor Ruth Kiefson-Roberts, community activist Jamarhl Crawford, City Councilor Chuck Turner and former state senator Bill Owens.
While the picket proceeded, a delegation of protestors entered police headquarters to attempt to get a meeting with Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis. BPD representatives explained that Davis was elsewhere at a meeting, and that no other high-level police officials were available to meet with the delegation.
In response to demands for firing officers responsible for the recent beating at RCC, BPD spokesperson Elaine Driscoll said, "As previously stated, The Boston Police Department is committed to ensuring an open and transparent investigation. We appreciate the ongoing efforts of Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley and Boston Police Internal Affairs investigators for their commitment and dedication to conducting an objective and fair review of the facts."
Protest organizers were not satisfied with the BPD response and said they intend to continue to put community pressure on the BPD to secure meetings with BPD and city leaders. Their goals include justice for the victim of the RCC beating and reforms to strengthen the BPD civilian review board - known as the Community Ombudsman Oversight Panel - including giving it subpoena power. Without that power the panel cannot interview its own witnesses or do independent investigations. BPD officials, leaders of the police unions, and Mayor Thomas Menino have thus far resisted giving the panel more power to root out and eliminate police officers that repeatedly fail to perform their duties while upholding the basic civil and human rights of Boston residents.
RCC students also remained concerned that their campus administration - led by RCC president Terrence Gomes - has refused to take a public stand against what they view as a BPD invasion of their campus on Oct. 22nd. They have asked Gomes to join their protests and put the school on record against police brutality. Gomes met with students to discuss their concerns on Tuesday, and released a statement about the meeting on Wednesday, but did not join their campaign.
When asked for comment about the student demands for greater involvement in community efforts to reform the BPD and stop police brutality in their community, RCC spokesperson Stephanie Janey - the vice president for enrollment management and student affairs - simply forwarded Open Media Boston part of Gomes' email statement of last week, "Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet with a number of students regarding the October 22nd unfortunate incident on campus. Of the many comments that I made, the most important one is that I personally condemn brutality of any sort, especially that which occurred here, at the hands of the Boston Police. As president, I know that I speak for my administration in affirming that each of us is committed to the safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff. Further, as I indicated in my meeting with the students, the College is prepared to provide critical incident stress management counseling for students or any member of the college community. Anyone in need of this assistance should contact Dr. Stephanie Janey, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. In addition, any student requiring academic assistance should contact Mark Garth, Dean for Student Success.
"I appreciate the thoughtful comments and concerns that were expressed at yesterday’s meeting. I look forward to meeting with the recently elected student government association representatives throughout the year."
Unmoved by these sentiments and by the BPD response, student and community activists intend to step up their reform campaign on and off the RCC campus.
