two city college of new york students face riot charges for storming student center

On October 20, City College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY), closed the Guillermo Morales/Assata Shakur Community and Student Center. On October 21 and 24, hundreds of students rallied to demand that the Center be immediately re-opened. According to a statement from the CUNY Law Students for Justice in Palestine chapter,

The Morales/Shakur Center was won through student struggle and is operated independently of the university. In the words of CCNY students, the Morales/Shakur Center “has been an invaluable space for community groups to meet on campus, for students to connect with their political elders, and for movement histories to be retained and shared in Harlem.”

Yesterday two City College students were charged with riot, attempted assault, criminal mischief, obstructing governmental administration, and harassment for their alleged involvement in the October 24 rally. Dozens of students forced their way into the Center on October 24. Students Khalil Vasquez and Tafadar Sorov were apparently caught on tape shouting “Come on in! Come on in!”