University administrators continue to bar student and press access into Kirkland Hall amid an ongoing student sit-in. Here’s an exclusive look from The Vanderbilt Hustler into Kirkland Hall.
The rundown:
- At 9 a.m. CDT on March 26, 27 undergraduate protestors from the Vanderbilt Divest Coalition rushed into Kirkland Hall for a sit-in. The students are calling for the administration to allow the student body to vote on a VSG constitutional amendment to prevent VSG funds from being used on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement’s targets. The students specifically want to meet with Chancellor Daniel Diermeier about this matter, whose office is located in Kirkland Hall.
- Last week, the university alleged the BDS amendment is illegal and canceled it. The referendum was scheduled to go to a vote on March 25 after gaining 600 student signatures in support.
- As of 9 p.m. CDT, all 27 protestors remain inside and police presence outside the premises has continued. Students inside report “inhumane” treatment but said they will remain inside until their demands are met or until they are forcibly removed.
- Nashville Scene reporter Eli Motycka was arrested around 1:30 pm CDT for alleged attempted trespassing. He has since been released, will not be prosecuted and was not charged. The Hustler also has been barred from inside Kirkland Hall.
- At least 16 protestors say they have received “interim suspensions” from the university.
- Students also have been demonstrating outside Kirkland Hall all day in support of the students staging the sit-in.
Conditions inside Kirkland Hall
Student protestors inside Kirkland Hall told The Hustler that they are not being allowed to have food or medicine brought to them or use the restroom, leading people to urinate in bottles. A student protester inside Kirkland Hall granted anonymity for protection from professional retribution said they fear legal trouble for public indecency if they were to pee in a bottle.
Water and food from Panera Bread were taken inside the building around 6 p.m. CDT, which student protesters said were given to police officers on the premises.
During an Instagram Live hosted around 6:30 p.m. CDT, one protestor described that they have needed to urinate “for at least five of the nine hours” that protesters have been inside. They stated that a VUPD officer told them that they would only be allowed to use the restroom if they agreed to be escorted out of the building. The protester stated that they are prone to urinary tract infections and kidney infections and, thus, are especially worried about their health.
At approximately 7:45 p.m. CDT, student protestors stated that one protestor was experiencing early symptoms of toxic shock syndrome such as pain, nausea and fever symptoms. Officers told the person that they still could not use the restroom without being removed from the premises, so they decided to remove their tampon during the sit-in. Students report feeling sick, dehydrated and nauseous. A university representative did not immediately respond to The Hustler’s request for comment about whether medical personnel would be allowed into the building if a student was experiencing a medical emergency.
Supporters have reported calling Diermeier’s office and local representatives to demand improved conditions for protestors and encouraging supporters to do the same. Posting outside Kirkland Hall, other student protestors have been chanting messages of support for the students inside Kirkland Hall such as “Let them pee! Let them eat!”
Recap of protests
The group of protestors outside Kirkland Hall previously left the area at around 2:45 p.m. CDT out of fear of repercussions for protesting outside the university’s guidelines. Vanderbilt has established locations on campus where protesting is prohibited, including most of the perimeter of Kirkland Hall. These guidelines were distributed to protestors on site today.
At least 16 student protestors were issued interim suspensions by Student Accountability, all but one of whom are protestors inside the building. The Hustler obtained a protestor’s suspension notice, which did not outline the alleged violation. Students who are issued interim suspensions are barred from campus and may face arrest if present on campus. The suspended students remain on campus in Kirkland Hall.
“According to the Vanderbilt University Student Handbook, suspension, pending an investigation and accountability meeting, may be imposed when there is a reason to believe the action is necessary to maintain University functions or to protect the safety of individuals,” the suspension notice reads.
One student, senior Hunter Graves, was protesting at the rally outside the building and was issued an interim suspension that was later revoked. Graves said this incident is his second reprisal from Student Accountability for his activism, with the prior violation being for posting unauthorized flyers on campus.
“This is just a continuation of what Vanderbilt University has been doing since the moment we started this movement,” Graves said. “Trying to suppress our voices, trying to punish us for raising our voices and using our free speech.”
The university emphasized to The Hustler the centrality of free expression and civil discourse to Vanderbilt. Protest limitations, such as those outlined in maps distributed at today’s protest, were said to be necessary for community safety and the preservation of university operations.
“We, as a matter of policy, define time, place and manner limitations. The safety and well-being of our community is a top priority,” the university’s statement reads. “The university will take action when our policies are violated, the safety of our campus is jeopardized and when people intimidate or injure members of our community.”
A group-written statement to The Hustler from the protestors inside Kirkland Hall reads that Vanderbilt’s stated commitment to freedom of expression falls short given its admitted limits on protesting.
“They are admitting that they do not value protests as a legitimate form of political action, and only permit “protests” as they see fit. This is consistent with their lies about their support for free speech,” the protestors’ statement reads.
The university alleged to The Hustler that students were physical with Vanderbilt employees to gain entry into Kirkland Hall. These staff members were working in Kirkland Hall, despite the university stating it is closed for construction.
“Some students physically assaulted a Community Service Officer to gain entrance and proceeded to push staff members who offered to meet with them,” the university’s statement reads.
The protestors’ statement further claims that Vanderbilt’s statement contains misinformation.
“Students were grabbed and assaulted, and defended themselves from CSOs on their way to protest at the Chancellor’s office in an attempt to exercise their fundamental rights to free speech and free expression,” the protestors’ statement reads.
University representatives have denied The Hustler’s requests to allow student reporters and photographers into Kirkland Hall, claiming that it is closed due to construction. The university previously told The Hustler that renovations were done in February. Furthermore, on March 19, The Hustler interviewed Chancellor Diermeier at Kirkland Hall, and the construction site is listed as complete on the FutureVU website. Nashville Scene reporter Eli Motycka was arrested by VUPD earlier today for alleged attempted trespassing while reporting on the sit-in. Motycka was later released and will not face charges.
This breaking story will be updated as more information becomes available.
