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Press conference & Court Date for 3 Arrested at Law School Palestine protest
November 18, 2015 @ 8:00 am
Supporters welcome for…
Press conference in front of Public Safety Facility at 8am
Court appearance inside at 8:30am
* PRESS RELEASE *
3 Arrested at Law School Palestine protest to have first day in court, standing by the right to dissent
On November 3, police were called on to forcibly remove protesters from a UMN Law School lecture by Moshe Halbertal, who protesters called “an apologist for Israeli war crimes.” Three individuals were arrested that day, including two organizers with the Anti-War Committee, and an attorney acting as an informal legal observer of police actions against the protesters. All three were booked into jail and held for some 8 hours, before being released with a court date set for Wednesday, November 18 at 8:30am. Anti-War Committee spokespeople will be available to the media before the hearing, at 8:00am outside the Public Safety Facility at 401 S. 4th Ave, Minneapolis.
During the protest by community members and students, some of the protesters had entered the lecture hall and effectively denied Halbertal a platform. They interrupted his presentation some two dozen times, with facts about Israeli atrocities, Halbertal’s public record in defense of IDF actions, and demands that the University honor the international boycott of Israel.
In addition to calling in police, several Law School faculty have published criticism of the protesters, and called for disciplinary actions against any students involved. Among other criticisms, they have argued that disrupting the speaking event was not a “legitimate” form of dissent.
Standing by the actions of protesters, AWC member Jess Sundin said, “We see the same kind of attacks on protesters demanding justice for Jamar Clark, killed by Minneapolis police this week. Some folks want to say there’s a right way and a wrong way to demand justice. Whether you’re sitting in an ivory tower, or in your car on Interstate-94, you show your true colors when you criticize protesters that inconvenience you or make you uncomfortable. As people of conscience, we have an obligation to speak up for justice. From Palestine, to North Minneapolis, lives are at stake, and we will not be silent.”
Last week, the Anti-War Committee (AWC) issued a statement, responding to critics of the November 3 protest. It says in part, “We are compelled to challenge Israel’s policies of apartheid and occupation, and its defenders, at every turn.” The full statement is published on their website – http://antiwarcommittee.org/2015/11/10/anti-war-committee-statement-on-the-november-3rd-protest-against-war-crimes-apologist-moshe-halbertal/.