Monday, the head of the Indiana State Police revealed that sniper-equipped state troopers had been placed on rooftops near Indiana University protests in support of the Palestinian cause.
During an interview on a conservative talk radio show, ISP Superintendent Doug Carter said that police had set up “over-watch positions” near Dunn Meadow. Since Thursday, police have used riot shields and zip ties to hold more than 50 protesters.
Pictures of what looked like a sniper on the roof of the Indiana Memorial Union went viral on social media, making protesters and their followers very angry. Lawmakers from the Bloomington area have criticized IU administrators and IU faculty members have signed a petition asking for President Pamela Whitten to step down. The sniper’s presence has been mentioned in both cases. As of Monday, more than 700 people had signed the plea.
When Carter went on WIBC’s “Tony Katz Today,” he backed the choice to put troopers with rifles on rooftops.
“Those positions weren’t meant to be sniper spots.” “They were over-watch positions,” he said, later adding, “Could they double as snipers?” They did, that’s true. However, the comparison that we were going to build another Kent State was totally false and dishonest.
“You don’t have to look very far in this country, unfortunately, to see acts of mass violence,” he stated. “And I think I would have been criticized if that attempt had come from one of those people—some of them radicalized—who decide they want to hurt as many people as possible.” And the only way to handle that would have been from above.
Carter said that his company could have communicated better.
“I believe we could have done that better.” “This taught us something,” he said. “What some people might think has taught us something.” That’s very clear to me.”
Officials at IU have asked the State Police to clear out the camps where protesters have set up tents and other temporary buildings in Dunn Meadow. The first round of arrests on Thursday happened just one day after IU officials quietly made a rule against these kinds of buildings.
Carter said he heard what he called “hate speech” against Jews while talking to people at the Dunn Meadow camp on Saturday morning. It was clear that the troopers were going to attack the camp, and he said that some protesters were thrown to the ground and then arrested.
Carter said, “We had troopers hurt.” “One soldier had a very badly broken finger.” Someone on our team had a bunch of skin bitten off of his wrist.
Critics have called the sudden implementation of the policy and the “militarized” presence of police “unacceptable.” The Indiana ACLU, the IU Media School staff, and members of the Bloomington City Council have all spoken out against the arrests of protesters.
“The large number of police officers, the weapons displayed and used by the officers, and their forceful actions to arrest protesters only served to escalate the situation,” council members wrote. “Their violent response to peaceful protest is unacceptable.”
