UVA faculty at City Hall say police were the rioters on May 4th

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (NOW CVILLE) – UVA faculty members said in a virtual town hall that it was the police who rioted and acted aggressively as the pro-Palestinian camp was broken up on Saturday…not the students or community members. Many participants were liaisons between protesters and university and police leaders, and one described the atmosphere that Saturday morning as “chill” before police broke up what they called a peaceful protest.

Dave Edmunds, a global studies professor there, showed video of about a half-dozen faculty members standing in the front row being pushed by police in riot gear as they began to move in. Viewers could see one of the faculty members being taken into custody.
Education professor Walt Heinicke described the atmosphere as “chill” as protesters and teachers sat together eating bagels Saturday morning when they saw the first police arrive.

Faculty members were unfamiliar with the “four dangerous individuals” that UVA Police Chief Tim Longo described. Laura Goldblatt, a global studies professor, said the camp actually had people who were not students, including people with a history of social justice action, who were invited there. She noted that the university has made efforts to reach out to community members.