CSUN Student Protesters brutally attacked by LAPD Officers

Karren Baird-Olson, 73 year old, CSUN Associate Professor of Sociology, American Indian Studies, Criminology, students, and members of the community brutally attacked by LAPD Police on March 4, 2010, while protesting against California's budget cuts on higher education.

Picture taken of officers at 1:46 (you can see them point at the photographer) = http://i42.tinypic.com/2m3s4zs.jpg

Friday, March 5th, 2010 12:08pm
Official statement released by California State University Northridge students regarding the March 4th 2010 student protest:


We, the students of California State University Northridge & higher education throughout the state of California:

Demand an immediate apology and rectification from all media outlets who reported the March 4th Walkout and protest as unruly, not peaceful, violent, and who used problematic language in reporting the actions of all participating students during the events of the day.

Demand JUSTICE for Karren Baird-Olson, 73 year old, Associate Professor of Sociology and American Indian Studies, Coordinator, American Indian Studies Program, and Professor of Criminology at CSUN who was brutally attacked by LAPD Police on March 4, 2010, and suffered a broken arm and multiple injures. We are demanding that no charges be placed against her and that all of her medical fees be paid, immediately, along with an apology from the police officers that brutalized her.

Demand JUSTICE for all CSUN students arrested during the rally, who were brutalized and apprehended with the use of excessive and unnecessary force by the LAPD.

Demand No citations or charges against the students arrested at the CSUN student Rally (Prairie/Reseda) on March 4th.

Demand that California State University Northridge respect the civil rights and actions of all students who participated in the protest by not taking any further action against them in the forms of expulsion or suspension, seeing as their conduct and behavior was not only peaceful, but an exemplary model of leadership, liberation, and student activism, and a clear model of the forward thinkers and leaders this University strives to produce.

Demand CSU Northridge to provide funding and transportation to the March in March student rally on March 22, 2010, at the State Capital (West Steps), Sacramento, as well as all other events and demonstrations regarding the budget cuts.

Demand a public forum with the CSU Northridge Administration, including President Jolene Koester, and Associated Student Body President Abel Pacheco for our grievances to be addressed and actions be taken in response.

We assert that free education is a RIGHT for ALL people


ULTIMATE DEMANDS:

1. NO MORE BUDGET CUTS NO MORE CUT CLASSES/ UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS/ FURLOUGH Days/LAYOFFS of part-time, full time, faculty staff and administrators.

2. NO MORE FEE INCREASES STOP TAXING STUDENTS/STOP TUITION INCREASES

3. RESTORE CATEGORICAL FUNDING PROTECT EOP&S/DSPS/CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION/MATRICULATION PROGRAMS

4. Allocate money to ensure there is proper and efficient funding for interpreters to be present in every classroom, and at every event where one is requested and needed to assist students in the Deaf community.

We are making these demands PEACEFULLY, in defense of our education. It is our desire to have an OPEN, PUBLIC, and collective dialogue where our needs are met with the administration of this university. The peaceful protest of March 4th was not a student vs. police action, nor was it composed of a group of unruly troublemakers, misfits, or social deviants. We stand here as representatives of our student body at large to inform the world that last nights protest was an outcry for help to rectify the Draconian budget cuts implemented by the state of CA legislators that have denied students of all levels from obtaining a fair, equal, and adequate public education. We have exhausted the venues available to us to contact our representatives to express our concerns and extreme discontent about the misappropriation of funds that have led to the economic crisis our state now faces. Because all traditional methods used have been to no avail, our actions are a direct result of the legislative decisions made by CA legislators, district representatives, and the governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger against Californias institutions of education. We are in solidarity with all those who have been arrested or pressed for standing up for their right to free education.

