UNM Strike Documentary, Part I

surgeons because i think the nation has been at issue the region you think we did standard operating procedure it's

bleak it's been if beak may nineteen seventy six days of protests at the university of new mexico part two tumultuous friday in the aftermath a special presentation of k u amendments as the scene opens on friday may eighth the students are in control of the student union building on you and m campus university administration has not yet taken steps to evict the five hundred students are occupying their building inside the building volunteer strikers of taken over operation of it its food service and its

maintenance at four am a second meeting of the new mexico union board was held the meeting had been called by student board member david rigsby really hope to reverse the board's earlier decision on the occupation of the student union building however the road again like a proper koran since no administrative members were present but the students voted anyway to accept the proposal which would allow the sod to remain open twenty four hours a day with student control of its facilities well this meeting was in progress the strikers were busy mopping and cleaning the floors rat's nest were removed from the kitchen area and breakfast was being prepared by volunteers an atmosphere of camaraderie and cooperation created the feeling of a kind of little woodstock everyone felt for the first time that they were doing something together and that was something significant the tensions in the previous day were greatly relaxed as people became involved in various tasks which needed to be done a penny which read from someone's pocket and came

to a stop on its edge in front of the union entrance was designated a monument a sign was erected in front of it in honor of the strikers it read which way will as penny for all right or left the job your atmosphere for fled rapidly at seven am when members of the university administration entered the building and distributed a mimeograph statement which read in order to protect the union and property there and contained and to restore it to its orderly years the region send directed that this building because today thirty am today and remain closed until further orders there are persons in this building except authorize staff i requested to leave at once and not to return until such time as it is reopened by the region's order your failure to comply with this request will be a violation of the law the document was signed by university president felt it dr caused a flurry of angry comments from students in the building they felt the building was rightfully

theirs and they were not about to give it up easily for the first time the student union building was in the hands of the students of the university of new mexico and they had already begun to make some creative changes in its operation following the order a meeting was held in the ballroom to decide how to confront police as they attempted to evict anyone from the building very suggestions were made but all advocated some form of non violent resistance even more radical members in the mating realized that the student body was not ready for a violent confrontation it was suggested that when the police arrived the stryker should leave the building and occupy another building on the campus forcing the authorities to obtain another restraining order someone else suggested that those in the south should submit to peaceful rest there was considerable disagreement over that point some felt that iran should be avoided at all costs and say would prove nothing nothing conclusive was decided and the

meeting broke up after ripley was made for as many students as possible to remain in the building when the police finally came it was generally agreed that there was safety in large numbers the six hundred students could be present when the police came there would be little the authorities could do when it was apparent that the strikers are not going to a western union building the university administration slowly began to move to action at nine am attorney robert iger representing the university of new mexico attempted to get district court judge larry izzo to sign a temporary restraining order which had been requested by the regents also refused to sign it however because a hearing on the matter had been requested for ten thirty am that morning meanwhile state police chief martin the deal as donor cargo to put the national guard on alert accommodate more than that he placed command of the national guard units and be healed chance since he was leading that morning on a fishing trip at ten am president said he came to the ballroom of the sub and

spoke to the students this is what he said it is before you got into this band has been disbarred as blue as burma has

been thank you here is barbara well why the law party live interactive cartoon forces temporary restraining order oh sure i

do as barbie do it's b ms boudreaux over iraqi politicians by there is your ears

back he has been any day it's all right he's being the peace

at ten thirty a rally was held in the ballroom to prepare for the peace march to the federal building a meeting with the meeting was moved to the mall however when the rumors circulated that the national guard was coming to the union that peace march to the federal building began with approximately four hundred students and faculty marching down central avenue toward downtown albuquerque their numbers grew as townspeople joined in the march for peace the march receded to the corner of central and edith boulevard where albuquerque high school is located about two hundred high school students were waiting at first it was thought they were going to join in the march but instead they entered the intersection to block the path of them archer's then they rushed at the marchers throwing rocks several marchers were injured among them chuck andrews of the new mexico lobo was seriously injured in the eye when he was struck with a rock andrews later had this to say about the incident

