[News] Security Forces Role in Supressing free Speech at University of PR

[Anti-Imperialist News]

William Ramirez Executive Director
American Civil Liberties Union Puerto Rico National Chapter   12-10-10


SUMMARY OF CURRENT STATE OF 1ST AMENDMENT RIGHTS IN PUERTO RICO
AND ROLE SECURITY FORCES PLAY IN SUPPRESSING SPEECH
(latest events UPR Walk Out)

The Governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuño, has 
taken down University of Puerto Rico gates and 
has ordered armed police officers onto the UPR's 
Rio Piedras campus (main campus) to assure that 
from now on there will no longer be any “leftist 
political activism” on campus and to stop any 
attempts to call for a student walk out. UPR 
students called a two day walk out, which ended 
Wednesday, December 8, 2010, to protest an 
arbitrary hike in student fees and other related 
administrative matters. The walk out was a 
continuation of an earlier UPR general strike. 
Last week, Marcos Rodriguez Ema, Secretary of the 
Governorship (Governors Mansion), in a live 
television interview said he would forcefully 
remove anyone who dared protest at UPR; that he 
would “kick their asses (los sacaría a patadas)” off campus.

Just days before, Puerto Rico’s police 
commissioner announced that he will be 
dismantling the controversial riot squad of the 
Tactical Police Unit, in response to US DOJ 
concerns that may be leading to a patterns and 
practice case by the United States. The ACLU has 
been filing complaints with the US DOJ for the 
past three years and has met with the DOJ in 
Puerto Rico and DC regarding the ongoing police violence and profiling.

This past Tuesday, December 7, 2010, the first 
day of the two day walk out, University officials 
brought on to campus a private security force 
“Capital Security” comprised of unlicensed and 
untrained young men recruited off the streets to 
control student protestors. Immediately, a 
violent situation emerged; many of these so 
called “security employees” came in with 2x4’s, 
wielding open knives and blackjacks, acting more 
like a goon squad. When interviewed by the press, 
some “security guards” admitted that they have no 
experience or training, that their only 
experience was kicking ass “free of charge” in 
the streets of their communities and that “here I 
will get paid for it”. This private security 
force was to replace the controversial tactical 
police unit, but has proven to be just as 
violent. http://www.elnuevodia.com/videos- megustadarcantazos-191847.html

Ample evidence suggests that violent events 
during the 48 hour walk out, that was allegedly 
instigated by masked student protestors 
(“encapuchados”) outside the gates of the 
university, was in fact the work of masked 
provocateurs paid “security guards”. The 
government has labeled actions by student 
protestors, blocking classrooms, as acts of terrorism.

Yesterday, Governor Fortuño ordered armed police 
officers on campus for the first time in twenty 
nine years, allegedly in response to the stated 
violent events outside the campus gates and acts 
of terrorism. University rules prohibit armed 
police officers on campus; police officers are to 
be outside the gates of the campus; the 
University of Puerto Rico has its own unarmed 
campus police. UPR has a long history of extreme 
armed police violence, which has led to maiming 
and killing of university students.

Governor Fortuño has absolutely prohibited any 
protests, stating that protests can take place 
outside but will not be allowed on the UPR 
campus. He specifically has called police 
officers to not allow left wing activism on the 
UPR campus. Also, State University officials are 
attempting to close down or Blackout “Radio 
Universidad” the University’s FM public broadcast 
radio station, a source for unbiased political 
and current events news analysis. They are 
attempting to silence the station for a period of 
not less than three months, while campus disputes 
play out. University authorities are 
contemplating a petition before the FCC to allow 
the government of Puerto Rico a period of 
silence. “Radio Universidad” staffers have 
petitioned the ACLU and met in our office where 
they expressed their concern that the government 
is looking to quiet dissent; this was attempted 
once before during the last student strike. 
“Radio Universidad” staffers believe that the 
station blackout is an attempt to quash free 
speech and is an act of prior restraint.

On the Bayamón Campus of the University of Puerto 
Rico, participants at a student assembly, by 
unanimous vote, passed a resolution to have the 
matter brought to the ACLU for legal evaluation 
and recommendations. The ACLU learned of this 
vote through an article published in Wednesday’s 
newspaper, as student representatives have not 
yet contacted us. “Radio Universidad” staffers 
complained of an interview of a high level 
university officer that was not allowed to air. 
The interview consisted of 9 questions asked; the 
very questions asked by other media sources. The 
stations manager however believed the interview 
to be hostile to the university official.

This is but the latest of many events since this 
new Puerto Rican government came into power that 
serves to illustrate the times in which citizens 
of Puerto Rico are living, there appears to be a 
concerted effort by the government to dismantle 
any semblance of dissidence. The government is on 
an ideological campaign to put down obstacles to 
its political agenda by implementing cold war 
tactics reminiscent of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Its 
most vulnerable victims are the fundamental 
rights guaranteed by the first, fourth and fifth 
amendments to the Constitution of the United 
States, the Puerto Rico Constitution, and international human rights documents.

William Ramírez Executive Director American Civil 
Liberties Union Puerto Rico National Chapter 
Union Plaza, Suite 1105 416 Ave. Ponce de León San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918

Link to: WAPA American interview with ACLU PR Director:
http://wapa.tv/noticias/locales/aclu-observa-proceso-en-la-upr/20101209115859
Link to WAPA America interview with Gobernador Luis Fortuno:
http://www.wapa.tv/noticias/politica/gobernador--policia-se-quedara-en-la-upr/20101209073727
Link to news segment UPR Students denounce threats by UPR “securrity guards”:
http://www.wapa.tv/noticias/primera-plana/denuncian-amenazas-de-muerte/20101207223424 
http://www.elnuevodia.com/videos-encapuchassedefienden-191806.html 
Link to news segment on UPR private “security 
guards” and related violence: 
http://wapa.tv/noticias/locales/se-complica-rapidamente-la-situacion-en-la-upr/20101207173524




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