Arrested for asking Coulter a question

EWING, N.J.--Arch-conservative Ann Coulter's February 18 visit to the College of New Jersey (TCNJ) brought dozens of students and community members out to protest her backward views--and left one student facing trumped-up charges for the "crime" of attempting to ask Coulter a question.

Before Coulter's visit, the campus was energized by a "sidewalk chalk war," with both sides covering the campus in slogans for or against Coulter. The campus was buzzing with anticipation of the event--on a tiny campus that had ranked as one of the nationally most politically apathetic campuses just a few years ago.

A coalition of student groups came together to oppose Coulter's appearance, including the antiwar group ACTION, the TCNJ Islamic Society, Voices for Planned Parenthood (VOX), College Democrats, allies from an LGBT rights group, and a small handful of International Socialist Organization members.

Although somewhat subdued, Coulter spewed her usual toxic brand of politics, claiming that women, gays and Blacks are only "pretending" that they are oppressed in order to get attention. She also tried to whip up racist hysteria by drawing attention to Barack Obama's middle name, Hussein.

Protesters led raucous chants against war, racism and homophobia, and in support of abortion rights. During Coulter's speech, approximately 50 demonstrators, wearing black clothes and white armbands with progressive slogans, stood up from all points in the audience and walked out. They were followed by approximately 100 more audience members, who were also disgusted with Coulter. Coulter supporters booed as protesters chanted "Gay, straight, Black, white--same struggle, same fight" and later chanted in support of Arabs.

After walking out, protesters took over the student center for an impromptu speak-out that included addressing misconceptions about Islam, encouraging people to protest the war and the next Wall Street bailout, and assessing the protest.

AFTER THE lecture, Mike Tracey, a member of the College Democrats, attempted to ask Coulter a question about her race-baiting around Barack Obama's middle name. For this harmless act, he was tackled by police, arrested, brutalized and charged with disorderly conduct.

As Tracey later explained in a statement:

After chatting with some people in the audience for a few minutes, I got in line to speak to Coulter. I was planning on introducing myself and following up to my question that I'd asked earlier...When it was my turn in line, I walked onto the stage, and toward Coulter. I was immediately cut off by two security officials, one a police officer, one in plainclothes. They said that I could not come up to her table if I did not have a book. I said I just wanted to ask a question, and approached the table. At no point did I make physical contact with anyone on stage. I simply "side-stepped" the individuals that obstructed me.

Coulter, apparently startled by the commotion caused by the two officials, jumped backwards in her chair, as if she thought I was on the verge of attack...I did not lunge at her, nor yell anything at her; I only calmly walked up to her table. But, as it happened, I did not utter more than three words of my question before I was forcibly escorted to the end of the stage, led down the stairs, told "you're outta here," and pushed in the direction of the building's exit without so much as a pause or an explanation.

When Tracey began walking in the opposite direction from the officer, he was suddenly grabbed.

The officer suddenly started to pull my coat and grab at my shoulders. Instinctively, I didn't simply allow him to do this, and kept moving forward. I did not resist, nor did I shove or strike the officer in any way. I simply started walking in a different direction. I was then tackled to the ground by the officer and surrounded by several others. It was impossible for me to tell how many of them were involved, because my face had just hit the ground head first. One officer restrained me to the floor by my legs, while another knelt on my head, his knee crushing my face. He applied a considerable amount of body weight as my head was pressed against the carpet. I cried out, "Get off my head," and "Help!" because I was in terrible pain. I have a relatively large abrasion on the left side of my head and on my left ear. At this point, I was handcuffed.

In addition to injuries to his head and ear, Tracey also suffered abrasions to his hands and wrists--and since most of the protesters had already walked out, people were unable to immediately come to Tracey's defense.

Tracey is now facing disorderly conduct charges. A defense campaign has been started to pressure authorities to drop the charges against him, and raise funds for his legal defense.