To Chancellor Woodson, Provost Arden, Vice Chancellors and University Police

As a student at NCSU, I am disconcerted by the handling of the Thursday morning protest at the Free Expression Tunnel.

In protest of comments painted in the Free Expression Tunnel last week, a group of students blocked access to the Tunnel on Thursday morning from midnight until approximately 7 a.m.  When the group arrived, it prevented an uninvolved person from leaving the Tunnel until police officers escorted that person from the tunnel.  According to an involved student quoted by Friday’s Technician, the group intended to detain that person indefinitely as part of their protest.

I would like to understand why the police allowed the students to block the tunnel, and why the protesters have not been charged for their apparent violations.  While I am certainly no legal expert, my preliminary understanding of these topics encourages me to pursue this inquiry.

Is not detainment of a person against their will as part of a protest designed to elicit a response from a third party (the University) a crime akin to “kidnapping” (i.e. N.C. G.S. 14-39) or “hostage taking” (i.e. 18 U.S.C. § 1203)?  At the very least, wouldn’t this activity typically receive further investigation than simply removing the victim from the tunnel?

Additionally, is not the obstruction of normal pedestrian activities contrary to University Solicitation, Assemblies, and Public Addresses Regulation, which states that “[a]ssemblies and public addresses must be conducted so that campus pedestrians and automobile traffic are unimpeded and members of the University Community not participating in the event may proceed with their normal activities” (REG 07.25.12 Section 6.5)?

Furthermore, in light of the questionable resolution of the possibly-criminal entrapment conditions discovered at the onset of the obstruction, why were police supportive of this apparent violation of University policy?

Providing a forum for free expression does not detract from the University’s reputation, but failure to enforce established laws and policies will.  Instead of discussing ways to curtail freedom of expression, this should be an opportunity to reaffirm public discourse and uphold the law in a consistent manner that ensures an environment of safety and security.  Please review the actions of the protesters and the handling of this situation by the University Police.

Daniel Eckert

junior, computer engineering