Santa Monica College Protesters Pepper Sprayed: VIDEO

textbook

What is not so good is mostly they want to hear your opinion but at the end of the day voicing out your opinion on a certain thing or issue doesn't matter to them. The tuition fee hike is a long time problem of every country and sadly students, parents, and even concerned groups cannot do something with it no matter how you fight for it. At the end of the day, they will still decide on that. :(

Matthew

Anybody know where the milk came from? i.e. Where was it staged, and how much of it was staged?

It would be terrific for a video or photograph of it to come out, since, after a full day of unexpected interest in this (prompted by the four year old brought to the fracas), I'm inclined to agree with the comment, "poorly organized, poorly led, and not interested in hearing the opinion of other students".

I'm perhaps too enthusiastically interested, but I don't like to see stupid people screwing with cops, physically no less in this instance.

SM resident

SMC students have already overrun the neighborhood of the College with a constant stream of exhaust (from all the cars that sit idling waiting for parking on Pearl and 16th sts) & all the trash they carelessly discard on their way to campus along Pearl streets and in the streets between 16th and 14th leading up to campus. I have walked my dogs on these routes for nearly 20 years and it is a disgrace to see hoq students treat the surrounding area. Makes sense they would also attack the board for atempting to charge actual cost in light of lack of state subsidies for a small percent of the sections for each course ( instead of cutting half the number of english 101s per semester due to lack of state funding, they are proposing to keep the clases which would have to be cut but charging actual cost...). Smc students are being entitled and childish.

Santa Monica residents

As Santa Monica residents, we used to proudly support Santa Monica College. However, last night's pepper spray incident has left us in disbelief and disgust, which is only fueled by the college president's lame statement on SMC's Facebook page today. We cannot, and will no longer be associated in any shape or form with an institution that pepper sprays its own students. Shame on SMC, and for the collective stain this incident imposes on Santa Monica.

E_ensifera

As a Santa Monica College student who was on campus at the time, I would like to say that the protesters were deliberately trying to provoke a reaction from the police and were NOT protesting peacefully. The maximum occupancy allowed in the room due to fire regulations was not enough to accommodate everyone, and just because they were students did not give them the right to shove and harass the officers who were only there trying to do their job to keep the peace. Shame on the students themselves for painting SMC in a dirty light and trying to make out that they stand for the whole student population there. Fact is - they are poorly organized, poorly led, and not interested in hearing the opinion of other students unless they agree with their romanticized notions of radicalism.

Yes

Brazzers!

Sow Change

Students have a right to challenge a proposed two-tier system that intentionally discriminates on students who won't overpay three times the current unit cost. The PAID school board actively engages in discriminatory practices and PAYING students get pepper spray. Shame on those financially profiting from the current status quo of the [failing] California higher education system.

Christopher Neal

Then don't go, ya sow.

Another Protesting Failure

They should ban pepper spray. Bullets are a much better alternative.

Eric

The best way to protest is to not sign up for the classes. Supply and demand. The best way to protest a fee hike is to boycott the class. Hit them in the pocket.

Skrilla Mcskrillerson

Agreed. I make very close to 6 figures and only took 4 college classes in my lifetime. Degrees don't get you jobs.. Intelligence, ambition, and playing your cards smart in life will get you a million times further than a piece of paper and a 6 figure debt will. I'm a systems administrator, and have sadly seen applicants with masters degrees who know less about IT than many 10 year old hackers.. College is a great business model though - I'd love to own one someday myself.

El Barto

that's just dumb.

909Jeff

Actually its the smartest suggestion so far...

Or... hear me out.... Do better in High School and get accepted to a real college... the governments obligation to your education is K-12. (and to be honest I dont even think the government should be involved with that either) Anything beyond that is up to you.

My wife and I both paid for our CSU educations... well to be honest her company paid her tuition and I got GI bill money. So perhaps some of you wispy willowy little hipsters can go donate some time to the Government and you too can get GI bill money!

There you go problem solved...

Christopher Neal

Seriously, the use of pepper spray is a non-violent response.

909Jeff

Mr. Neal, Its been a while!

