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Students Demand Wash U Drop Charges Against Pro-Palestine Protestors

Published

10 months ago

April 19, 2024

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In the past few weeks Washington University has joined a growing number of college campuses nationwide disciplining student protestors advocating for Palestine. Now activists plan to rally against the administration’s response and continue to call for divestment from Boeing.

Tomorrow activists will participate in an art build from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and a divestment rally from 1:45 to 3:00 p.m. outside Brookings Hall on Wash U’s Quad. The rally is both to build art and to demand Wash U “divest from Boeing, fire Philip Dybvig, keep its students safe and protect the right to protest!!” an Instagram post explained in all capital letters. “Together we call for Wash U to drop the charges and suspensions of the 12 peaceful protestors arrested last Saturday!!”

Last week, demonstrators interrupted a university event for newly admitted students, calling for the school to divest from Boeing, which has been criticized for its weapons program that has developed bombs used in Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza.

“As a result, the Washington University Police Department issued 12 protesters court summons for trespassing, disturbing the peace, and refusing to disperse, April 13,” according to Student Life, Washington University’s student newspaper.

Since October 7, more than 33,843 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Middle East Monitor. This number may be higher as the health ministry in Gaza struggles to locate the dead. Israel stands accused of genocide in the International Court of Justice, which issued a provisional order calling on the country to stop any acts that violate the genocide convention, according to National Public Radio. Israel is not heeding the order, according to Human Rights Watch.

“Wash U protects perpetrators and punishes protestors,” Resist Wash U wrote on a poster advertising the rally.

In recent weeks other universities have disciplined students for protesting the ongoing attacks on Gaza and calling for an immediate ceasefire. Columbia University had the NYPD arrest more than 100 protestors setting up a demonstration encampment on the school’s lawn, according to CNN. Another is Vanderbilt University, which arrested a local journalist and students after they took over the Chancellor’s Office in protest, according to Inside Higher Ed. Three students were later expelled.

Experts have likened the pushback on these protests to the Vietnam War demonstrations seen on campuses in the ‘60s.

In a statement issued by Chancellor Andrew Martin, Washington University curiously paired last weekend’s protest and an unrelated but widely publicized incident on campus and said they “run counter to who we are.”

The statement addressed the charges and suspensions of protestors even as it discussed the incident in which two Greek Life organizations had their chapters suspended for allegedly throwing of eggs and possible use of racial slurs in its cafeteria.

“Both of these incidents were unacceptable and have caused harm to members of our community and to the university itself,” Martin wrote.

“Our commitment to free expression remains unwavering,” Martin continued, “but as the policy states, activity that disrupts university functions is not permitted and is subject to disciplinary action, including ‘fines, probation, suspension, expulsion, termination of employment, and/or arrest for violations of the law.’”

Saturday’s protest in Graham Chapel was a blatant violation of the university’s Demonstrations and Disruption Policy, Martin wrote.

Ironically, he added, “We are firmly committed to free expression and allow ample opportunity for voices to be heard on our campus, but we expect every member of our community to recognize their responsibilities to the community and to respect our policies.”

The Instagram statement announcing this weekend’s rally also included a call to fire Phillip Dybvig. A professor at Wash U’s Olin Business School, Dybvig came under fire after winning a Nobel Prize in economics in 2022. Several students accused Dybvig of misconduct to the Student Life newspaper.

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Fenton Man Charged in Sword Attack on Roommate

Published

9 months ago

May 22, 2024

Natural Bridge

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A warrant is out for a Fenton man’s arrest after he allegedly attacked his roommate with a sword.

Police say that on Sunday, Angelus Scott spoke openly about “slicing his roommate’s head” before he grabbed a sword, raised it up and then swung it down at the roommate.

The roommate grabbed Scott’s hand in time to prevent injury. When police arrived at the scene, they found the weapon used in the assault.

The sword in question was a katana, which is a Japanese sword recognizable for its curved blade.

This isn’t the first time a samurai-style sword has been used to violent effect in St. Louis. In 2018, a man hearing voices slaughtered his ex-boyfriend with a samurai sword. His mother said he suffered from schizoaffective disorder.

As for Scott, 35, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office was charged yesterday with two felonies, assault first degree and armed criminal action. The warrant for his arrest says he is to be held on $200,000 bond.

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Caught on Video, Sheriff Says He’s Ready to ‘Turn It All Over’ to Deputy

Published

9 months ago

May 22, 2024

Natural Bridge

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Video of St. Louis Sheriff Vernon Betts taken by a former deputy suggests that the sheriff has a successor in mind to hand the reins of the department over to, even as Betts is in an increasingly heated campaign for reelection.

