Protestors harp on fast-food giant

Charles C. Labenz Arizona Daily Wildcat Student Union Assistant Director, Joseph Sottosanti, informs members of SEAC, Student Environmental Action Coalition, that they could not protest in front of the new McDonald's franchise in the Memorial Student Union, yesterday afternoon. The demonstration protested the environmental concerns the group has regarding McDonald's.

"This is not a corporate haven. This is not a mini-mall. This is a university," said Chris Ford, coordinator of the Student Environmental Action Coalition at the University of Arizona.

"My ultimate goal is to get McDonald's off campus," he added.

About 10 SEAC members camped outside the new mezzanine-level McDonald's and the Memorial Student Union's west entrance from noon to 2 p.m., passing out literature, waving signs and talking to students about environmental issues and fast-food monopolies.

Ford claimed the fast-food chain contributes to depleting the South and Central American rainforests by purchasing beef from cattle raised in the lush area.

The Student Environmental Action Coalition was also known for protesting the Large Binocular Telescope, now being constructed atop Mount Graham.

Ford, a theater arts senior, also said the UA was "underhanded in the way McDonald's was brought to campus," because employees for the on-campus restaurant were picked before students could be hired.

McDonald's manager Debbie Gorman said that allegation is "completely false," adding 90 percent of the new restaurant's employees are students.

She added the protesters have not affected business "one bit."

University police arrived about 12:30 p.m. and told the mezzanine-level protesters to move downstairs.

Protesters "violated the building policies" by blocking the restaurant entrance, said Sgt. David Heacock of the University of Arizona Police Department.

The student activists went downstairs without incident. No arrests were made.

"McDonald's is a small part of a bigger picture," said Leith Kahl, a theater production freshman who took part in the protest.

Some students seemed unfazed by the protest.

"We have a right to have it (McDonald's) here if we want it," said Faith Behlow, a pre-nursing junior.

However, she added she won't eat at McDonald's that much anyway.

"For myself, there's only so much crappy food in one day," Behlow said.

Jeanmarie Massalone, a creative writing sophomore who lives off campus, said she is happy about the new McDonald's for convenience's sake.

"I don't want to have to go out of my way to get what I want," Massalone said.

Massalone said she grasped the environmental issues SEAC members discussed in their protest.

"I can understand their concerns, but it's not directly McDonald's fault," Massalone said.

SEAC activist Ford added his group had gathered 100 student signatures Friday and yesterday also urging McDonald's off campus.