News

A 15 year old male was arrested on the Union Lawn on Friday the 8th of April after allegedly shoplifting from the $2 shop.

Eyewitness reports claim the youth entered campus in between the two OUSA offices on Cumberland St, and sat down in the middle of the NORML 4.20 pro-cannabis protest group.
 
Approximately 15 minutes later, two police officers were seen running through the same entrance towards the boy. According to members of NORML one officer arrested and handcuffed the youth, who forcibly resisted arrest. The youth thrashed, kicked and shouted as the officer tried to restrain him and walk him to a nearby police car.
 
NORML members claim that the officer was overly heavy-handed with the offender, stating that he was tackled to the ground and hit his head on the concrete during the arrest.
 
However another eyewitness not affiliated with NORML disputed this claim. He reports that the police approached the youth and spoke to him. The youth then proceeded to shove the cop before the cop tackled him with controlled force to the ground. “As far as I saw, he didn’t hit his head on the concrete”. The boy was then dragged “literally kicking and screaming, trying to throw punches at the officer. He spat at the officer before they went out of sight”.
 
Abe Gray of NORML emphasised that the boy was not associated with their group, and that he had just chosen to take cover where they were sitting.
 
Critic was unable to get comment from anyone in the Proctor’s Office regarding this story.