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Black student reported to YPD for napping in dormitory common room

May 10, 2018 04:36·
White students calls cops on black graduate student at Yale University for taking a nap in the dormitory's common room

White students calls cops on black graduate student at Yale University for taking a nap in the dormitory's common room

A frustrated Black Yale University student who had the cops called on her for sleeping in a common room refused to back down as officers repeatedly pressed her about "where she belonged".

Ms Siyonbola later told police the woman believed the common area, in Yale's Hall of Graduate Studies at the New Haven campus, was part of her apartment.

Siyonbola also informed the officers that the woman who called her in had previously called the police on her friend "because he was black and in the stairwell". Silva suggests the encounter would have played out differently if a black woman had called police on a white woman. "The assumption is, if you're white and you're dressed preppy, you're a Yale student".

Though Siyonbola's initial interaction remained relatively calm, things got a little sour after the two officers questioning the 911 caller returned to speak with Siyonbola. "We're in a Yale building and we need to make sure that you belong here", the other officer told her. "I am not going to justify my existence here", she says in the video.

One officer in the video said the investigation into her status as a student was "protocol".

"This is private property and we are police officers here, so we are allowed to do our job", another officer told Siyonbola when trying to get her side of the story.

The second video, which was posted as a livestream on Facebook, shows the grad student's interaction with responding officers. In one of them (below), which has hundreds of thousands of views, an officer asks for her ID.

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For its part, the Yale administration offered affirmations for Siyonbola's anger without echoing her criticisms of the officers.

A third officer, a supervisor, arrived later.

"This sorta incident breaks my heart everytime." wrote one man. "We determine who's allowed to be here and who's not allowed to be here, regardless of whether you feel that you are allowed to be here or not. OK?" There's the twitchy panic that drives someone to call police over a black man holding a toy gun in the toy gun aisle at Walmart, or a black kid holding a toy gun in a park.

Responding to the incident, Lynn Cooley, the dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Science, sent out an email to doctoral and masters students on Tuesday, stressing that the Monday incident is a reminder on the importance of inclusivity, Yale Daily News reported.

University officials will review the officers' response as they do with every incident, she said. "I am committed to redoubling our efforts to build a supportive community in which all graduate students are empowered in their intellectual pursuits and professional goals within a welcoming environment". "They are trained on unconscious bias, de-escalation techniques, and problem solving, and seek to treat each individual with respect".

Siyonbola did not immediately respond to emails and messages on social media requesting comment. But in a Facebook post Tuesday afternoon she said, "Grateful for all the love, kind words and prayers, your support has been overwhelming".

"Why?! You just said that if I proved that I lived here, you would leave", Siyonbola says. "Share below if you feel led".

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