as we approached albuquerque high we noticed the few people wandering around the schoolyard and as the marchers got within about two blocks that's a writer on eat it also there's a mass of people point in the central and they filled up the entire street quite a bit deep mud says at least two hundred people maybe too and fifty or three hundred it is this time the marchers said you could you had heard expressed by many people thought that lp eye stones would join us in the march the majority of people marching band they were really surprised to be funny at the idea that this problems facing them as antagonistic i tried to talk to a few of them in my guest is lowell reporter and then try to determine

if the this is a spontaneous demonstration if it had been there a gun by some of the albuquerque i teachers and i personally received response that it was all the students i asked some of them who got them to do this i said the students it was the students' idea however some other reporters michael blake in particular had some of the people in that in the testing teachers had been suggesting this sort of say earlier in the day the club again a little bit then they're making the realization that as being careful is to be standing over the long hair talking blues he is ender about ten seconds after i split tourism marches crown the alchemy i curled let other large yellow and the charge towards the marchers most of them are on and that was before this happened the state marshals were trying to get the crowd to move south toward and edith

to reroute them around the albuquerque i people and that they are attempting to do is that they can move fast enough and they'll carry i tried to catch up with them and there's infighting in the frontlines sight i didn't notice any year you and mr just doing a flooding except in self defense perhaps the most of the fighting was brought by a line of us do my shows though i guess they just link arms and their place themselves in a line between the two crowds and there i saw them take what a few objects and lows from ok nice dunes but they didn't seem to pay much preventer cutter between the two groups palestinian a parking lot serbia and the card observing this when i heard some noises out to the writers and roxanne pavement and that this is i looked up to see what direction they're going from about one says a second before happen

announcer aka flying through the air towards me and that he said they never get to tell it so from the trajectory had been thrown from quite a ways away and though it obviously came from the direction of the opening night crowd from you know the ground and out of iraq it may squirrel in the right i was wearing sunglasses at the time which where's andrew bird service kennesaw big flash and i almost blacked out i went down on one knee and that afforded him fall to the pavement some laid them in the other arm and a few cents or someone else grabbing leave mostly marshals and they hold me over to a makeshift enjoy it's was which was just a few feet away and other russian aid to presbyterian hospital and awe in the ambulances area of automatic use film his name was struck him that use a a medic from senate race i don't know whether he says during the day so i don't know of those as they offer for

you there and on a wall to participate or what that are really thankful it is their house also very thankful tuesday march was a grown man it a dilemma dave and then you know those two thousand on those going on but as retro a christian hospital and um their shows another job after for the injured on our wanda losing about forty or fifty percent vision in that eye an iron that was so far legally that there's no new money while student medics took care of the injured striker marshals position themselves between the marchers my school students until police were able to intervene came in and was at the scene and interviewed several people about the incident among those was mitch latest one of the marchers in its latest years

of that in the margins when they live about you think that would happen people gathered outside its named the marchers to join in the couch and watch on this is not what happened at number the teacher's law had been distributing these red light persuaded the high school students that what we were doing or anti american obviously against the president and against the thing about the whole thing was a red white blue slippers and that was it into shock because the impression i've gotten behind this was actually these are the people that we're fighting or anti war in yemen

and inviting any physically assaulted the couple just incredible i think it's inevitable this law teachers hands up andy gomez he also spoke with albuquerque high school coach satterfield about his reactions to the

violence the pope oh really the police finally managed to position themselves between the marchers in the rock throwing high school students the march was then rewritten so that further skirmishing between the marchers and high school students would be avoided a human as man steve corum are filed this telephone report politically

the it should be pointed out that animosity toward the strikers was not limited to rock throwing high school students local businessman in the vicinity of the riot were openly

