The Oregonian | By Maxine Bernstein | May 29, 2024
A lawyer representing two Portland State University students filed notice Wednesday of plans to sue the school and the city, alleging campus public safety and police officers used force against students who he says were peacefully assembling in support of pro-Palestinian demonstrators last Thursday.
Attorney Michael Fuller submitted a video clip with the notices that show a line of people with arms linked blocking the garage exit from the university’s administration building as campus security officers try to get past.
The officers, including Campus Public Safety Chief Willie Halliburton, are seen attempting to move the people away from the exit, resulting in a shoving match.
Fuller represents Makayla “Topaz” Arnold, 25, and David Mosqueira, 28, — both university students who were not arrested, according to Fuller.
Mosqueira and Arnold had locked arms with others in the line until Mosqueira started filming, Fuller said.
After biology class, Arnold stopped to stand “in solidarity” with other students who were demonstrating against the Israel-Hamas war by blocking the east garage exit of the Richard and Maurine Neuberger Center. Officers used physical force on the crowd without a verbal warning, the claim notice contends.
Mosqueira had joined the line in front of the garage around 6:15 p.m., after police arrived, Fuller said.
Fuller suggests in the notices that the university or city can settle the claims for $4,500 and $2,500 respectively for Arnold and Mosquiera. Fuller said both students were injured but said only Arnold required medical treatment. He didn’t identify the injuries.
Portland State police arrested seven protesters last Thursday, including two who chained themselves to the administration building. Three of the seven were PSU students, according to Katy Swordfisk, a university spokesperson.
It was the latest disruption on campus amid ongoing pro-Palestinian protests. The university is working on repairs estimated to cost roughly $750,000 to Millar Library after a three-day occupation earlier this month by people protesting Israel’s response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel, where they killed about 1,200 people and abducted 240 others. There are 121 people who remain captive. Israeli bombardments and ground offensives in Gaza have killed more than 36,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry.
University President Ann Cudd said last week that a group blocked the garage exit as police tried to take people they had arrested out of the garage. She said force was used to remove the protesters who wouldn’t leave. Portland police said someone spit in the face of one officer and other officers were punched.
The video provided by Fuller shows officers attempting to push back the crowd blocking the garage exit followed by a shoving match between officers and demonstrators as someone in the crowd repeatedly screamed, “This is a peaceful protest!”
Halliburton, at some point, suffered a medical episode at the scene and was taken by ambulance to a hospital. He is recovering at home under medical supervision, Swordfisk said Wednesday.
The university declined comment on the students’ notices to sue.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day last week issued a statement condemning the behavior of some demonstrators, describing them as “extraordinarily hostile” toward police.
He said when officers attempted to get emergency medical care to Halliburton, a group “refused to move and officers had to forcibly push their way out to ensure that medical care could be brought in.”
