Re: Two protesters arrested at campus event with US Sen. John Fetterman
I write to address The Dartmouth’s recent article on the Oct. 23 arrests. The Hanover Police Department arrested two Dartmouth activists for disrupting a campus event with Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa. The Dartmouth reported that the College “did not ask Hanover Police to make the arrests,” citing “a College official familiar with the matter” as its source. However, the College’s footage of the event tells a different story. At approximately the 24:20 second mark, someone wearing a Dartmouth lanyard points at the two protesters. Seconds later, a police officer appears on screen.
The Dartmouth reported that assistant dean for student life Edward McKenna was present and speaking to the protesters before the incident. In a private message, the arrestees also confirmed that the person in the video with the green lanyard is McKenna. Given McKenna’s hand signal shortly before the arrests, I believe The Dartmouth’s reporting that “the College did not ask Hanover Police to make the arrests” merits closer scrutiny.
Dartmouth has a long history of activism. Protests play a key role in shaping the College’s values. These arrests cast doubt on Dartmouth’s commitment to free expression — a core value upheld over centuries.
I believe transparency and accountability are necessary for responsible leadership. Reports surrounding these arrests should send chills down our collective spine. The Dartmouth and the College must clarify what led to this escalation and protect our community against this type of overreach that threatens safety and the civil liberties of those on campus.
Respectfully,
Geovanni Cuevas ’14
Geovanni Cuevas is a member of the Class of 2014. Letters to the editor represent the views of their author(s), which are not necessarily those of The Dartmouth.
