On Tuesday, a reporter was arrested outside Vanderbilt University campus, where students were holding a pro-Palestinian protest. Eli Motycka, a reporter from the Nashville Scene, was taken into custody by campus police on a trespassing charge, which he denied. According to WPLN-FM, Motycka argued that he had not been warned about trespassing and was simply there to interview students and cover the protest.
During the incident, Motcyka was escorted by campus security, as students chanted “F*** you, fascists,” in the background. It is unclear if the students were directing these chants at security or if it was part of the protest. As he was being led away, Motycka stated that he was not given a warning and that he was only there to do his job. He was ultimately taken to a police car and detained for less than three hours.
After his release, the Davidson County District Attorney, Glenn Funk, stated that his office would not pursue the charges against Motycka. His office released a statement confirming that they will not prosecute a reporter for peacefully doing their job. Motycka also received confirmation from Public Defender Martesha Johnson Moore that the magistrate did not find probable cause for the charges.
The Vanderbilt Hustler, the university’s campus newspaper, reported that a university representative informed them that Motycka had been trying to enter Kirkland Hall, where the protest was taking place. The representative claimed that the building was “closed for ongoing construction,” which was later revised to say that it was “closed to the public for ongoing construction.”
In response to the incident, the university issued a statement saying that a group of students had breached Kirkland Hall by assaulting a Community Service Officer. They also claimed that students had pushed staff members who were attempting to meet with them.
The university also stated that they took a “graduated approach” to de-escalate the situation and asked the students to leave. However, when they refused, the students were informed that their actions violated university policy and could result in disciplinary action. After several hours, the university began issuing interim suspensions to the students involved. This means that they must leave campus immediately and are not allowed to return until further notice.
Scene reporter Eli Motycka (@ejmotycka) was arrested by Vanderbilt police while reporting on student protests. pic.twitter.com/5HPcRHtI7H
— Nashville Scene (@NashvilleScene) March 26, 2024
The reporter denied any wrongdoing and was ultimately released without charges being pursued against him. The university claims that the students involved in the protest had breached a closed building and physically assaulted staff members. The incident is currently being reviewed by the Student Affairs department
Academia = Censorship
It certainly does anymore under the commie liberals.
Vanderbilt needs shut down permanently and the same for the fascist punks thowing their ignorant tantrum.
Amazing how the ‘elite’ administrators and the police clam up when asked questions about who is in charge or who to contact regarding the arrest. These people are just pawns and do whatever they are told without questioning the right or wrong of it.