5 CULTURE 9 OPINION NYU Trend Report: Winter Edition A Semester in Review: NYU Continues 6 ARTS to Prioritize Itself Over Students Tisch Fails to Connect Acting and 10 SPORTS Film Students Women’s Basketball Enjoys Fruitful Start to Season VOLUME LIII | ISSUE 15 MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2019 Artist, Who Was Tackled by WSP Officers, Charged With Assault and Resisting Arrest Oriel Ceballos, an artist who frequently sells his work in Washington Square Park, was arrested by park officers in October, but feels hopeful that he will be fully dismissed at his hearing in January. By RONNI HUSMANN Deputy News Editor Almost two months after art- ist Oriel Ceballos was tackled, pepper-sprayed and arrested by park officers in Washing- ton Square Park, Ceballos says he feels confident that his case will be dismissed at his next hearing on Jan. 5. Ceballos, who has been sell- ing his art in Washington Square Park for almost three years, was taken into custody by three park officers in October, an in- cident which led to outrage by some who felt the use of force was excessive and unnecessary. At the time, Ceballos was told his infraction was selling his art without a table, something for which he had received a tick- et previously but never been arrested. After asking the of- ficers to give him a ticket, he was forcefully detained. The altercation was filmed and post- ed on Instagram by Tisch first- year Griffin Wood. COURTESY OF GRIFFIN WOOD CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Oriel Ceballos, who was tackled by officers in Washington Square Park in October, was recently charged with assault and resisting arrest. Iranian Students Call For College Applications Extension Amid Protests By MINA MOHAMMADI It is unclear whether NYU has done policy for Students Affected by Natural an regime. In response to the protests, of the most popular means of commu- Deputy News Editor so. In a statement, an activist group at Disasters, Political and/or Governmen- the Iranian government has jailed what nication in Iran, have been turned off. Princeton University listed NYU as one tal Decisions in an email. is estimated to be thousands, with at The blackout has made college appli- Amid violent protests, a government of the universities that has extended For two weeks, thousands of Iranians least 161 killed in protest crackdowns. cations difficult for aspiring graduate crackdown and an internet blackout, the deadline, calling on their universi- have taken to the streets in what began It also enacted an internet blackout that and undergraduate students in Iran, Iranian students are not in a position ty to do the same. However, university as protests denouncing a hike in fuel has since been partially lifted. driving colleges like McGill University to complete their college applications, spokesperson Shonna Keogan was un- prices. The uprising has taken a drastic While some have regained connec- and Concordia University to extend leading some universities to extend able to confirm if this is the case, and turn and has become a series of civil pro- tivity amid the blackout, many others their deadlines. their deadlines. referred WSN to NYU’s pre-existing tests throughout Iran against the Irani- have not. WhatsApp and Telegram, two CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 2 Washington Square News MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2019 [email protected] NEWS Edited by VICTOR PORCELLI Artist, Who Was Tackled by WSP Officers, Charged With Assault and Resisting Arrest CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 dence shows that there’s none of that seemed unfair considering there are “I feel like it’s sort of part of the ing police brutality with Garner’s last “They kept shouting ‘stop resisting, occurring. So I just feel like once they many other artists that promote their pattern of arrests that seem targeted words, “I can’t breathe,” immortalized stop resisting,’ and I kept reiterating, see the video [...] it’ll put the nail in artwork without tables. toward people of color that seem ran- as part of the movement’s rally cry. ‘Why am I under arrest?’” Cebal- the coffin, it’ll solidify the case. So I’m “I felt like [the incident] was very dom, and for crimes that aren’t really Ceballos said his artwork has be- los told WSN in October. “No one just super hopeful.” targeted, like maybe it didn’t make crimes,” Miller said. “They’re just pet- come more political since his arrest. said yes, no one read me my Miran- Part of Ceballos’ hope is because of sense because it was unequal treat- ty things that you could get arrested “For the past month, I’ve been da Rights, I was disturbing the peace the amount of support he’s received ment from many other artists