hostile to marchers who attempted to talk to them about the reasons for the student strike corn i really did this account of his attempt to find a telephone in the midst of all the trouble all right but we got the money the march continued past the federal building where was originally planned to stage a rally but it was felt that to stop their might provoke further violence instead the march ended at robinson park a few blocks away a rally was held in six hundred marchers heard speeches from both university and community people many of those in attendance were

townspeople would join the marches and moved along the city's main street among them was an elderly gentleman who wore a large sign which they did smash imperialism the rally broke up earlier than planned so that the marchers can avoid meeting the high school students as they left school for the day the marchers were also advised by police officials that police protection for the march could not be provided indefinitely at two pm as the first group's of marchers from the park arrived on campus based on the strike are still in control of the student union building the district court hearings on the temporary restraining order were still in session so no attempts have been made to evict anyone meanwhile an ad hoc group of students met with president trailhead in his office where he agreed to a proposal which would leave the strikers in charge of the student union building until monday and he was quick to point out however that he would have to consult with the region's before any firm decision could be reached katie on a newsman tom cavanagh later spoke with the students who were at the

meeting speaking with you conditions approximately fifty playing in compton

beanie babies and you are a union if they agree then you didn't have to agree then is this is what emerges from downtown fall into the union i was debating whether to unionize there's a lot of people every

day nice work now the union an emergency session of the new mexico union board was called at three pm the board met and endorsed the tentative proposal which provided for a three hour period during which the strikers were vacated building to allow the union board to inspect the premises following inspection the building would be returned to the students and to their direction and control following the anymore meeting tehran and spoke to a s u m president erik nelson about the board's decision jeannie

they need it while union board was considering a proposal president it attempted to contact the region's about it but he was unable to contact enough of them to make a decision finally after hours and hours of testimony delayed hearings on the temporary restraining order came to an end it for thirty in the afternoon a motion to dismiss the restraining order was denied by judge letters o who issued the order to state and local police for enforcement at this point events became very confused since no one had any idea of all of the events which had taken place with regard to the student union building the students had no idea how much time that we

evacuated building and most were under the impression that they were to be permitted to keep the union open subject to the agreement with heavy concerning inspection many thought the injunction was only a gesture and did not believe it would ever be served hedi said later however that he had emphasized that once the order was issued enforcement was not in the hands of un officials in the midst of the general confusion a meeting took place between heavy and regions ortega and wilson had his office it was decided that the regions would have to have control of the suburbs the compromise proposal was rejected that had a cold the state police and requested that they meet with him before taking any action meanwhile copies of the restraining order were being circulated in the union several legal aid attorneys were on hand to explain the ramifications of the order while students were meeting in small groups to discuss how they would confront the police when they arrived members of the faculty position themselves

around the building hoping to act as a buffer against the police at five thirty pm the first city and state police units arrived on the campus send forty state police officers stood at the north entrance to the union building awaiting orders a state police helicopter circles above the heads of students standing on the mall president teddy was still in conference of the board of regents in his office as the first units were riding a phone call was made already informing him that the police had arrived and he remained in his office by this time state and city police were information at each of the entrances to the student union building they were equipped with riot gear tear gas grenade launchers and were helmets with riot points covering their faces it should be pointed out that no one from either the state or city police ever met with teddy prior to making arrests as two professors ran back to his office to request that heady come and talk

with the police first units of the national guard disembark in front of the student union building inside there was great confusion major hoover wimberly chief of state police intelligence read the court order to the crowd and gave everyone twenty minutes to clear the building faced with a possibility of imminent arrest the state is in the building it's made a quick personal decision about remaining are leaving in a few minutes only one hundred and thirty one of about four hundred strikers remained in the building the arrests scattered to the mall outside many of those who were left were still waiting for it to come with word of a compromise regarding the union shortly after six pm the police began making arrests distancing themselves inside the north entrance of the union and sang songs as they were passively and peacefully arrested while this was going on the national guard units of moved to the side of the union where they formed a line at the south end of the mall equipped with fixed bayonets and gas masks strike marshals instructed the

