- Stop the intimidation of student protesters!
- Jail the Racists, Not Immigrant Workers and their
Supporters!
- No One is Illegal! Solidarity with all Immigrants!
Sign the online petition: http://www.iacenter.org/dropchargesUNC
Former congressman Tom Tancredo, a national symbol of hate, racism, sexism,
bigotry and the scapegoating of immigrants, was invited to speak at UNC Chapel
Hill on April 14 by Youth for Western Civilization, a newly-formed white
supremacist organization on campus. Many student organizations, including
Students for a Democratic Society, organized protests and alternative responses
to the event. Campus police violently attacked the demonstration with pepper
spray and tasers, dragged two women out of Bingham 103 and threw them to the
floor in the lobby, which caused an escalation that led to the event being shut
down.
On Thursday, April 23, one UNC student found police officers waiting outside
her class. She was subsequently arrested and questioned, and then charged with
“disturbing the peace at an educational institution.” Her court
date is May 25.
These are baseless, trumped up charges intended to save face for UNC Chapel
Hill and create a chilling effect on protest. The students have been commended
for their actions and have received support from numerous individuals and
immigrant rights organizations around the country.
Speaking out against hate speech and white supremacy is not a
crime—
the real criminals are Tancredo and the YWC,
whose racism serves as a call for hatred and violence against an
already vulnerable section of the population.
Organizers also note that police brutality at the Tom Tancredo protest has not
seriously been investigated and demand that the UNC police make public the
results of their investigation. In addition, organizers renew their demand for
a student review board of police conduct to ensure that any further
intimidation of activists ceases.
Please take action now to support those who have been unjustly targeted for
protesting against hate speech—demand that all the charges be dropped now
and that action be taken against the police who attacked the demonstrators.
Here’s what you can do:
1.
Call Chancellor Holden Thorp: (919) 962-1365
Call Chief of Police Jeffrey McCracken: (919) 966-5730
Call District Attorney Jim Woodall: (919) 644-4600
Call UNC System President Erskine Bowles: (919) 962-1000
Call Dean of Students Winston Crisp: (919) 966-4042
Call Mayor Kevin Foy: (919) 968-2714
2. Sign the Petition at http://www.iacenter.org/dropchargesUNC
Petition text:
TO: Chancellor Holden Thorp, UNC System President
Erskine Bowles, UNC Chapel Hill Chief of Police Jeffrey McCracken, UNC Chapel
Hill Dean of Students Winston Crisp, Orange County District Attorney Jim
Woodall, Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy, members of the media, and others
I am writing to express my full support of the students who protested against
Tom Tancredo at UNC Chapel Hill on April 14.
All the charges should be dropped immediately. Protesting and speaking out
against hate speech, bigotry, and white supremacy is not a crime. The
real criminals are the likes of Tancredo and the YWC, whose
racism serves as a call for hatred and violence against a large section of the
population, a call that is answered by the likes of the Minutemen and other
right-wing groups.
I further demand a full investigation of the actions of the campus police and
the violent way that they responded to the protest. I fully support Students
and the student protestors’ demand for the immediate creation of a
standing student review board to oversee all police conduct on campus and to
investigate the police conduct on April 14.
Drop all the charges now!
Stop the intimidation of student protestors!
Investigate and condemn police violence against protestors!
Protesting hate speech is not a crime!
No One is Illegal! Solidarity with all Immigrants!
Sincerely,
(Your name)
Sign the petition online at: http://www.iacenter.org/dropchargesUNC
