On March 17, the Indiana State Police arrested a Central Indiana DSA member and activist Chrissy Smith who was attending a permitted rally in support of arts education at public schools at the Indiana Statehouse. Organized by public school music teachers, the rally featured a musical performance by teachers and professional musicians who support a fully funded and fully public education system. At the same time, a crowd of anti-property tax protesters gathered for a rally in support of education cuts that had been organized by extremist right-wing Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith. Halfway through the rally, Indiana State Police officers broke up the arts funding rally and forced the musicians and rally attendees to leave the third floor and move to the fourth floor, forcing them to move through the crowd of far-right protestors. While some of the anti-tax protesters were congenial and even complimented the musicians, many jeered, yelled at, and mocked the DSA members, public school teachers, and professional musicians as they performed. As participants of the arts funding rally attempted to move to the fourth floor, as was ordered by the Indiana State Police, a group of anti-tax protesters on the west stairs yelled, pushed, and blocked DSA members from scaling the steps. While attempting to make her way to the handrail, DSA member Chrissy Smith was surrounded, pushed, and grabbed by the anti-tax protestors, causing her to fall. Instead of protecting Chrissy, police arrested her. No anti-tax protesters were arrested or detained. Indiana State Police transported Chrissy to the Indianapolis-Marion County jail, where she was held for over 12 hours, before being released with no charges.Â
In other words, Indiana State Police broke up a lawful, peaceful, and permitted rally of public education supporters and forced them into a hostile crowd. When that decision foreseeably resulted in a clash, police did nothing to protect the music rally attendees, or keep the peace. Instead, police arrested and detained public education supporters, while doing nothing to chasten the riotous anti-tax protesters.Â
We are disappointed but far from surprised that the Indiana State Police, the same agency that violently attacked and arrested nearly sixty pro-Palestine protesters at IU Bloomington less than a year ago, would abuse their power to break up a lawful assembly and instigate a conflict between different political groups. The same police agency that aimed snipers at student protestors to silence their speech at universities is silencing music teachers practicing their free speech in support of arts funding for primary and secondary education. Despite the Indiana State Police’s attempt to intimidate our efforts, Central Indiana DSA will not back down and will continue the fight for a well-funded school arts program and a thriving and publicly controlled education system.
Fully Funded, Fully Public Campaign
Democratic Socialists of America
Central Indiana Chapter –
Mary and Powers Hapgood Local