Members of the student organization Stop the War said last week they are lobbying against what they believe are intimidation tactics against their movement and that the group may pursue a court injunction against the University of Wisconsin.
As a result of various encounters with the UW Police Department during STW rallies over the past year and a half, members believe the university is taking action to deter the group from demonstrating.
In response to a complaint filed with the university by the Military Sciences department claiming the organization's members acted in a hostile way toward their employees during a rally outside their building Nov. 2, the Office of Dean of Students sent a letter dated Nov. 23 to STW member Paul Pryse threatening disciplinary action against individuals affiliated with the group. In the letter, Assistant Dean of Students Yolanda Garza wrote: "It is alleged that attempts were made by your membership to gain entry to the building by pounding on doors and windows and attempts to destroy university property."
Garza went on to enumerate various university codes that may have been violated, and included various consequences that could be enacted as a result.
"Specifically, if your behavior rises to the level of probation, suspension or expulsion, this sanction would be noted on your transcripts, which may affect your admission into a specific school or college, professional school or graduate program," Garza wrote.
Due to the nature of the letter, STW member Bill Anderson said the university is attempting to keep the organization from demonstrating on campus and hinted that the UW Police Department may also be in on the tactic.
"These claims are basically false," he said. "The problem is the university and the university police, which answer to the administration, have a history of intimidation."
Anderson added the "attempts to destroy university property" referenced in the letter merely amount to a high school-aged participant who threw a penny at the front doors of the Military Sciences building and other members who had knocked on the windows. The penny thrower was taken into custody, brought to the police station and then released, Anderson said. A female member was charged with disorderly conduct after a rally last year, he added.
"The biggest issue right now is protecting Paul Pryse," he said. "That's really the most important thing to be worried about, for us."
Yet, ODOS Associate Dean Elton Crim said the consequences were not directed toward Pryse — who is listed as the primary contact under STW organizational information online — and specific individuals would only be subject to disciplinary action if they were found to be in violation of university parameters. The parameter in question, Crim said, is whether or not the demonstration interrupted university business through hostile behavior.
"We are, at this point, simply trying to gather the facts," he said. "That's really all we're doing at this point."
Crim said ODOS is obligated to investigate any complaint filed against a student organization and is treating the case like any other incident.
"No one I know of from the administration is doing any investigation of this organization," he said. "We're investigating this particular incident."
Crim added the office has been inundated with "a barrage of e-mails from people all over creation" denouncing the letter to Pryse.
"They've made more out of this than they need to make out of this," he said.
After an earlier demonstration in October at the Memorial Union where police had threatened to arrest STW members if they did not leave the premises, Anderson said he filed a complaint with the American Civil Liberties Union to step in. Anderson is waiting for verification from the ACLU, but said he is not necessarily looking for them to file a court injunction against the university.
In an e-mail to STW members upon receiving the letter, Pryse wrote, "We are going to fight this and we are going to win."