that are for, but aren’t really hurting anybody.” painting images pertaining to my ar- in no way. This is not an arrest, this from visitors to Washington Square still present in the park,” Zenko said. The New York Civil Liberties rest, so I’ve been going back to more is an assault.” Park, members of the NYU communi- “So why exactly him? It just didn’t Union recorded over 7,000 cases of political subjects,” Ceballos said. “I Following his first hearing on Nov. ty and others who have seen the video make sense to me.” stop-and-frisks in the first half of feel like I’ve changed in the sense that 13, Ceballos told WSN he feels con- of his arrest online. Similarly, LS first-year Adelaide 2019. Of that number, 60% of those I am trying to take the opportunity fident that his case will be fully dis- “Oriel and all the other artists are Miller saw a connection between Ce- stoppdwere black, 29% were Latine and I see the greater purpose, given missed at his next hearing on Jan. 5. amazing artists who deserve to be ballos’ arrest and other instances of and 10% were white. that I almost died. I’m painting as if He said, after the altercation, he treated well,” Tisch first-year Amrut police brutality and law enforcement One of the most notorious New I have no time.” later found out he was being charged Ayyala said. “The only reason they’re targeting people of color. One exam- York cases of police brutality took with assault and resisting arrest. being targeted is because they are mi- ple is stop-and-frisk laws that dispro- place on Staten Island in 2014. Eric Additional reporting by Lisa Cochran. “The charges are pretty clear and norities. I’m 100% behind them.” portionately affected black and brown Garner was choked and killed during a strong — that I’m choking someone,” CAS sophomore Sara Zenko agreed people and were deemed unconsti- police arrest, and his death became part Email Ronni Husmann Ceballos said. “But the video, the evi- that the force used against Ceballos tutional in 2013. of the national movement of protest- at [email protected]. Iranian Students Call For College Upstein Improves Applications Extension Amid Protests to ‘A’ Final Health CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 in the midst of protest and not hav- nian international students to apply Iranian students at universities ing access to the internet,” LS first- to the United States,” Najafi said. Inspection Grade such as UCLA and Princeton have year Armon Dadvand said. “Being “Not only with the blackout and put out statements calling upon Iranian-American makes me even protests, but with the Trump ad- their universities to do the same. more emotionally affected seeing ministration’s travel ban, it seems Iranian-American students at the country in turmoil and seeing like every day there is a new barri- NYU expressed concern for the in- others my age struggling is sadden- er for Iranians. It’s NYU’s job to ternational Iranian students apply- ing. Universities should be doing make sure that they don’t add to ing during the protests. more to aid these students.” those barriers.” “I had a really difficult and stress- Tisch first-year Olivia Najafi ful college application experience shared a similar sentiment. Email Mina Mohammadi at myself and I cannot imagine being “I know it is super hard for Ira- [email protected]. MARVA SHI | WSN After a recent health inspection, Upstein’s rating has improved to an A. By VICTOR PORCELLI and Upstein has been inspected News Editor many times during that period,” Beckman and Moore said. “Nev- Upstein Food Court received ertheless, we are working to make an A grade in mid-November after the adjustments the Health De- failing an Oct. 21 health inspec- partment wants.” tion, according to the New York Based on a Nov. 14 inspection, City Department of Health and efforts to address the problems cit- Mental Hygiene. ed were successful, with Upstein Upstein’s initial failure was pri- receiving a four-point A. Current- marily the result of issues with the ly, the only violation mentioned placement of structural elements has to do with plumbing. VIA TWITTER such as doors and walls, although “We were very heartened to see Some universities have extended application deadlines for all Iranian applicants because of a government-imposed internet it was also cited for food being un- that the issues in the first inspec- blackout. protected from potential contami- tion were addressed and that the nation. The food court received 40 Department of Health saw fit to points — 13 more than needed to maintain Upstein’s ‘A’ rating,” receive a C, the worst grade possi- Moore said in a statement to WSN. ble — due to these issues. “Students should know that the In a comment sent to WSN on food they’re being served in the Oct.