Boston University students dressed as zombies stood in front of the George Sherman Union on Friday to protest the BU level-4 biosafety lab built in Roxbury.
The lab, if opened, would research dangerous and highly contagious pathogens and has caused controversy over the past decade.
Demonstrators have been protesting the BioLab since 2003 when the idea was proposed, but some BU students hoped their approach would catch the public eye.
“Roxbury is a dumping ground for depots, disposal areas and garbage facilities,” said Graduate School of Arts and Sciences third-year student Ian Chinich. “This is a form of eco-racism.”
Other concerns of the group included the facility’s inability to meet health codes.
Zena Ozeir, a CAS junior and BU BioLab protestor, said she was concerned with the BioLab’s alleged standard failures.
“BU has failed the [National Institutes of Health] test multiple times,” Ozeir said. “I just don’t see a way for this being safe in such a populated area.”
The facility, which finished construction in 2009, may be opening for research this fall.
Ozeir’s said her main concern was the university’s response to the controversy.
“I don’t think that they are taking us seriously,” Ozeir said. “I don’t know if they have addressed [the BioLab] enough to know that they are taking it seriously.”
Ozeir said she is frustrated with BU’s response to the groups’ actions and wishes that they would be more communicative about the issues.
“I think [the BioLab] is something that [BU] should be more transparent about,” Ozeir said.
The office of President Robert Brown declined to comment.
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so now 3 people getting together is a protest worthy to write about??
What are you doing to this newspaper??? Has the Editor just given up?
Maria, it was, in fact, a spectacle to incite awareness about the issues by handing out fliers in which about one dozen of us dressed up as zombies and had a dance party. We never called it an official “protest” although all of us are vehemently opposed to the BioLab, and we handed out literature hoping to garner support.
Err DFP, don’t misquote me. The Anti-BioLab rally did not have a “celebrity flair”, Paris Hilton did not make an appearance and it was not a Red Carpet affair. It had a “celebratory flair” in which we got down with our undead selves!
yeah, because the fact that only three people were interviewed and the picture only has three people in it TOTALLY means there were only three people there.
Bite me.
yeah, because the fact that only three people were interviewed and the picture only has three people in it TOTALLY means there were only three people there.
Bite me. (no, not like that.)
Maria, your comment’s laughable. There were lots of people there. There was just a picture of 3 of them.
Even though it wasn’t a huge gig sponsored by a frat, this is more important than most other things covered on the FREEP.
DUH – only three NON-ZOMBIE people were there…the rest were undead.
If I were organizing a protest, I certainly wouldn’t have a dance party and expect anyone to take it seriously. So are they supposed to be “zombie” Roxbury residents who have been affected by an escaped pathogen? Is that supposed to be funny or help their cause?
As a recent BU grad and Biology major, I’ve witnessed Biolab protests and the students involved at the time were completely unprepared to defend their position and had little to say besides “it’s dangerous.” The fact that BU has failed NIH standards is troublesome, without a doubt, but certainly BU and the NIH will accept nothing but the highest safety standards, and no hazardous materials will be used at the Biolab until these standards are met. Research such as this is necessary, and these facilities need to exist to study the biggest heath hazards known today, as well as to be prepared for potential future threats from emerging diseases or bioterror weapons.
Also, the suggestion that a laboratory facility could be turned into a “community space” is absurd. Why would that even cross his mind? Without a doubt, if the facility can’t be Biohazard Level 4, it would still be a BSL3 or even BSL2 research facility. A reality check is in order for some of these students.