TIMELINES 4/12/18

NON-WHITES ONLY: New School Students Demand Safe Space for “Persons of Color”

A group of students at The New School in New York City have demanded college administrators create a permanent space on campus where only “students of color” may enter. The students claim such a space is needed to allow students of color to “exist without the pressures of white supremacy.”

A petition titled, “Open Letter for Student of Color-Only Space at The New School” has been sponsored by different university groups, including the Autonomous South Asian Collective, Queer Collective and Black Student Union. Supporters of the whites-free zone also blasted the historically far left-wing university for having too many whites in the administration.

UFC Fighter Connor McGregor Arrested

UFC Fighter Connor McGregor ended his media silence following an arrest for throwing a hand truck through a bus window while trying to grab rival, Khabib Nurmagomedov. McGregor posted a photo on his Instagram account with a caption of a single emoji of praying hands.

Prior to the incident, which was caught on film, McGregor had been stripped of his UFC title because of inactivity. Some believe this set him off.

McGregor was set free on $50,000 bail and could face up to 11 years in prison for two felony charges, including assault. Representatives of UFC blasted McGregor for his conduct.

According to TMZ he is set to appear in court on June 14.

Parole Board Appointee Married to Convicted Killer

A state Parole Board member appointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo married a convicted murderer who spent three-decades in prison, New York City media outlets have discovered. Parole Board Member Tana Agostini married the murderer Thomas O’Sullivan, who also had once bit off part of a fellow inmate’s nose and escaped from prison.

Agostini was working as a staffer on the State Assembly’s committee to oversee prisons when she fell for O’Sullivan, who was paroled in 2013. Agostini moved to the Parole Board in 2017. O’Sullivan, was sentenced to 25 years to life for the 1982 murder of a Queens drug dealer. He had been hired to kill the dealer and received his sentence in 1984.

Adult Refugees Claiming Child Status in UK 

According to the UK’s Daily Mail, almost two-thirds of ‘child’ refugees who were questioned about their real age after coming to Britain were over 18. A report by David Bolt revealed the Home Office received almost 3,000 asylum applications from unaccompanied children, and of these there were more than 700 age disputes. Four hundred & two of the age disputes were found to be adults.

A Home Office screening takes place when a refugee doesn’t have their birth certificate or other travel documents. The officer then decides if the person is a child or not based on their physical demeanor and behavior. Bolt explained in a report that the officers receive no training to help them make judgements and that many applied the “benefit of the doubt” and placed refugees in the child category to prevent falsely sending them to adult accommodation or imprisonment.

Homeowners Should Act on Solar Benefits

New York homeowners are eligible for solar panel savings after New York categorized solar energy as a key campaign. The New York resident-only fund is running out, and it’s important for homeowners to take advantage of. The state government passed laws to help them become energy independent by cutting energy costs by up to 70 percent.

Cuomo Announces Pro Bono Immigration Legal Network

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a Pro Bono Legal Network to expand immigrant services in New York. This is partnership between the Liberty Defense Project and the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York to grow a network of attorneys and law students to provide legal aid. Cuomo created the Liberty Defense Project last year in response to hostile federal immigration policies. The LDP has provided more than 6,000 free and confidential services to individuals needing legal assistance.

“Unfortunately, the ongoing crises caused by unacceptable rhetoric and policies will necessitate that NYS continue to provide resources to assist vulnerable immigrants through this program,” according to Catholic Charities of New York Executive Director Monsignor Kevin Sullivan. The program is looking for more pro bono volunteers, prior immigration experience is not required. Training and mentorship is provided.