UPDATED: 16 San Anto DREAMers Arrested
November 29, 2010 
10 Comments
UPDATED: Sixteen DREAM Act protesters were arrested at Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison’s offices tonight after a six-hour sit-in. Apparently, the Washington, D.C. offices of Sen. Hutchison did not want the DREAMers arrested to avoid media attention, but the owner of the San Antonio, Texas building called the police, according to an attorney for several of those arrested, Ricardo Briones.
Several of the students arrested are currently on a hunger strike to push for passage of the DREAM Act in the lame duck session of Congress, as we previously reported. Among those reported are some prominent San Antonians, including former city councilwoman and mayoral candidate Dr. María Antonieta Berriozabal and Rev. Andrade Smith. Among the hunger strikers from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) are:
- Julio Lopez, 26
- Felipe Vargas, 31
- Jahne Campbell, 26
- Maribel Hermosillo, 20
- My Le, 18
Some of these students are hunger striking instead of studying for finals because, without the DREAM Act, their degrees won’t allow them to seek employment in this country. The others arrested were people who formed a human chain outside the building once police arrived, including students, community members and professors from UTSA.
Briones said the students arrived at about noon wanting to dialogue with Sen. Hutchison, when it didn’t happen, they didn’t leave, until the building owners called the police. More details to come…
UPDATED:
In a statement, Sen. Hutchison said, “appreciates these students’ passion for their cause but hopes they can find safer and more peaceful ways to voice their opinions.” For information on which of your representatives to call to ask to support the DREAM Act, call here.
“appreciates these students’ passion for their cause but hopes they can find safer and more peaceful ways to voice their opinions.”
[Photo Courtesy Ricardo Briones]
[...] this even includes all of the DREAMers who were arrested, which if you recall, we reported on when 16 were arrested in San Antonio. There were others arrested all over the country, including Indiana and many other [...]
[...] with prejudice want to talk (hello birthers?) it’s called “free speech,” but when DREAMers or other people want to raise their voices, they’re arrested or escorted out by police. For example, the [...]
[...] on 13. Dec, 2010 by Sara Inés Calderón in Education As we reported at the end of last month, DREAM Act protesters in Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison’s [...]
[...] December 1 — shortly after San Antonio DREAMers were arrested at her offices there — DREAMers in Houston at the Mickey Leland Federal Building found that [...]
In a statement, Sen. Hutchison said, “appreciates these students’ passion for their cause but hopes they can find safer and more peaceful ways to voice their opinions.”
To my knowledge, the students had no weapons(ie…..guns, knives, bombs, box cutters), so where is the danger that jeopardized the safety of the millionaire Senator and since the students had no weapons…..how was the visit to her office not peaceful?
Did the educated, experienced Senator offer the students a ‘safer and more peaceful’ forum to continue their cause? Not to my knowledge.
This is a good lesson for students……the poor and uninfluential go to jail……investment bankers, sub-prime lenders, mortgage brokers, hedge fund managers who pour money into election campaigns and commit crimes against millions do not go to jail…..they get a bailout backed by the US government(ie….tax revenues from the millions who were ripped-off).
Democracy?
Don’t understand how this protesting was unpeaceful? Seems like the senator must live an extremely quiet life!!. Unveliebable
These courageous young people should be commended for taking a stand for justice! Perhaps if 200, 300 or more of us get arrested Senator Hutchinson will get the message!
Que viva los estudiantes!
[...] hunger striker Lucy Martinez, 19. She’s been on a hunger strike for 21 days. Thirteen of the 16 DREAMers arrested last night in San Antonio, Texas have been released as of now. Three remain, two are set to be released soon, and the last [...]
This is horrific for this to be happening here in our City. And in front of Senator Kay Hutchinson office. Does not say very well for her or the city police. These young people were not violating any laws and at the most should have just been sent home ,not to Jail!!!
Amie Victoria Castillo
Our ‘democracy’ in action……freedom of speech….the right to dissent…..the right to assemble…..the right to a different opinion……maybe in a real democracy. Our ‘fat cat’ senators and congress represent big money and corporations….the oligarchy. I hope this is a rallying point for the ‘common people’. I hope more protests follow and spread across our nation embarassing and un-seating the nazi bitch hutchison and sending a message that the ‘people’ have had enough of a government that only protects the rich.