Updated June 08, 2025 07:09PM

Student Charged with Vandalism, Resisting Arrest at Williams College

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com
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Updated on June 8 at 7:15 p.m. with details about the vandalism.
 
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A 20-year-old Williams College student was arrested Sunday on charges of vandalism, destruction of private property and resisting arrest after an early morning incident on the day of the college's commencement exercises, police said. 
 
Liam Carey of Virginia, was being held on $7,500 cash bail, Williamstown Police Chief Michael Ziemba said late Sunday morning. 
 
The WPD was called to campus at about 8 a.m. Sunday for a report of a person who had taken down the American flag from a campus flag pole, raised what "appeared to be either a Palestinian flag or a free Palestine flag" and tied himself to the pole, Ziemba said. 
 
In addition, a vandal had painted graffiti on nearby walkways and a large marble installation near the entrance to the school's Library Quad, site of the commencement ceremony. 
 
Police officers helped remove Carey from the pole, and, since he is a student at the school, looked to the college on the question of whether to take him into custody, Ziemba said. School officials offered Carey the chance to leave on his own, but he declined. 
 
Carey then went limp when officers attempted to remove him, leading to the charge of resisting arrest, Ziemba said. An officer cut his hand while putting Carey in a police vehicle and may require stitches, Ziemba said. 
 
College staff were able to cover up most of the graffiti before the 10 a.m. commencement, which went off as scheduled. 
 
A college spokesperson Sunday morning said the graffiti was "pro-Palestinian" but could not provide any more detail. 
 
Late Sunday, Ziemba said, "The graffiti was pro-Palestine or anti 'colonizers.' Some was vulgar. Some accused Williams of funding genocide. Some was just random thoughts."
 
"Just the fact that it was graffiti would be enough to charge," Ziemba said. 
 
The WPD already had several officers assigned to help with the graduation, but at the college's request, additional officers were added, Ziemba said. 
 
Ziemba said it is unclear whether Carey was acting alone, and the incident remains under investigation. 

Tags: vandalism,   

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School Budget, Environment, Recreation Highlight Williamstown Town Meeting

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — This month's annual town meeting returns to a familiar venue.
 
What goes on in that building the rest of the year could be a major topic of discussion at the Tuesday, May 19, gathering.
 
After two years (2020 and '21) on Williams College's football field and four years ('22 through '25) at Mount Greylock Regional School, the town's legislative body will be back at Williamstown Elementary School for a 7 p.m. meeting to decide on municipal spending and other town business.
 
The largest segment of the municipal budget goes to the public schools, and the spending plan for PreK-12 education likely will see a floor amendment intended to add an additional $120,000 to fund a math interventionist at Williamstown Elementary School.
 
The elected seven-member School Committee that governs the Mount Greylock Regional School District has proposed a $30.9 million operating budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1. The local share of that budget is meted out in assessments to the member towns of Lanesborough and Williamstown, which each vote whether to approve its assessment at town meeting.
 
Williamstown's share of the operating and capital expenditures for the regional school district is $16.8 million under the budget approved by the School Committee, an increase of a little more than $2 million, or 13.65 percent, from the budget for the current fiscal/school year.
 
A group of WES parents concerned about the mathematics instruction at the Grade prekindergarten-6 school plans to bring an amendment to town meeting to add the additional $120,000 — about 0.7 percent of the proposed assessment — to fund the interventionist position.
 
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