Four people were arrested during a protest at the University of South Florida in Tampa on Monday.
Members of a student group posted multiple videos on social media that they say show University Police Department officers — including Chief Chris Daniel — using excessive force.
However, USF Police issued their own statement saying the protestors started the conflict.
About 25 members of Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society marched early Monday afternoon from the Marshall Student Center to the Patel Center for Global Solutions, where they requested a meeting with USF President Rhea Law, whose office is in the building.
The group's main concerns involve Gov. Ron DeSantis' plans to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at Florida universities, as well as questions about how USF is protecting marginalized students, including people of color and LGBTQ students.
The police statement said the group was trespassing and refused to leave the building's lobby. While the number of protestors was said to decrease, at some point, the dispute became physical, with officers attempting to arrest multiple protestors.
Eventually, two USF students, an alumna, and a university employee were arrested.
Police say one officer suffered minor injuries with USF police spokesperson Michael Lavalle telling the Tampa Bay Times other officers were also “shoved by protesters.” He added that “protesters hit police with objects, including what officers believe was a video camera and a water bottle, and threw an unidentified liquid at officers.”
But protestors told the Times officers kicked and sat on students.
“We were like, we are students we pay to be here,” junior Yuki Shao said. “All of a sudden I saw my friend being grabbed super aggressively by one of these officers. He was like twice her size and has the armor and like has a gun. So we were scared and trying to pull her back.”
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office records show that Chrisley Carpio, 31; Gia Davila, 21; Jeanie Kida, 26; and Laura Rodriguez, 23, were each charged with battery on a law enforcement officer; resisting an officer without violence; and disrupting a school campus or function.
Kida was also charged with trespassing in an occupied structure.
By Tuesday morning, all had been released on cash bond.
Another protest — by a different student group — is scheduled Tuesday in connection with the USF board of trustees meeting.
