CSU-Fresno Students Demand An End to Police Spying

CSU-Fresno Students Demand An End to Police Spying
By Mike Rhodes
April 21, 2005

Students and their supporters held a very animated and loud rally in front of the campus police station at CSU-Fresno. They wanted to know why undercover law enforcement officers attended a Campus Peace and Civil Liberties club event. An earlier Indymedia article giving background on this issue is here: http://sfbay.indymedia.org/news/2005/04/1731753.php

Today’s rally was held because the student group has not received a clear answer from the police or the university administration explaining why undercover agents attended the November 10, 2004 speech about veganism by Gary Yourofsky. Yourofsky is one of the foremost animal-rights lecturers in the United States.

Ruth Obel-Jorgensen, president of the student group said that "last week we had a massive call-in and write in campaign . . . and Monday several people who sent an email to (CSUF president) Dr Welty received a response back." The statement from Dr. Welty said "The University does not and will not engage in surveillance of University activities using undercover police offices." Welty went on to say "the University is committed to free expression of ideas and academic freedom and strives to protect and foster that in the university environment" and that "No plainclothes university officials were present" at the Yourosfsky event.

Obel-Jorgensen says that there were no uniformed officers at the November 10 event. Reporters at today’s rally were directed to talk to the CSUF Public Relations department for further information and a statement from the University. Nicholas DeGraff, a spokesperson at today’s rally said reporters from channel 30 TV who contacted the CSUF Public Relations office were told that the undercover agents at the Yourosfsky event were from a statewide anti-terrorism task force, possibly directed by the California Anti-Terrorism Information Center.

After today’s rally at the campus police station, Dr. Welty sent the media yet another version of what happened. Welty’s statement included the following information:

"At a campus club event on Nov. 10, 2004, the University Police Department assigned three plainclothes police officers for event security. The purpose of the plainclothes officers was to ensure safety at the event, as the university does for many campus events ranging
from athletic events, to Vintage Days, to dances and concerts. University plainclothes officers can and have been used at university events for safety purposes only.

The campus police chief has indicated that it was his understanding that three officers from the Fresno County Sheriff’ Department were present at the public meeting. The Sheriff’s office has not provided information to the university about their activities."

When you start adding up all of the undercover agents that were at the November 10 Campus Peace and Civil Liberties event, it ends up being 10% or more of the crowd.

At today’s rally about 50 students, faculty members, and community supporters protested outside University Police headquarters. There was music and guerilla theater with what appeared to be both Dr. Welty and Police Chief David Huerta in drag. The protestors were there to demand an end to undercover surveillance of their group, an apology from the administration for the spying caper, and an opening up of the police files. Students said that they would like to know what kind of files the police are maintaining on campus activists.