Tennessee Lawmaker Wants Student Protesters Punished

Seven people were charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct on Tuesday when they protested at a legislative hearing in Tennessee on bills that would limit union rights. On Thursday, a state senator called on the University of Memphis, where he believed the students were enrolled, to "take action" against the students, The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported. It turns out that only two of those charged are University of Memphis students, although two others are enrolled at the Memphis College of Art. Senator Randy McNally, a Republican, said the students should be expelled. "I’ve been down here a long time and have never seen a situation like that.... I was also dismayed to learn that six of the individuals were members of a registered student organization at the University of Memphis — the Progressive Student Alliance — and I would hope the university takes action," he said. "I know that if it was a fraternity that did something like that they’d be off campus in a heartbeat."