UWI Students, Police clash during protests of “Rape Zone” at Trinidad Campus

Oct 20, 2018 News

By Kemol King
Police and students of the University of the West Indies’ St. Augustine Campus clashed during a protest of security issues that have resulted in multiple robbery and rape attempts on the campus. The protest occurred on Thursday.
Reports indicate that police officers arrived on the scene after hundreds of students staged a protest, blocking the southern gate of the university. The students reportedly formed a human barricade at the gate and chanted “Attempted rape, not robbery.”
Sources stated that about 300 students participated in the protest which lasted about an hour and a half. Two male students were arrested for disorderly conduct after a confrontation with police, after they attempted to prevent officers from reopening the gates, the Trinidad Guardian reported.
A Guyanese student attending the university told Kaieteur News that the protest started because of an incident on Monday last, during which a female student was assaulted and was cut on her leg. The incident, the student said, occurred at noon in the Student Activities Centre (SAC), one of the busiest places on the campus.
The student said that this is only one incident in a sea of incidents that have been occurring for years, in which students report cases of robbery and attempted sexual assault. The student stated that the administration needs to take more comprehensive efforts to ensuring the safety of the students on the campus.
It was emphasised that the campus is frankly described by many students as a “robbery and rape zone”.
A release from the university’s administration after the recent assault on the female student cautioned students to take measures to ensure their safety. The students were advised to make use of the university’s shuttle service, security escort service and designated patrol walkways.

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