Its called the pussification of America... Get a little hot sauce in your eye and cry like a little bitch with a skinned knee!

Christopher Neal

Dude! How've ya been??? Yeah, I stopped reading the OC Weekly due to Gustavo's constant race-baiting. Gets old quick. Hey, how'd you like that top video? Much thanks to Jenna Chandler for that stellar video--quite EPIC if you ask me...

909Jeff

eh... OC weekley is the home rag... and I dont so much mind Gustavo... he's fairly transparent.

I watched another version of this video where at the end they were dragging some kid out like it was back in the Nam screaming for a medic... I literally laughed at that... Its PEPPER SPRAY!

I get pepper sprayed every couple weeks at the end of my dates!

My wife is MEAN!

JK!

Brian D

I would like to correct the LA Weekly typo in the first sentence: "Students protesting a proposed class-free hike at Santa Monica College " Should say: class FEE hike. According to a notice I received from SMC (I'm a student) some classes will be privatized and tuition will be as high as $500+ PER UNIT for summer and winter sessions. Students were not invited or allowed to participate in the vote on this issue- that's why they gathered tonight, but instead were pepper-sprayed. What's happening with "democracy" in this country?

Dennis Romero

Fixed. Thanks.

Mainlander

Democracy? This has nothing to do with "democracy".

Brian D

Freedom of assembly. Freedom of association. They're in the Bill of Rights in our US Constitution: "The United States constitution explicitly provides for 'the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances'"

So yes...students gathering to voice their opinion is democracy.Their getting pepper sprayed is NOT democracy...more like communism

909Jeff

HA! that's for sure!

Brian doesn't realize that I'm not that old, mid 30s.. So doubtful I'll be "old and feeble" when he's running shit... As a matter of fact when he eventually gets that degree, he's gonna have to sit across from an asshole like me and grovel for a job starting at 40k a year... Nor does he realize, which most college kids dont, is that when they get out into the real world and off mommy's teet, perspectives and priorities change.

And if he thought that post was condescending wtf will he think of that shit I wrote below?

Christopher Neal

Nah, Brian, showing the fucking pussies!

Brian D

Yes..thanks Jenna for the video showing the dangerous mob! LMAO

Brian D

aaah...yes it's great being young and idealistic.Take comfort old guy...the kids of today will be running things when you are too feeble to do anything about it. Enjoy your today..the future belongs to us :)

(youngsters can also be condescending)

Christopher Neal

Oh, Brian. Where to begin. If you were educated in the United States: BIG FAIL! So do you SERIOUSLY think that the right to assemble should come before, say, the right for students to have a safe academic environment? How about the safety of the Trustees? How about the students who paid big bucks to study on the campus? I would expel those troublemakers if it was up to me. There are proper avenues for redressing grievances.

The campus police have a duty to keep the campus safe. The pepper spray did the trick. Buncha pussies. Well done, SM Campus Police!!!

Jenna Chandler, thanks again for that top video--LOVE IT!!!

909Jeff

Ahhhh to be young and idealistic again.....

Another often quoted but misunderstood part of the Bill of Rights... Just like with the freedom of speech... You have the right to free speech and to peaceably assemble... Just like the government has the right to determine whether or not you are doing so in an appropriate forum.

Here is a quote from a real news source and not a Journo-Blogger...

"Students were angry because only a handful were allowed into the meeting, and when their request to move the meeting to a larger venue was denied, they began to enter the room, said David Steinman, an environmental advocate who is running for Congress as a Green Party candidate.

Two officers were apparently backed up against a wall, and began using force to keep the students out of the room. Steinman said both officers used pepper spray."

I'm not here to debate whether or not the meeting should have been moved or if more students should have been heard. the fact of the matter is this "peaceable assembly" was getting out of control and it was because the over zealous students forced their way into the room backing officers against the wall.

At this point it ceased to become a peaceable assembly and more like an angry mob... and angry mobs get dealt with...

Edit to Include: Whilst you do have the freedom of speech. the Supreme court has affirmed that the government isn't compelled to listen... Chew on that for a while.