We, the undersigned departments and programs of UC Davis, register our shock and protest at the unwarranted use of force against peaceful protesters on the Quad on the afternoon of November 18. That this would happen so shortly after excessive violence at UC Berkeley was roundly criticized is stunning. We are only grateful that the students showed such restraint in the wake of this violence.
We demand a full investigation of the decision to use pepper spray on these protesters and full accountability for those responsible. This investigation must be independent and include meaningful representation from among the students, faculty, and staff.
These gruesome images have now been seen by hundreds of thousands of people around the world, irrevocably harming the reputation of the university. Someone has to be held responsible for decisions that result both in unnecessary violence and in grave harm to the standing of the university.
Sincerely,
UC Davis Faculties of:
The Program in African American & African Studies
The Department of Art History (Profs. Jeffrey Ruda, Katherine Burnett, Heghnar Watenpaugh)
The Department of Art Studio
The Program in Asian American Studies
The Program in Cinema and Technocultural Studies
The Department of Comparative Literature
The Program in Cultural Studies
The Department of French and Italian
The Department of German and Russian
The Department of Native American Studies
The Program in Religious Studies
The Department of Theatre and Dance
The University Writing Program
