Re: VERBUM ULTIMUM: DROP THE CHARGES AGAINST CHARLOTTE HAMPTON ’26 AND ALESANDRA GONZALES ’27
I am absolutely appalled at how College President Sian Leah Beilock’s administration facilitated the arrest and criminal charging of student journalists Charlotte Hampton ’26 and Alesandra Gonzales ’27 during the May 1 protest on the Green.
The Dartmouth is a legitimate news gathering organization, and Hampton and Gonzales were exercising their rights to cover an event of great significance to the College community. That they were arrested for reporting the news is inexcusable. To call Beilock’s email to campus following the arrests of two journalists tone deaf is perhaps the understatement of the century. Upon learning of the arrests of Hampton and Gonzales, the only proper response by the administration would have been to issue a public apology to The Dartmouth and request that the authorities drop their charges against them.
I have lived long enough to no longer expect the police to respect the constitutional rights of our citizens — or democratic values in general. However, I do expect better from the president of our College. Because she and her administration failed this very basic test, I have little confidence in their ability to adequately lead this campus.
Wesley Benash is a course reserves specialist at Dartmouth Libraries. Letters to the Editor represent the views of their author(s), which are not necessarily those of The Dartmouth.
