Hazel Gashoka on Ottawa police brutality and racism in U of O student politics

On October 20, 2011, CHUO 89.1 FM (Ottawa) The Train's Denis Rancourt interviewed student activist, 4th-year psychology major and U of O Senate member Hazel Gashoka, live in-studio.

Unfortunately, the sound track was lost due to technical problems.

Ms. Gashoka described her 2003 violent and racist encounter with the Ottawa Police, from her first days as a 1st-year student on the U of O campus. Ms. Gashoka reported that she was pushed to the ground for no apparent reason by one of Ottawa's finest. When she protested, she was hauled off in cuffs into a dark holding truck, told to urinate on herself, and then dumped into a cold holding cell on a steel plate to spend the night, without ever being charged. Her recommended music for the theme was "Fuck the Police" by N.W.A.

Ms. Gashoka went on to describe:

• the inherent racism of the white U of O student union (SFUO) in its paternalistic management of Black History Month campus organizing,
• the SFUO's absurd stance in eliminating the Student Arbitration Committee - its constitutional independent judiciary arm - under the pretext of increasing "democratic representation", and
• the zoo that is the Senate of the University of Ottawa, chaired by president Allan Rock.

We apologize for not being able to provide this sound track for this interview.