NIU student Greg Thomas, 19, was arrested early Friday morning at his dormitory room in connection with Thurday night’s “riot” incident between police and students at the West Lagoon.

Thomas said two University Police officers came to his room, 715 Grant Towers South, at 3 a.m. Friday. The police officers asked his name and proceeded to search his room without a warrant and found alcohol in his refrigerator, he said.

UPs arrested Thomas for mob action and acceptance of alcohol as a minor and took him to the UP station, where he was not read his rights until he asked to make a statement at the UP station, Thomas said.

Thursday night Thomas approached University Police and was given permission by police to use a DeKalb Police squad car loud speaker in an attempt to calm and disperse the crowd.

Thomas said he was not involved in bottle or firework throwing nor had he done anything between the time he spoke with police at the lagoon and 3 a.m., when he was arrested, that would warrant his arrest for mob action.

“I don’t want to antagonize the cops, I want to help them out,” Thomas said later.

Thomas was brought to the DeKalb County jail in Sycamore at 5 a.m. At 9 a.m. a hearing for Thomas was held DeKalb County Court where he was charged with one count of being a participant in mob action and one count of knowingly not withdrawing from mob action upon command to do so by UP Sgt. Richard Sheridan, said UP Lieutenant Ron Williams.

Thomas’ bond was set at $1,000, however he was let out on his own recognisance. A court date has been set or April 24.

Sheridan asked Thomas Thursday night to get students to leave but “he never told me to leave,” Thomas said.

Sheridan was not available for comment. Williams said the incident is pending further investigation by State’s Attourney Phil DiMarzio.

A press conference was held Friday afternoon by the Residence Hall Association, the Student Relations Coaltion and the Tenant Union.

Jim Fabris, Student Association welfare adviser, referred to University police action as “Gestapo tactics,” and said, “We consider the actions of the police to be unnecessary, unprofessional and a violation of the students’ rights to assemble.”

“The (University) police were involved in a hostile arrest of the one student who was attempting to negotiate with the police, calm the crowd and get the crowd to disperse,” Fabris said, in which there was “a basic violation of his (Thomas’) rights from unwarranted search and seizure.”

In an attempt to publicize Thomas’ arrest, members of the John Lennon Society produced fliers stating the facts about Thomas’ arrest and including statements “Can you trust UPs?” and “Do UPs have any respect for students’ rights?”

SA senator Mike Goldstein, JLS member and Stevenson Towers South resident, distributed fliers to friends on several floors in STS Saturday afternoon, he said.

An STS resident assistant from floor 8B told Goldstein he was soliciting, which is illegal in residence halls. Goldstein said he was giving fliers to people he knew, but he was not distributing them to each room.

STS Hall Director Bob Fernandez told Goldstein he was “soliciting ideas” and said, “When you come to the dorms (to live) you give up a lot of your rights,” Goldstein said.

SA Tenant Union Adviser Carey Ward said the Tenant Union wants to work to make sure students living in residence halls are treated the same as students living off campus. “You wouldn’t expect police to walk into your apartment if you were (living) off campus,” he said.

UP Officer Hodder said University Police have keys enabling them to use elevators after 11 p.m. but do not have keys for individual rooms.