From the Second Alarm blog, comes this interview with Shanon, one of the students pepper-sprayed yesterday on UC Davis campus.
The video was filmed in the dark, after the press conference, and there isn't much to see, but still worth playing for the audio. Shanon describes the events that lead up to the spraying and its aftermath.
Most shocking to me is the revelation that neither the Chancellor nor anyone at all in the administration has reached out to her. Where is their concern for her health? She was taken to the hospital with a pepper-spray induced asthma attack. Are these students not entrusted to the University's care while there? Where is their simple, common decency?
What parent would want their child attending this school? This is unforgivable.
Second Alarm: Have you spoken to the Chancellor or people in the police department?
Shanon: No, I have not. That's one of the reasons why I came here today, was because we wanted out voices heard. We wanted the Chancellor to know what actually happened, because the email we got last night was not accurate.
Second Alarm: Did... did... they contact you at all? Before they started the...
Shanon: No.
Second Alarm: Oh, OK.
Shanon: Well, before what...?
Second Alarm: Well just at any point, actually, after this incident? Did the administration reach out?
Shanon: The administration didn’t contact me at all. The only people I saw were my friends and the people who, the EMTs and the people who helped me out. [...]
She says the school did not call her emergancy contact number at all either. Disgusting.
It is disgusting that UC Davis and police are claiming the police acted out of fear for their safety, which is a transparent lie to anyone who viewed the video. I suppose it plays better to the press than, "Why yes, we do employ authoritarian, sadistic sociopaths that commit heinous acts of brutality. What of it?"
Shanon endorses the idea that Chancellor Linda Katehi should resign, a sentiment echoed by her own faculty. And since last night, over 10,000 people have signed their agreement on the Change.org petition, please lend your name to that effort and post, tweet it as you will.
I am personally unimpressed with the assurances that UC Davis will be investigating charges they have themselves committed police brutality. What could go wrong there?I've written CA AG Kamilla Harris and asked her office to investigate. angelajean has a great action diary of other contacts.
I'm sorry, I'm not usually a vindictive person, but for on this, I feel heads must roll. (Figuratively.)
Thanks to The Troubadour and Scarce for this haunting video of the Chancellor's silent walk of shame.
Asked if she'd address the students, she said she planned to do so on Monday in a General Assembly.