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A Statement Provided to the Investigating Officers

14 students are undergoing hearings related to the events of April 27, 2017. In addition, each of them--and perhaps others--are being asked to come to Cunniffe Hall to be interviewed by two Public Safety Officers. One of the fourteen students gave permission to for us to publish the following statement, which the student presented to the officers. 



My Statement on the Events of April 27th 2017

The major parts of my recollection of the events come from when I was already present inside the vestibule. As such my statement of the events will start from inside the vestibule. I will focus primarily on the students, as I was unfamiliar with the majority of public safety officers and can speak better to their (the public safety officer’s) actions, than who they were as individuals. To set the scene, facing the entrance of Cunniffe house, I was on the right side opposite the doorway, [name 1 redacted] was on my right, [name 2 redacted] was in front of me the whole time, and [name 3 redacted] was facing my side of the wall from the other side of the vestibule.

When I saw [name 3], the student in the doorway, she was already pinned against the door. And I don’t say pinned because that’s the side I’m choosing in this debate, when I saw her she was still and the public safety officer was leaned against the wall where her arm was. I repeat this, his body was on the door in the area her hand was, and while I could not see if maybe there was a centimeter of space, its incredibly unlikely. During the whole thing, I saw no signs of struggle that would indicate she was still trying to reach the door with her arm. The only struggle I saw was an emotional one, she seemed scared, like her desire had switched and the only thing she needed was to be free. Even as she got upset though and yelled out that she couldn’t breathe, the public safety officer did not budge an inch, even to let her go, seemingly just to be safe that nobody would get inside. While I did not hear much of what people were saying during these events, that officer said nothing, he did not deny she couldn’t move or claim she was lying. No matter how scared [name 3] got though, she never seemed to struggle or hit to try to get free, but her face was noticeably upset and red.
Another student, who I assume was also sanctioned and likely listed as violent actually faced rather the opposite experience. I saw him, [name 1], reach out, without touching an officer, not to commit violence, but to help the girl, [name 3], pinned under the door get out of her situation. I also noticed, as he remarked, that a public safety officer did temporarily raise his hand and grab his neck to push him back. It only lasted a second, but I did see the hand. I cannot recall if it or someone else pushed back after that but I do recall him being farther back a second later. After that, he started a non-violent chant to let [name 3] out from under the officer.  I saw him again after the protest, at least a half hour later; while his neck was okay, he did receive a cut in his hand after the incident.

Another student, [name 2], was in front of me and holding her phone the whole time. For her, she had her camera held in both hands unable to use them to shove anyone. I noticed her get knocked over two times, and temporarily lose her glasses. I know because I picked up her glasses after she fell one of the times. I did not see her attempt violence, only film. Also, while I did not see who knocked her over, it was obvious that someone had, the fall was not purposeful as the first time she landed somewhere on her lower back, indicating she’d been knocked far out of balance. [name 1] helped her up this first time, cannot recall if anyone helped her up the second.

Lastly I also noticed one public safety officer feign injury during the event. I am not referring to any of the injuries reported after the incident, but during the event a public safety officer said his leg was being hurt, but I saw no one on his leg, nor any Fordham students nearby him. I don't know if he was saying it to get us calm or so the camera would hear it and give sympathy. Either way, I hope that isn't procedure for public safety.

In closing, I would just like to note that while my interview and interviewers were kind in their treatment, the majority of questions asked were focused on a discussion of public safety officers and/or why we (the students) shouldn’t have been in the vestibule. While I understand the trouble officers are going through right now, and also the desire to know their actions, the students involved also need to be discussed further, the case on their actions is not closed. Despite injuries that may have occurred, the students I noticed during the incident were non-violent and though initially intrusive, are not dangerous. They are facing penalties and after effects as well, so I hope Fordham will be open to information regarding reconsidering their punishments, and gathering information regarding understanding their actions, rather than just blaming them. This is not my personal thoughts on the protest, I believe this closing statement is important to the case being discussed and the interviews discussing them.

This is my statement on the events as best as I can remember them. I promise that these are my experiences and do not include the judgment or recollection of anyone else.
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