New School Students Take Over Building

Twenty-two people have been arrested for occupying a New School building near Union Square. The protesters want President Bob Kerrey to resign, increased budget transparency, and more communication between students and faculty. The group entered the building around 6 AM and held it for five hours while supporters rallied outside. But not all students at the university were happy with the protesters. David Eisenhauer, a senior who organizes around sustainability issues, says when a protest turns into a police scene, the administration may get less tolerant of other forms of student activism:

But Jeremy Syrop, a senior at the New School, says the takeover was justified:

Dozens of police officers were at the scene. The New School issued a statement saying it would continue to support student civic engagement as long as it is peaceful and only called the police after reports of a forced entry and injury to a bystander inside the building. It also said it's suspended all the New School students involved in the protest today.