Arrests Ordered by Jordan

Arrests Ordered by Dr. I. King Jordan

IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

October 13, 2006

7:30pm

At 6:45 this evening, Gallaudet University President I King Jordan authorized the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department to begin the arrest of protesters in the ongoing demonstrations at Gallaudet University.

In doing so, Dr. Jordan broke his promise to seven University faculty members which he made on Thursday night, that he would not authorize the arrest of deaf students in the dark. Two of these faculty members approached Dr. Jordan to remind him of his promise. In response he shifted blame to the Metro Police noting that he gave the order at 2pm, and they were now ready to proceed. According to these faculty members, in Dr. Jordan’s view, he kept his promise, when in reality he could have stopped the arrests.

Arresting deaf protesters in the dark increases the complexity of the arrests and can pose unnecessary danger to deaf people, who rely on visual communication.

Dr. Jordan also chose to make his announcement to the community at twilight which made it difficult for many of the protesters to see, and deprived them of clear, accessible communication.

Following Dr. Jordan, representatives from the Gallaudet University Department of Public Safety and from the Metro Police Department also talked about different aspects of the arrest in full darkness with make-shift lighting which proved to be even more difficult.