Zombie march protests biolab

Seventeen protesters wearing Hazmat suits and drenched in fake blood took to the streets Friday to protest Boston University’s completed Biosafety Level-4 laboratory opening in the South End.

Protesters gathered at Marsh Chapel Friday afternoon to warn the public about the biolab, which would house high-risk and often times deadly microbes such as Ebola and anthrax.

“We’re protesting because this lab was put in place and funded by the Bush administration to build biological warfare weapons,” protester Jeff Reinhardt said. “It’s not safe to build a lab like this in such a crowded city.”

The Boston University National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory would be the only BSL4 lab in the U.S. built in a densely populated area, according to stopthebiolab.org, a website designed by Roxbury activist group Safety Net. Opponents of the lab say it is an unnecessary safety risk to impose on the citizens of Roxbury.

“This is just another example of gentrification by the government, and citizens need to stand up to the city’s leaders like Mayor [Thomas] Menino who support putting them in danger,” Reinhardt said.

The protest was set to commence at Marsh Chapel, but was forced to move by Marsh Chapel Director Ray Bouchard, who said the group did not make the necessary reservation of the space. 

The zombies instead marched around BU campus, passing out pamphlets and singing songs such as “The Eensy-Weensy Microbes.”

They cited news of a BU graduate student who possibly became infected last week with the meningitis bacteria after working with materials in a lower-level lab as proof that the new BU lab would be dangerous for the community.

 “They can’t even handle meningitis correctly,” Alysha Suley, a co-coordinator of the march, said. “How can you trust them, BU?”

But some BU students said they do not find trusting the university difficult.

“I think [the march] is lame,” College of Arts and Sciences junior Joe Benton said. “They’re not really telling people anything. I feel like if things are dangerous, we should learn about them so we can know how to deal with them.”

CAS junior Sonny Paletti said the protesters were overacting.

“I do think BU should make a statement about the lab, but then again, we’re a research institution. Research is what we do,” she said. “I think people just like to freak out about stuff.”

Still, the zombie protesters said the goal was to shed light on the biolab, which they said has not garnered much discussion on campus.

“Hopefully, this will open the public’s eyes about what’s coming to their city if they don’t stand up and do something,” College of Arts and Sciences protester Monica, who did not want her last name identified because she feared repercussion from the university, said.

Though the turn-out was not as rousing as they had hoped, the zombie protesters said they felt they accomplished their goal.

“It doesn’t take much to make a difference, and that’s all we’re trying to do,” protester Sue Gracey said as she marched, holding a sign that read, “NO NO NO, MeniNO.”