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THE SEVEN DID NOT. BALTIMORE CITY FIRE FIGHTERS BROKE THROUGH CHAINS AT GARLAND HALL ON THE CAMPUS OF JOHN’S HOPKINS UNIVERSITY TODAY. THIS IS WHERE DOZENS OF STUDENTS HAD BEEN CAMPED OUT AROUND THE CLOCK DEMANDING CHANGE. >> IT’S A FINAL PUSH TO DEMAND JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY STOP CREATION OF PRIVATE FORCE, END CONTRACTS WITH US IMMIGRATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT CUSTOMS AND PUSH FOR JUSTICE OF TYRONE WEST AND ALL VICTIMS OF POLICE BRUTALIT THEO: OFFICIALS SAY THE PROTEST WAS LAWFUL UNTIL STUDENTS CHANGE THE DOORS MAY ONE. TODAY BALTIMORE CITY POLICE WERE CALLED IN TO HELP BREAK IT UP. >> THIS MORNING, THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO LEFT, THEY WERE PEOPLE WHO INSISTED THEY WANTED TO BE ARRESTED. NO USE OF FORCE. THEO: OFFICERS ARRESTED SEVEN PEOPLE, INCLUDING TWO WHO LAYED DOWN IN FRONT OF A POLICE VAN. STUDENTS SAY THEY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK FOR CHANGE. THE UNIVERSITY SAYS IT PLANS TO MEET WITH PROTESTORS LATER THIS WEEK. >> THESE DISCUSSIONS AND CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER A YEAR. WE PLAN TO CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS. AS EARLY AS THIS WEEK PRESIDENT DANIELS SET A TIME TO MEET WITH DEMONSTRATORS TO HAVE A FRUITFUL DISCUSSION WITH THEM AND MOVE IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION. THEO: I ASKED THE STATE’S ATTORNEYS OFFICES WHY THEY WERE NOT PROSECUTED. THEY WERE GOING TO ABATE THEIR SITUATIONS SIMILAR TO THE WAY THEY ABATED THE SITUATIONS TOURING THE FREDDIE GRAY RIOT. REPO

Advertisement Protesters chained inside Johns Hopkins University removed by police State's attorney will not prosecute those arrested; Harrison says BPD used appropriate response

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Seven people were arrested Wednesday after Baltimore City police removed protesters who had locked themselves inside Garland Hall at Johns Hopkins University in protest to the creation of an independent police force.Protesters began peacefully demonstrating in Garland Hall on April 3 after the creation of a private police force at Johns Hopkins University and the school's contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Starting May 1, officials said the situation escalated when student protesters and outside activists forced the evacuation of students and staff from Garland Hall, the university's main administration building, and covered all security cameras and chained shut all exterior doors. The university called in the help of the Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore City Fire Department at 4:51 a.m. Wednesday to help remove the protesters.Baltimore City police arrived on campus Wednesday morning and gave protesters three warning calls from outside the building, saying that they were coming in and giving them the opportunity to leave the building without being arrested. No students left at that time.A sawing noise could be heard, possibly the sound of the chains being sawed off the doors, and police made entrance into the room and gave protesters three more warnings. One person, who was not a student, left on their own accord and was not arrested.Five people were arrested: two students, two non-students and one unconfirmed individual.Additionally, a graduate student and an undergraduate student were arrested for laying down in front of a police transport vehicle after students said a transgender student who identifies as female was being taken to a male facility."A transwoman was housed, was jailed in the men's van and it took two cis-women getting arrested and it took all of these people screaming and it took me and others citing laws that transpeople have sat at tables with Baltimore City police," student protester Jamie Grace Alexander said. "This is an effort to protect black, brown, queer and all marginalized people Johns Hopkins is actively endangering, student Turquoise Baker said. A Police Department spokesman sent a statement to 11 News, saying: "This morning, it was brought to our attention that one of the arrestees from Johns Hopkins University was a transgender woman. The arrestee had been identified as a male by a driver's license. As soon as supervisors were made aware of the situation, we contacted the Central Booking and Intake Facility to ensure the individual was processed correctly. We are currently reviewing the incident in its entirety to determine if corrective actions are needed. The Baltimore Police Department has ongoing training to ensure officers treat all members of the community in a respectful, professional, and appropriate manner."A university spokesperson said keeping Garland Hall locked was problematic, as the facility provides disability services, among other things.Police swept the building to make sure it was clear of any additional protesters before allowing students, staff and faculty to return to the building.JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY RESPONDS TO EVENTSThe office of the provost released the following statement:"The university has gone to extraordinary lengths to accommodate the protest in Garland Hall since it started more than a month ago, and has attempted to engage with students to find a resolution following forcible occupation of the building last week. We are unshakeable in our support of freedom of expression, which lies at the core of academic life. We had hoped to find a constructive means to resolve this increasingly dangerous situation, and we are disappointed that the decisions of the protesters necessitated a law enforcement response. We remain open to dialogue and will continue to support our students as we find ways to move forward together.”The university also released the multiple letters that were sent to protesters during their occupation of Garland Hall. STUDENTS EXPLAIN THEIR POSITION BALTIMORE POLICE EXPLAIN ARRESTSThe Baltimore Police Department released the following statement to their Facebok page:"This morning at 5:50 am, at the request of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore Police officers re-opened Garland Hall, which had been chained shut by trespassers since May 1. The trespassers were offered full amnesty by the University and given the opportunity to leave without being charged.Despite repeated requests and warnings by officers, some of the trespassers chose not to leave and insisted that they be arrested. As a result, five were arrested for trespassing. Two additional individuals were arrested outside for impeding vehicular traffic. There were no injuries reported during the arrests."The Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office released a statement, saying: "Our office will not prosecute the seven Johns Hopkins students arrested during yesterday's protest. Today all charges brought against the students will be abated by arrest.""The outcome of no force used, no complaints filed, was that we had the appropriate response," said Baltimore police Commissioner Michael Harrison. "We wanted to make sure, not only, that we could allow them to leave with total amnesty, given to them by the president of the university, but that they could exercise their first amendment rights. (We) gave them ample warning to leave, and those who told us they want to be arrested for their cause, we allowed that to happen."The sit-in may be over, but protesters said they will continue to work for change. The university says it will meet with protesters this week.Stay with WBALTV.com and 11 News for more on this developing story.​