students in them all to sit down and remain orderly their instructions were largely ignored at any time it has been all the hallmark

law that he knows the play that has asked that airs it as tevye was meeting with the regions in the quiet of his office a message was received the president had issued go to the onion immediately on the mall the national guard units began their first forward movements from south to north we gave no warning as they charged the students were not disorderly there was some name calling but nothing more shots and draft dodgers and a few other things could be heard over the noise in the crowd as the national guard charged the crowd withdrew in shocked disbelief some however did not move fast enough and were ban

ended by the guard as they tried to move for the injured were newsman although the national guard that there are medical units most of the injured were treated by student medics though easily recognizable by their white armbands the student medics were denied access to the union where many of their medical supplies or cash at the time the band eddings occurred heady in the region's we're already inside the student union building they knew nothing of what was going on outside though the arrests were already in progress and he made the following statements to the students who remained in the union after meeting with the board of regents the region's of approve this proposal that after this building is cleared and after it has been inspected there agents will turn over control of the union on a temporary basis until monday to the policy committee the faculty policy committee and the union board those of you are willing to accept this proposition or to go out of the building now those of you will not are going to have to respond to the restraining order and to the

law enforcement officials who are here to enforce it and i have no control over those law enforcement officials or who are enforcing the order at a statement was met with cat calling from those seated on the floor in front of him no one however left the building while the arrests were being made inside out on the mall evacuation of the band at victims began all eleven injured were taken to the hospital and privately owned vehicles all but two of the ban that victims were treated and released the two remained steve solomon and john breslin were seriously injured as major arteries had been punctured according to dr leonardo garcia who assisted the strike medics and providing medical care for the injured quote both of them would most certainly have bled to death before reaching our hospital had it not been for the immediate aid rendered to them by strike medics by this time the arrest had been completed inside the sun

and the one hundred and thirty one arrested were loaded on commandeered city buses and taken downtown among those arrested were ex lobo editor wayne cdo and yes he won and president erik nelson nelson was the last person arrested though not subject to arrest under terms of the court order nelson chose to go with the other students and thus subjected himself to voluntary arrest after the building had been cleared national guard troops moved inside and prepare to spend the night gale and m's la woodworth filed this report from inside the cell so thank you number two we

need to be union there were some conflicting statements concerning what i had actually happened during the stabbings outside or albuquerque is news media reported the band eddings has been adding a national guard medic told a different story however when talking with j u n and these men still the company's bing crosby was it's

been nice many many many times in the past in the end in nineteen seventy eight a statement carried over upi from national guard warrant officer ed gonzalez said flatly quote there were no injuries due to bayonets unquote in the meantime

austin's were taking statements from persons who witnessed the band atoms about thirty five signed statements were collected that evening every student stood around the building and small groups until way past dark many wanted to seize the building again by breaking down the doors and floating inside the crowd spent much of its time arguing over that issue there were plays from some to do nothing violent arrest someone else be hurt or killed in a final act of frustration some of the students crowded tables and chairs from the terrorists and barricaded the exits at nine pm president had he held a news conference came on a newsman steve and dresser filed this report no no no thank

you i did every day inside the union the national guard troops have made themselves at home for the night was hard to believe that just twenty four hours earlier the building had been filled with a festive sounds of striking students making plans and talking among themselves about the meaning of what they were doing now the buildings quiet the troops deployed or in small groups looking tired and bored he won him his men and the garments he spoke briefly with adam and general john kelly commander of the new mexico national guard

the polls it's been it's big at ten pm and this conference is called the national guard armory with state police chief colonel the deal and general done commander of albuquerque national guard units caitlin rose was there neil spoke first the second questions

between nineteen fifty and host i think this bill

things are worth when asked what purpose the national guard served the ideal replied that this was a protection of the head when told that heady claimed he knew nothing of the national guard coming to the campus deal said you're

