Four students were arrested for ‘disturbing a lawful meeting’ after speaking ou
Megan Marzec was among four student protesters, who more than a year ago, were arrested for disturbing a lawful meeting at Ohio University.
Three weeks into Fall Semester, now-Student Senate President Marzec found herself on the other side of power, asking police officers Wednesday night to remove four students from a senate meeting. She felt their speeches related to her controversial bucket challenge “disrupted” order.
There was a stark divide in the atmosphere of Walter Hall for this year’s third Student Senate meeting, which, for the second week in a row, was at standing room only as students packed room 235 ready to say how they felt in the aftermath of Marzec’s ‘blood’ bucket challenge.
Some were activists backing Marzec’s right to freedom of speech. Many, including Marzec, wore “Free-Palestine” badges.
Others, including those representing the Israeli-advocacy group on campus, Bobcats for Israel, spoke against her ‘blood’ bucket video, in which she asked OU to divest from Israel.
Before Student Speakout at the meeting began, President of Bobcats for Israel, Becky Sebo, was the first to speak at the meeting. She read a speech directly at Marzec, who said several times during the meeting that she wanted to hear from students, but in an orderly fashion.
Sebo stated in her remarks that she is in favor of free speech and that any threats of violence made against Marzec are “unacceptable.” She said Bobcats for Israel is calling for Marzec’s resignation because Marzec, as senate president, took the stance that Israel has committed “atrocities” against Palestine.
Three minutes into Sebo’s speech, Marzec interrupted Sebo, saying that the speech was blocking other students from speaking.
A chant was led by many of the Student Senate members, repeating phrases such as “this meeting is being hijacked by fascists” and “shame on bullies.”
Many in the crowd held handmade signs on notebook-torn pieces of paper that read “I would rather have a conversation,” a silent demonstration promoted by student senator-at-large Luke Kubacki.
Other members of Bobcats for Israel continued to speak over the chants and Marzec.
Marzec stood up about eight minutes into the presentation and called for a vote to remove the students because “they are disrupting the meeting.”
The protesters continued to speak.
Another member of her group took over speaking before Sebo started speaking again, at which point OU Police officers surrounded her, including Chief Andrew Powers, who warned Sebo that she had “two minutes to stop” before she would be removed.
OUPD handcuffed and removed the four students: Maxwell Peltz, 20; Gabriel Sirkin, 20; Jonah Yulish, 19; and Sebo, 22.
Sebo is the sister of David Sebo, The Post’s assistant design editor, and Yulish is the rush chair of Alpha Epsilon Pi.
The four were charged on one count each of disrupting a lawful meeting, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, according to an OUPD news release. The charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 30 days in jail and a $250 fine, according to OUPD, which pointed to Ohio revised code 2917.12.
“Officers instructed everyone to clear the floor in the senate chamber so the meeting could proceed,” OUPD stated in the release. “Most people complied, but several did not. Those who did not were taking turns vocally disrupting the meeting.
The students were released on their own recognizance, and are scheduled to make an initial appearance in Athens Municipal Court at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday. Police said they remained at the meeting following the disruptions, though no other problems occurred.
After the arrests, Marzec stood on a table and said she would “never apologize for standing up for the people of Palestine,” to which she received applause. “And I will never stand up for fascists. And this body won’t either.”
Rev. Evan Young, OU’s campus minister at United Campus Ministry and facilitator of Interfaith Impact’s weekly meetings, presented an open invitation for everyone in the room to participate in the “Better Together 9/11 Interfaith Peace Walk” Thursday at 7 p.m. at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. The idea received a standing ovation.
University Life Commissioner Charlotte Bassam-Bowles read from several letters of testimony sent to her from some Palestinian students at OU.
“If an American like Megan received these threats just for speaking up, I can’t imagine what would happen to all Palestinians on this campus if they speak up,” she said, reading from a letter sent to her. “I have reached the point where I feel unsafe on this campus just for my ethnicity.”
Sami Eddauod of Palestinian Solidarity Group said he was shocked to see threats made against Marzec.
“My first thought was ‘wow,’ because if this is the day we have come to in our time, where being compassionate for those who have lost their lives and shed blood are labeled as supporters of terrorism, racist, that baffles me,” Eddauod said. “Because when I grew up, I was told to treat everyone as equal. My father is Palestinian. My mother is white.
“I don’t see race when I look around this room.”
Eddauod also drew comparisons between the Israeli occupation in Palestine with the situation in Ferguson, Mo.
“I want to see peace in Palestine. I want to see peace in Ferguson. I want to see peace in Israel, too, just so you know,” Eddauod said.
Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones said in her report to senate that Marzec’s handling of the meeting was “incredibly brave.”
“I don’t know how you or the rest of the body could have handled it any better,” Hall-Jones said.
@alisa_warren
aw120713@ohio.edu
Correction: A previous version of this article said Becky Sebo began speaking before the senate meeting was called to order. Sebo actually started speaking after the meeting was called to order, but before Student Speakout started.