“I ain’t here for all this rigmarole,” Betts says in the video while seated behind his desk at the Carnahan Courthouse. “The Lord sent me here to turn this department around and I’m doing the best I can and I think I’ve done a good job. I’ve got about eight months and I’m going to qualify for my fourth pension.”

He goes on, “Right now I can walk up out of here and live happily ever after and forget about all this…and live like a king.”

The sheriff then says his wife has been in Atlanta looking at houses and that the other deputy in the room, Donald Hawkins, is someone Betts has been training “to turn it all over to him.”

Asked about the video, Betts tells the RFT, “My future plans are to win reelection on August 6th by a wide margin and to continue my mission as the top elected law enforcement official to make St. Louis safer and stronger. Serving the people of St. Louis with integrity, honor and professional law enforcement qualifications is a sacred responsibility, and I intend to complete that mission.”

The video of Betts was taken by Barbara Chavers, who retired from the sheriff’s office in 2016 after 24 years of service. Chavers now works security at Schnucks at Grand and Gravois. Betts’ brother Howard works security there, too.

Chavers tells the RFT that she was summoned to Betts’ office last week after Betts’ brother made the sheriff aware that she was supporting Montgomery. It was no secret: Chavers had filmed a Facebook live video in which she said she was supporting Betts’ opponent Alfred Montgomery in the election this fall. “Make the judges safe,” she says in the video, standing in front of a large Montgomery sign on Gravois Avenue. “They need a sheriff who is going to make their courtrooms safe.”

In his office, even as Chavers made clear she was filming him, Betts told Chavers he was “flabbergasted” and “stunned” she was supporting Montgomery.

“I don’t know what I did that would make you go against the preacher man,” he says, referring to himself. He then refers to Montgomery as “ungodly.”

Betts goes on to say that not long ago, he was walking in his neighborhood on St. Louis Avenue near 20th Street when suddenly Montgomery pulled up in his car and, according to Betts, shouted, “You motherfucker, you this, you that. You’re taking my signs down.”

Montgomery tells the RFT that he’s never interacted with Betts outside of candidate forums and neighborhood meetings.

“I don’t think anyone with good sense would do something like that to a sitting sheriff,” Montgomery says.

Montgomery has had campaign signs missing and on at least two occasions has obtained video of people tearing them down. (Chavers notes that the sign that she filmed her original Facebook video in front of is itself now missing.)

One man who lives near Columbus Square says that he recently put out two Montgomery signs, which later went missing. “If they keep taking them, I’ll keep putting them up,” he said.

Betts says he has nothing to do with the missing signs. In the video Chavers filmed in Betts’ office, Betts says that his campaign isn’t in a spot where it needs to resort to tearing down opponents’ signs.

“If you sit here long enough, a man is getting ready to come across the street from City Hall bringing me $500, today,” Betts says. “I’m getting that kind of support. I don’t need to tear down signs.”

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St. Louis to Develop First Citywide Transportation Plan in Decades

Published

9 months ago

May 21, 2024

Natural Bridge

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The City of St. Louis is working to develop its first citywide mobility plan in decades, Mayor Tishaura Jones’ office announced Tuesday. This plan seeks to make it easier for everyone — drivers, pedestrians, bikers and public transit users — to safely commute within the city.

The plan will bring together other city projects like the Brickline Greenway, Future64, the MetroLink Green Line, and more, “while establishing new priorities for a safer, more efficient and better-maintained transportation network across the City,” according to the release.

The key elements in the plan will be public engagement, the development of a safety action plan, future infrastructure priorities and transportation network mapping, according to Jones’ office.

The overarching goals are to create a vision for citywide mobility, plan a mixture of short and long-term mobility projects and to develop improved communication tools with the public to receive transportation updates. In recent years, both people who use public transit and cyclists have been outspoken about the difficulties — and dangers — of navigating St. Louis streets, citing both cuts to public transit and traffic violence.

To garner public input and participation for the plan, Jones’ office said there will be community meetings, focus groups and a survey for residents to share their concerns. The city will also be establishing a Community Advisory Committee. Those interested in learning more should check out at tmp-stl.com/

“Everyone deserves to feel safe when getting around St. Louis, whether they’re driving, biking, walking or taking public transit,” Jones said in a news release. “Creating a comprehensive transportation and mobility plan allows us to make intentional and strategic investments so that moving around St. Louis for jobs, education, and entertainment becomes easier, safer and more enjoyable.”

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