Council Backs Boycott Against Nini's Corner

The Undergraduate Council last night called on the student body to boycott Nini's Corner in a show of support for a council member who alleged last week that he was racially harassed by the owner of the Harvard Square newsstand.

Dudley House representative Richard A. Cole '95, who is Mexican-American, filed a racial harassment complaint Wednesday with the Cambridge Human Rights Commission.

Cole alleges that the store's owner, Philip Nini, "exercised selective expulsion," when he threw him out of the store Tuesday afternoon after Cole browsed through a magazine for about five minutes.

In an interview last Thursday, Cole said Nini, who is not a Spanish speaker, upset him by repeatedly using Spanish phrases sarcastically while evicting him from the store.

At one point, Nini allegedly said: "Get the fuck out of my store. . . comprende?"

The council voted 39 to 19, with 6 abstaining, to pass a resolution that pledges support for Cole and calls on the Harvard community to boycott Nini's Corner "until Mr. Nini issues an apology to Mr. Cole and agrees not to discriminate in the future."

The resolution was jointly sponsored by Council President David L. Hanselman '94-'95, Vice President Brandon C. Gregoire '95 and Cole's fellow Dudley House representative, Will Rehling '95.

In his opening remarks at last night's council meeting, Hanselman brought the members' attention to what he called "a blatant incident of racial harassment that occurred in a Harvard Square establishment."

"I hope that the Harvard administration, as well as the City of Cambridge, will follow vigorously through on Rich's complaint," Hanselman said.

Hanselman spoke on behalf of the council in condemning incidents of racial harassment.

"The Undergraduate Council will not tolerate incidents of racial or any other type of harassment," he said.

Rehling formally introduced the resolution at the end of yesterday's council meeting.

"This is an opportunity for us to come together as representatives of the student body to condemn the actions taken against Rich," the Dudley House representative said.

Rehling said the call for a boycott was a symbolic move that signaled the council's support for Cole.

"This is just a highly symbolic move. We're not trying to become a quasi anti-racism judicial body," Rehling said. "Nini's won't go out of business because the student body boycotts it."

The Dudley House affiliate emphasized that this was an opportunity for the council to eschew its usual distaste for direct controversy and take an activist role.

Council Vice President Brandon C. Gregoire '95 said the resolution addressed the lack of respect given to students by Harvard Square merchants.

"They forget that there are 10,000 students affiliated here, plus the thousands of tourists that come every year to see the College," Gregoire said.

Several council members, while confirming their support for Cole, argued that the council should wait on the resolution until both sides' versions could be heard.

"This asks us to pass judgment after hearing only one side," said Cabot House representative Justin C. Label '97.

Randall A. Fine '96, countered that the council's place as representatives of the student body should make the council's decision obvious.

"Isn't it our job to stand up for students?" Fine asked. "We represent the student body. We don't represent Nini's.

In his opening remarks at last night's council meeting, Hanselman brought the members' attention to what he called "a blatant incident of racial harassment that occurred in a Harvard Square establishment."

"I hope that the Harvard administration, as well as the City of Cambridge, will follow vigorously through on Rich's complaint," Hanselman said.

Hanselman spoke on behalf of the council in condemning incidents of racial harassment.

"The Undergraduate Council will not tolerate incidents of racial or any other type of harassment," he said.

Rehling formally introduced the resolution at the end of yesterday's council meeting.

"This is an opportunity for us to come together as representatives of the student body to condemn the actions taken against Rich," the Dudley House representative said.

Rehling said the call for a boycott was a symbolic move that signaled the council's support for Cole.

"This is just a highly symbolic move. We're not trying to become a quasi anti-racism judicial body," Rehling said. "Nini's won't go out of business because the student body boycotts it."

The Dudley House affiliate emphasized that this was an opportunity for the council to eschew its usual distaste for direct controversy and take an activist role.

Council Vice President Brandon C. Gregoire '95 said the resolution addressed the lack of respect given to students by Harvard Square merchants.

"They forget that there are 10,000 students affiliated here, plus the thousands of tourists that come every year to see the College," Gregoire said.

Several council members, while confirming their support for Cole, argued that the council should wait on the resolution until both sides' versions could be heard.

"This asks us to pass judgment after hearing only one side," said Cabot House representative Justin C. Label '97.

Randall A. Fine '96, countered that the council's place as representatives of the student body should make the council's decision obvious.

"Isn't it our job to stand up for students?" Fine asked. "We represent the student body. We don't represent Nini's.