right as big bird the eels answers to many of the questions put to him by his men were guarded he was clearly on the defensive but he did accept responsibility for what had happened at the university and even seem quite satisfied with its outcome nice job down was next to speak asked why the national guard was he could be a fixed bayonets don't

said use of finance is standard operating procedure in the guard units in the state of new mexico on a par on that and done then commented on the injuries sustained by the demonstrators during the national guard's invasion of the university there were some incidents preserving investigate their own chant the same time theoretically second part of the answer in my genes and they and their names have been checked out some of which have been very very highly grownup already of people dead and dying you were too band aids got him out of the hospital asked if the troops could tell the difference between a demonstrator a newsman don replied

you know aren't anything with him you're right briefly mara i know i said after ninety three he was taken initially bbc nc and he had a minor yes they're on a minor to hear

the end of that we see you know see us live at other medical director and he said i'd prefer the german police and i prefer to presbyterian hospital he was admitted emergency the universe and it is and fifteen minutes later he walked out under his own power by joan mccarter the nurses hospitals is i personally analysed the medical officers that are just an insane this is a matter that way yeah you don't do

what we did almost up so please click your questions through the operation and this year are three pieces of this by eleven pm everyone had gone home for the night and all was quiet on the campus the national guard continue to occupy the building until saturday morning but there were no incidents of any kind as morning came the unnatural quiet on the campus continued at a special meeting of the border regions was held in the law library and other cargo would return from his fishing trip was there to answer questions throughout the weekend the campus remain deathly quiet the onion was claimed by university personnel and the penny which it stood on its head for a day and a half in front of the north entrance was removed the university administration tried its best to bring things back to

normal but in spite of its efforts things were not normal someone took a can a show like and painted the trails of blood on the mall which extended from the east entrance of the union to the bell on the northwest side of the mall the strike made it impossible for university physical plant workers to remove the evidence of violence several solvents were tried but the bloodstains remain to this day on sunday a meeting of selected faculty and students are seldom you know union ballroom to decide how to bring the campers back to normal by monday the meeting was a long and stormy one many students came to the meeting who had not been invited many of them had been active in the strike from the beginning and angry debate broke out which lasted for more than two hours when the students were not allowed into the meeting some of the steam delegates walked out of the meeting was clear that observers are not going to be allowed inside one of these delegates jim cherry ever entered the

ballroom in the midst of the debate stark naked walking a small dog on a silver chain the campus police and most of the crowd tried to ignore him after hours of turmoil i'm eating slowly began to come together to basic proposals were adopted reagan course options were proposed to the students who did not wish to return to classes as usual and a free university was established to give students an alternative to regular classes the strike was over some students tried to get the spirit of the ruling on monday when school resumed as usual but there was an overwhelming but on uttered feeling the strike it ended in defeat otc remained on campus the union is no more and the control of the students than it had been before the strike the physical plant workers voted in june not to unionize themselves and indo china conflict continued as it does today the national guard is currently being sued by the injured students for a total of four point three million dollars the upstate

outcome of these suits is still pending the university of new mexico was chosen by the president's commission on campus unrest as one of the nation's campuses to be investigated early in august one of the commission's members dr joe words a black man came to albuquerque to talk to the principal people involved on both sides in the strike a news conference is only arrived roads had this to say about the commission's reasons for coming to new mexico he says it's

surplus rhodes left the next day after speaking to many of the injured and watching film footage of the strike came on amazon handed his departure this is what he had to say about the use of the national guard at the university of new mexico he came

actually in the past hour you have been listening to may nineteen seventy six days of protests the university of new mexico part two this has been a special presentation of k you an immense written produced and narrated by matt walsh and mike called him the intensity of the protests we believe that this decision will expand the war it increased american casualties and increase american bob and those protests want peace and want to reduce american

casualties and a lot of the whole decision however for the very reasons that they are protesting those who can geez

dead