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A librarian at Catholic University called the cops on a black student for studying in the university’s law library.

On Oct. 10th a Black student Catholic University of America was studying at the university’s law library. Juán-Pabló Gonźalez had access to the library as a Master of Library and Information Sciences student where he had studied before and had no issue.

Gonźalez said students are supposed to swipe their student ID card to enter the library but he said his ID never worked at the building according to The Root.

“I had just been ringing the buzzer, waiting for them to buzz me in and then showing them my ID to prove I was a library information science student,” Gonźalez said. “And I was able to get in without any issues.”

However, on this particular day Gonźalez, noticed the door was open when he arrived. Gonzalez then proceeded to show his ID and announced to librarian Brittany McNerlin he would be studying in the law library.

Gonźalez said, “She was pretty rude, “She said: ‘The law library is for law library students.’ So I told her that I realized that, but that we’d been given permission to use the library.”

Gonźalez tried to explain that he spoke to the librarian but he couldn’t remember the name, McNerlin told him he could not use the library

“I tried to explain to her that, because we have a law librarian program, we had access to the facility,” Gonźalez said.

After a quick back and forth the woman allowed Gonźalez to study, but he decided to ask her a question.

“Because the entire transaction was so negative, I went back and said, ‘Can I have your supervisor’s information?’ I didn’t say anything else,” Gonźalez said, to which she refused according to The Root. “I said: ‘I’m asking for the information of the managing librarian of this facility and you’re refusing? On what basis? Just because you don’t like the way I’m asking?’”

McNerlin refused Gonźalez second request, she later “snatched” a business card from the desk with the librarian’s information.

“I asked some more questions about why she took so long to give me the information … She said I was being argumentative and that she didn’t like my tone,” Gonźalez said, to which he replied: “I didn’t ask for your personal opinion. I just asked for information about this facility so that I can use it.”

Then McNerlin called the police. After informing Gonźalez she was calling the police he asked her: “On what basis? Because you don’t like the questions I’m asking?”

According to The Root report on the incident:

Gonźalez began recording the incident. The six-minute video shows that McNerlin does not appear to be in any imminent danger and Gonźalez does not raise his voice above a calm half-whisper. When the clip begins, McNerlin is on the phone telling the Catholic University Department of Public Safety about “an argumentative student,” which I didn’t even know was a legally punishable offense. When Gonźalez specifically asked McNerlin why their back-and-forth warranted a police call, she replied: “I’ve answered your questions. You didn’t appreciate my answers …” She admits she has done this at least one other time in a situation “very similar to this.”

Gonźalez says that at least seven officers arrived before he was forced to leave. He told the news outlet, he filed a complaint against Mcnerlin and the school said only called for “additional training.”

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