VIDEO: Harvard students protest brutal police beating ‘I Don’t Feel Safe’
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Protestors gathered across Harvard’s campus, still outraged at the school’s response to the brutal beating of a black student by Cambridge police.
The latest protest was organized by Black Students Organizing for Change, “a group formed by College students in the wake ofthe physical confrontation between a black student and the Cambridge Police Department” last week, according to the campus newspaper The Crimson.
The Crimson reports that students wore red tape across their lips and held signs that said, “I Don’t Feel Safe” and “Will Harvard Call the Police on Me Too?”condemning the forcible arrest of a black college student April 13.
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The group wrote that its mission is “to hold Harvard University accountable for the safety of community members, particularly Black and Brown students.”
In response, Harvard spokesperson Melodie L. Jackson cited a message University president Drew G. Faust emailed earlier saying:
“As President Faust wrote in a message to the entire Harvard community earlier this week, we are committed to determining what Harvard, as an institution, can learn from the incident so that we can move forward together as a community ‘where people from all backgrounds and life experiences can come together confident in their ability to do their best work in a safe, supportive, and constructive environment,'” Jackson wrote, quoting Faust’s email.
“We will continue to build on the important discussions that have already taken place across the University since last week’s incident, including conversations involving students, faculty, leadership of the University, College, graduate schools, the HUPD and HUHS,” Jackson wrote.
Protestors want Harvard to implement a medical response team and they are asking for an ambulance.
“We are asking you to make your students feel safe, because black lives matter at Harvard, too,” said Hilda M. Jordan at the protest.
Then she began the chant: “Treat me, don’t beat me.” The student also chanted together: “Black lives matter.”
“Harvard, your students are asking you to respond. We’re asking you to acknowledge our pain, our concerns, the fact that we do not feel safe here or anywhere,” Jordan said. “Harvard, what are you going to do?
