The relation between the Green Movement and College Park (Pt. 1)

When the Terps won the other day against Duke I was ecstatic. A lot of other students were also really excited, enough so to revel in downtown College Park—shutting down traffic, setting a few things on fire, and subsequently causing the Prince George’s County police to show up in full riot gear. The events of March 3rd were hardly anything more than a knee-jerk reaction to the joy in beating one the most hated teams in college sports—there was no deep message beyond the expression of the student body’s jubilance. On the other hand the protests in Iran are a stunning display of an assertion of democratic rights and free society by a genuine movement of the people. It’s not too hard to point out the extreme differences between the two showings. The members of the Green Wave have been beaten, arrested, tortured, and murdered in their efforts to establish a freer society; here in College Park a handful of students were arrested for setting a John Scheyer jersey ablaze and other forms of disorderly conduct (which may or may not have included a few expletives aimed at Duke and its players). While my dislike for Mr. Scheyer is undeniable, I’m not going to discuss this specific or any other incidents. Rather I want to re-express my solidarity with the Iranian people. I personally appreciate the freedoms that I have as citizen of the United States so much more in light of their struggle, and I truly and dearly hope to see them achieve their dreams of free society. What has brought on this renewed sense of empathy, you ask?

The answer: the College Park riots of 2010.

I went straight home right after the game—I had work, and it was already late. After I was done I texted a friend and asked where he was (something protesting Iranians cannot do, as cellular phone service is severely restricted, especially in the days leading up to protests). He said he was heading back soon—he wasn’t trying to get pepper sprayed. Legitimate sentiment. But I wanted to see what was going on because I’d heard it was nuts. So I grabbed my bike, a notepad, and my cell phone and bolted over to Route 1 by the Maryland Book Exchange. What I saw was a mass of students being slowly shepherded onto campus. I also saw a number of students get beat, pepper sprayed, shot with bean bag rounds and paintball guns.

It was pretty scary stuff. I won’t get into who was right or wrong but I’ll say this: it is horrifying to have a gun of any kind pointed at you. Moreover riot police are intimidating guys. That’s their job. Having witnessed the post-game gathering on Route 1, I can say that I know something (albeit very little compared to the Greens) about being intimidated and threatened. It is not a good feeling—it is a terrifying feeling; when What’s almost as bad is when trying to get a logical explanation from the authorities after they beat and arrest a 20-year old college student (regardless of where you are), you are threatened with “Shut up or I’ll arrest you” or “Turn that fucking camera off.”

In the context of the Iran protests—where protestors were shot at with live rounds, beat by motorcycle riding thugs (who used anything from batons to chains), sprayed, arrested, and tried under penalty of death—I can only imagine how terrified these people must have been. More importantly though I can imagine how much they want their rights. And how much they deserve those rights. And how much the assholes (pardon my language) who attack them and beat them, should be punished.

What I saw is nothing compared to what the men and women of Iran must live through. No one in their right mind would suggest the vicious Basij forces of Iran are role models for the Prince George’s County riot police—that absolutely and totally absurd.