As the organizers linked arms and blocked the road, the wails of car horns echoed through the streets. Traffic lights blinked from red to green. But the protesters refused to move.

They passed around masks to hide their faces and a megaphone to start chants. Occupying the intersection outside Crouse-Hinds Hall, #NotAgainSU organizers urged Syracuse University officials to negotiate with them.

“We’re here in good faith. Negotiate,” they chanted.

More than 100 students, faculty and supporters of the #NotAgainSU movement occupied the intersection of South Crouse and Waverly avenues for nearly two hours Wednesday. The demonstration was one of several ways #NotAgainSU tried to force discussion with university administration that day.

#NotAgainSU, a movement led by Black students, has occupied Crouse-Hinds since Feb. 17 to continue its ongoing protest of at least 30 racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic incidents that have occurred at or near SU since early November.

Organizers announced plans Tuesday to negotiate with university administration and two executive members of SU’s Board of Trustees on Wednesday at 4 p.m. The meeting was never agreed to, planned or confirmed, said Sarah Scalese, senior associate vice president for university communications, in a statement.

Dean of Students Marianne Thomson said in an email sent Tuesday to #NotAgainSU that university officials would meet with organizers Wednesday at 4 p.m. only if the two groups could agree on the logistics of the meeting Tuesday evening.

“Unfortunately, we were unable to reach agreement around terms,” Scalese said. “As no terms were agreed to, no meeting was scheduled.”

Three student protesters and one faculty adviser met with representatives from InterFaith Works of Central New York for roughly 45 minutes Wednesday, Scalese said. SU also reached out to invite students to a meeting Thursday at 11 a.m., she said.

Corey Henry | Photo Editor

Protesters on Wednesday gave administrators until 4:15 p.m. to arrive at Crouse-Hinds for negotiations. The students began chanting in the lobby of Crouse-Hinds, hoping their voices would echo to university officials whose offices are located in the upper floors of the building.

“What do we want? Justice,” protesters chanted. “If we don’t get it? Shut it down!”

When no administrators showed, they marched upstairs toward Chancellor Kent Syverud’s office on the sixth floor. The students filled the stairwell, continuing to chant. The doors leading to upper floors in Crouse-Hinds had been locked, and Carrier Dome “yellow jacket” security officers stood behind the doors.

#NotAgainSU organizers attempted to find alternative ways to get inside the upper floors, including through elevators. The elevators in Crouse-Hinds had been shut off.

The protesters marched back to the lobby of Crouse-Hinds and continued to wait for administrators. At 5 p.m., an organizer announced the occupation was moving outside. Within minutes, organizers began linking arms and blocking traffic in the intersection outside Crouse-Hinds.

“Hey hey, ho ho, Kent has got to go,” they chanted. The movement is calling for the resignations of Syverud, Department of Public Safety Chief Bobby Maldonado, DPS Associate Chief John Sardino and Dolan Evanovich, senior vice president for enrollment and the student experience.

About 20 minutes into the demonstration, Syracuse Police Department officers arrived at the scene. Throughout the demonstration, they filmed protesters with body cameras and took photographs from parking garages and sidewalks.

Officers later blocked traffic from Irving Avenue to Walnut Place.

“This is a peaceful protest. We’re not being violent,” one protester said.

Faculty formed a human chain on the crosswalk in front of the sitting organizers. An SPD officer told professor Jackie Orr that the organizers were occupying city property and warned that they could be arrested for doing so.

“You guys are now on city property out here, and if you’re blocking and disrupting the road, you can be arrested for disorderly conduct,” the officer said. “Your guys’ problem is with DPS and the university.”

SPD officers did not announce the warning to the rest of the protesters.

“Officers temporarily rerouted traffic to ensure the safety of those involved. Warnings were given to those occupying the road to exit,” SPD Sgt. Matthew Malinowski said in a press release.

Corey Henry | Photo Editor

Organizers formed two circles in the intersection about 40 minutes into the occupation. Protesters of color formed an inner circle, while white protesters stood on the outside. An organizer urged the students on the inner circle to wear masks and hoodies.

“We’ll leave when you negotiate with us,” an organizer said. The rest of the protesters began to chant “Kent, come out.”

When organizers saw an SPD officer taking photos from a parking garage, the protesters on the outer circle turned around,  masked faces looking upward to watch the officer.

Professor Jenn Jackson noticed an officer taking photos and approached him, asking for him to explain what the photos would be used for. Another officer told Jackson, who was filming the demonstration, that SPD was filming for the same reason she was. Jackson responded by asking if the officer was putting the photos on Twitter.

She continued to follow the officers across the street, asking for their names and badge numbers. One officer stood silently in front of her, raising his body camera to her face.

Pam Peter, assistant dean for fraternity and sorority affairs, was present at the demonstration. University administrators — including Syverud, Thomson, and Rob Hradsky, senior associate vice president of the student experience — did not appear to negotiate with the organizers.

At about 6:45 p.m., the protesters moved back inside Crouse-Hinds.

“The students united will never be defeated,” the protesters said as they began to leave the intersection.

Published on February 26, 2020 at 11:58 pm

Contact Michael: msessa@syr.edu | @MichaelSessa3