 "Photo: Courtesy Photo")
University Police literally pulled the plug - if only for 10 minutes - during a Dia de la Raza celebration on the Free Speech Steps sponsored by members of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano/a de Aztlan last Wednesday.
At about 12:20 p.m., while the first speaker - psychology and Africana studies senior Jahsun Kine - addressed the crowd in front of the steps, he said he was approached by University Police who asked if he had a permit for the event.
He said that when he continued to speak, University Police Officer Jennifer McNamara placed her hand over the microphone and shortly after, Officer Brian Weaver reportedly unplugged the sound system.
Edmundo Garcia, social science and Chicana and Chicano studies junior and MEChA chair, said the five-to 10-minute interruption was a violation of MEChA's first amendment rights.
"They succeeded in interrupting the event," Garcia said. "And when we asked them why they had interrupted the event, they said they had an issue with the noise."
In an e-mailed statement, MEChA outlined the events that occurred on Oct. 12 and demanded the following: First, for University Police to issue a public apology printed in The Daily Aztec by Oct. 24; second, for all officers involved in the incident to be disciplined; and lastly, for University Police to train its entire staff on the U.S. Constitution, as well as Associated Students and university policies.
However, University Police Chief John Carpenter said that while he admits things could have been handled differently, University Police would not apologize because they did not violate MEChA's freedom of speech.
Carpenter said the officers reacted as best they could given the complaint and the speaker's reaction.
He said the officers responded to a noise complaint from someone within the administration building about the volume of the PA system and that it was so loud it was shaking the windows. He added that the officers responded to the complaint by attempting to ask the speaker if he had a permit.
According to Carpenter, Kine ignored the officer's questions and continued to speak. At that point, the other officer unplugged the microphone.
Carpenter said he met with Garcia, A.S. president Chris Manigault and Kine, on Tuesday to discuss the incident. As a result of the meeting, Carpenter said the group agreed to look at the process to avoid a reoccurrence. One idea was to contact A.S. when there is question of whether an organization has obtained a permit, he said.
Tracy Teel, assistant director of Aztec Center, said the outdoor amplified sound policy states that between the hours of 12 p.m. and 1 p.m., with approval by Business and Financial Affairs Office, Meeting Services and through submission of a form, an organization is permitted to produce 65 decibels of sound at a range of 50 feet on the Free Speech Steps.
Teel said that after turning down the volume of the PA system, she used a decibel meter and determined MEChA was still in violation of the decibel level policy. She said Meeting Services places the PA system on the steps and sets the volume, but that it was unclear whether Meeting Services set the volume too high, or if organizers turned the volume up after it had already been set.
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