University of Virginia faculty calls for review of police response to protests

Protesters: ‘Disclose! Divestment!’ At student-led protests across the country, university professors have supported protesters, risking arrest. “He’s a professor. He’s a professor.” At the University of Virginia, The Times got an inside look at the lecturers’ role. “I can walk you through the day step by step if you want.” And how their negotiations with police broke down at a crucial moment. “Why is he –” “Stand back.” “In a wanton way, they allowed the Virginia State Police to come here fully armed, with guns and batons. One of my colleagues was standing right there trying to talk to the Virginia State Police. He was arrested. The other one, standing next to him, was pushed back behind the line and partially sprayed with batons. It didn’t have to turn out this way.” The night before police raided a pro-Palestinian encampment, some University of Virginia professors tried to deescalate the standoff, recording their conversation with university police chief Tim Longo. The Times agreed to pixelate the faces of faculty members concerned about their job security. The protesters had refused to talk to the university, so a handful of professors stepped in to act as mediators. This at times frustrated the administration, which told the Times that the process required a leap of faith. “We basically worked in rotation here, two-hour shifts. We wore these yellow armbands to show that we were faculty liaisons. And our job was really just to communicate between the administration, the police and the students.” Hours later, professors Walter Heinecke and Mark Sicoli, who had documented the incident on their phones, contacted the police chief again, expressing confusion about what campus policy actually said about the use of smaller recreational tents. Within a half hour, before professors and police could agree on tent policy, Police Chief Longo called the Virginia State Police. Soon, officers with pepper spray and M4 assault rifles arrived to help dismantle the camp. In total, there were a few dozen protesters in about 20 tents. “Shame on you. Shame on you.” University officials say they warned protesters for days that they were violating school policy. Twenty-seven people were arrested, including at least one professor who refused to speak to us for this article. “He’s a professor. That’s a professor.” “We stood in front of the students at the camp. And then the faculty stood in front of us. And then the Virginia State Police came and moved in. I got hit with a riot shield, and I got this bruise. They pepper-sprayed me. I was held down for about 10 minutes, if I had to guess. And then they just cut off my zip ties.” The massive police deployment set off alarms across campus. And now several faculty members, including Heinecke, want to hold the university accountable for what they say was a violent crackdown on free speech that took place in protest of Israel’s war in Gaza. “I just have to show you one thing where they’re going through—” “If they had just said, you know, let’s negotiate, let’s leave the tents up for a couple more days and then we’ll negotiate it. It’s not like you’re robbing a bank or anything. You put up a couple of tents. Why couldn’t we just do it differently, because there was so little at stake?” The university president and campus police chief did not respond to requests for comment. “And then I turn to Chief Longo.” But in a virtual town hall meeting on May 7, university police and administration defended their actions, citing unidentified outside agitators as the primary concern. “The police were faced with physical altercations and attempted attacks and felt unequipped to intervene given the situation. That’s when the decision was made to call in state police.” “We have a duty to fight for Palestine.” “We have a—” “I was afraid that myself and the deputy police chief would be surrounded and that we would be put in a position where we would have to defend ourselves. It was clear to me through words and actions that this was escalating.” “Free, free Palestine.” “Outside the historic Rotunda.” In response, Heinecke and several other faculty members held their own town hall meeting to show that the police deployment was unjustified. Then on May 10, UVA’s Faculty Senate held a hearing with President Ryan to discuss the university’s response to the protests. “I, for one, am grateful to him for preventing us from getting into a situation similar to what happened in Columbia.” Although there was support, most speakers were critical. “My heart broke over what happened.” “Over the reprehensible deployment of the Virginia State Police in full gear and using excessive force to terrorize our students in their own backyard.” “If you all decide I’m not the right leader, that’s your decision.” In a vote on May 4, faculty members called for an independent review of his and Chief Longo’s decisions, but did not directly condemn the police action. “All right. Once again, I need people who are just here for the court.” Across town that same day, supporters of protesters charged with trespassing gathered in solidarity outside the courthouse. “It’s the first hearing for everyone charged with trespassing, including our two students.” On May 15, prosecutors dropped charges against many of those arrested at the protest camp. A UVA spokesman told the Times that the university has not yet agreed to an independent review of its decision to involve state police.