**SPREAD THE WORD FACEBOOK, MYSPACE, TWITTER, CALL & TEXT**

Video Captured By: Citizen Journalist, Mick Espinoza (http://la.icnews.com/)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• CSUN
• PROTEST
• LAPD
• KARREN
• BAIRD-OLSEN
• ATTACKED
• PEACEFUL PROTEST
• BRUTALLY ATTACKED
• NORTHRIDGE
• ATTACK
• POLICE BRUTALITY
• PROFESSOR ATTACKED
• MARCH 4
• 2010
• EDUCATION
• BUDGET CUTS
• MARCH
• MARCH IN MARCH
• SSCCC
• CSUN Protest

[EmericaFire]

Lol college students? A righteous cause? sorry, I couldn't hear your point over the childish chanting of "I smell bacon!"... I am a CSUN Senior, this is a joke and it makes a mockery of everything our education stands for. Your provoking the officers and intentionally trying to get a physical response. You all should be ashamed for your actions and understand... this is a borderline riot. Sad sad day for CSUN.

[bluesuit5]

kick their pathtic assess out of the college, they should be banned period. What a bunch of jerks. They provoked it, they got it

[jrbaley1]

WE didn't do anything thats not what I'm seeing... Protesters have rights absolutely.... But don't block the street preventing me from going by are block the sidewalks to other citizens.

Then I would expect the police to move you out of the street and to unblock the sidewalks.

Get a permit to legally block a street or rent a facility the cameras will come. You will be scene world wide if you have enough followers. Just do not deprive me of my rights to walk or drive down a public conveyance.

[ALLIEAPE]

this day sucked. so much traffic all i wanted to do was go home but no!

[Ganstakiwi]

If you make accusations of Police brutality come with evidence. This video shows a bunch of people chanting at the Police then they rushed the Police after it was alleged that a lady fell. The poor lady who was injured probably sustained the injury from the students who were tugging her. What was the cause of the protest?

[rukahk981]

This video seems a little bias... What happened at 4:50? An old professor was on the ground, but why? Plus these protesters are stupid. Angry college students, they are EVERYWHERE now a days huh? Peaceful protest, but when you are trying to provoke the police by saying "I smell bacon," and cussing at them and presenting yourself as a threat.. protesters out number the police hear, you wouldn't be on edge too if you were out numbered 1:20? C'mon. Shut up, and get out of the streets....

[Paladin601]

@ssj5grl Take care and good luck

[ssj5grl]

@Paladin601 I agree that it is a good major and I'm not really sure where I want to take my career, but I'll definately keep that in mind. It was very nice chatting with you about this.

[Paladin601]

@ssj5grl Deaf studies, that is a good major, it could do alot of help in lawq enforcement preventing things such as this. Did you know tha a deaf and blind man was severly beaten by the LAPD at MacAurthur Park, because he did not follow their commands, about the same time as the Rodney King incident. The Victim was white and the 2 officer were hispanic, it was not even reported in the press. Yet the officer were not charged and the vict received only 200,000 dollars. I agree they went overboard

[ssj5grl]

@Paladin601 I'm a deaf studies major and I know, since i wasn't there that I can hardly judge the situation, especially if this is the only video I've seen of the incident. And No thanks! I don't have to ride in one thier cars just to know they have the hardest job in this city. I can respect them and what they do, but they can cross the line every now and then.

[Paladin601]

@ssj5grl When you have a crowd like that it is hard to tell who broke the arm. Police work in those situations is all pain compliance. In fact most Criminal Justice is pain compliance. Maybe you should try a ride-a -long with the LAPD before you judge them. They have families and concerns just like everyone else, their training, that is approved by the City Council, tell they how they should act and what works best in these situation. What is you major?

[ssj5grl]

@Paladin601 Perhaps, but the police did cross the line, breaking her arm! I mean come on! I'm not saying protesting on the street is the right or smart thing to do for that matter. I go to CSUN myself and I didn't see te protest first-hand so I'm not entirely sure why they took it out on the street. The only thing I don't understand is the level of violence the police have to show to discourage a possible riot-in-progress, but they were peacefully protesting, even if it was on the street!