College Students Protest Police
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Updated: 9:29 PM Apr 29, 2008
College Students Protest Police
Some college students in Huntington got upset with how police raided their house party over the weekend.
Posted: 9:26 PM Apr 29, 2008
Reporter: Michael Wooten
Email Address: michael.wooten@wsaz.com
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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Some college students in Huntington got upset with how police raided their house party over the weekend.

They say it's a sign of the times in the city with officers singling out students. Their message to Huntington officers is to focus on the big crimes.

More than a 100 college-age adults were at the home when police arrived. They say officers mis-handled the situation so they made a painted a banner for everyone in the city to see their message aimed directly at police.

It’s all responding to a noise complaint at a home late Saturday night, but Huntington police say several verbal commands to the crowd to disperse were ignored.

"It wasn't ignored, but people were trying to get their act together and leave, but you want them to run when you tell them to leave?" Nathan Barnes of Huntington said.

After several altercations Huntington officers arrested seven suspects with their charges ranging from disorderly conduct to battery on an officer.

Army soldier Brent Best was one of those arrested. He and others say police picked the fight, so they peacefully protested in a big way.

It’s a statement that’s too strong because the landlord demanded it be taken down, but the message remains.

"We feel that the police department is more focused on college kids than they actually are on like the big crimes," Brent Best, who was arrested, said.

Now there’s another crime to investigate.

Nathan says someone busted his home's front window leaving the students wondering why their free speech and now safety are no longer secure.

The students say they think someone pressured the landlord to take that sign down, but they hope it will sharpen the focus on the serious crime in Huntington and make everybody realize their party didn't harm anyone.

Of course, police have a much different account of what happened.

Marshall and the police both deny asking the landlord to force that sign down.

Latest Comments

Posted by: mugradstudent on May 10, 2008 at 11:57 PM

Frankie- 1)you're a liar and weren't at the party. 2) you obviously don't "obey authority" as much as you claim if you're drinking underage. get off your high horse my man.
[ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Anonymous on May 7, 2008 at 01:11 AM

yeh definately a lie, I was at the party and it was just another average weekend get-to-gether. unfortunately it ended horribly unlike anything i have seen since going to school here.
[ Report Abuse ]
Posted by: Anonymous on May 5, 2008 at 04:14 PM

I think Frankie is telling a fibe. It dosen't look good on the HPD if thier wore kids drinking under age and no arrest were made.
[ Report Abuse ]
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