Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Defense Fund Begun

A defense fund has been started to collect money for legal fees associated with the Rutgers 3. One of the Walkout Coalition groups, Tent State, is hosting the paypal on their group website.

Donate to the Rutgers 3 Defense Campaign

Friday, April 25, 2008

Recent News on the Case

On Wednesday, the Rutgers 3 sucessfully postponed their case to allow them time to prepare and to aquire lawyers. Since then, another 2 lawyers have agreed to represent the defendents pro-bono!

A defense fund has been set up and is still being configured, news of that will be provided when the fund ready for use.

A national petition is being put together and will become public monday morning.

Keep checking the blog for updates on where you can help defend the Rutgers 3!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Press Conference Tomorrow

PRESS CONFERENCE ADVISORY

Contact: Andrea Mueller FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(908) 463-7329
andrea@tentstate.com

Walkout Coalition To Hold Press Conference Tomorrow to Support Rutgers Students Prosecuted for Protesting Iraq War:

Charges Especially Contentious as Walkout Was Widely Reported as Peaceful with Police Pleased


New Brunswick, NJ – Tuesday April 22, 2008 – Three Rutgers students, Erik Straub, a Rutgers College junior and member of Tent State University/Students for a Democratic Society, Suzan Sanal, a Douglass College junior and member of Rutgers Against the War, and Arwa Ibrahim, a Rutgers College senior, have been issued summons for activities that took place during the March 27, 2008 Rutgers Walk Out Against the War. These three students will be issuing a statement at a press conference immediately preceding their first trial date this coming Wednesday, April 23rd at 11:00AM during the Tent State University event located on the College Avenue campus of Rutgers in New Brunswick, NJ. The press conference will take place at the Vietnam War Memorial on Voorhees Mall.

The Walkout brought together about 600 Rutgers students and supporters, who walked out on their daily routine and rallied in protest of the war in Iraq. The Walkout culminated in a march, with an estimated 300 participants, that took a path through the streets of downtown New Brunswick and onto nearby highway Route 18.

Despite the fact that the action involved hundreds of students, police singled out only three for prosecution. Furthermore, while for the second year in a row the protest yielded no injuries, no arrests, and no incidents of vandalism or property damage, the New Brunswick Police Department is charging the three students with 'recklessly creating … a hazardous or physically dangerous condition by an act which serves no legitimate purpose.'

"91 Rutgers students will be shipped to Iraq beginning this month; Rutgers students are significantly more likely to be put into harm's way due to the criminally negligent actions of President Bush than they ever will be attending a protest in New Brunswick," replied Jean Pierre Mestanza, a member of the Walkout Coalition "The only hazardous and dangerous situation that has been created has been the result of the decision by the US government to invade Iraq." Mestanza went on to cite a recent report by the National Institute for Strategic Studies, a respected Defense Department research center, which referred to the Iraq war as "a major debacle."

Reactions among organizers of the Walkout have been mixed.

"I called my parents as soon as I found out," said a participant at the Walkout who wishes to remain anonymous. "I was worried when I heard they were prosecuting students because I was helping to organize during the march that day too. My job was mainly to walk around and make sure nothing got out of hand. One officer even thanked me after the event; I'm not sure if he opposed the war too or if he was just glad for the assistance we were providing by circulating through the crowd and keeping the situation calm and under control."

Other students took a different view.

"This is quite clearly selective political prosecution with the intent to intimidate organizers and prevent future protests from happening," said Adriel Bernal, a Walkout participant. "They don't want us protesting against the war even if we're being peaceful and nonviolent. If we can't even protest peacefully in our own city, it's clear that our voices will never be strong enough to reach those in power elsewhere."

"While they're busy putting students on trial, they should be arresting the real criminals: the architects of the war," Bernal concluded.

The Walkout Coalition has issued the following demands in regards to the charges against Arwa, Suzan, and Erik, which they hope will be echoed and supported by the residents of New Brunswick, the Rutgers community, and peace and justice advocates across the United States and beyond:

To the New Brunswick Prosecutor's Office: Drop all charges against the Rutgers students being prosecuted in relation to the 2008 Walkout Against the War.

To the City of New Brunswick: Students are being prosecuted for peacefully opposing the war. It is obvious that the voice of students is not being considered in City Hall. Therefore, we demand student seats on the New Brunswick City Council to represent our student neighborhoods. Student representation for our student wards! (http://www.empowernb.com/)

As for Erik Straub, one of the students being prosecuted, he is trying to take everything in stride. "We all want our sisters and brothers in the military to come home," Straub explained. "While I don't relish the idea of spending any time in a jail cell, countless others have sacrificed even more in this unjust war. I am convinced we will defeat these unjust charges, but whatever happens, I believe I have a moral imperative to do whatever is required from me in the nonviolent pursuit of freedom from occupation for the Iraqi people and an end to the war."

###
For more information, please contact Andrea Mueller at andrea@tentstate.com

Solidarity Statement from Col. Ann Wright

To the Students Who Walked Out on March 27, 2008 to Protest the 5th Year of the War on Iraq

As a 29 year US Army veteran who retired as a Colonel and as a 16 year diplomat who helped reopen the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, and who resigned in March, 2003 in opposition to the Iraq war, I am extraordinarily proud of the 600 students and supporters who took time from the daily lives on March 27, 2008 to leave classes and work to protest the continuation of the war on Iraq. For the peaceful, non-violent protest of Bush administration violent and criminal acts of aggression on Iraq to be met with the arrests of three of the 300 who continued the walk is truly political intimidation.

I totally support your actions in protesting this war and urge you not to be intimidated by the actions of local police. Having been placed on the FBI's National Crime Information Data base for misdemeanor violations for protesting the war (generally payable by fines less than a parking ticket) and now having been banned from entering Canada for being on the FBI list which is supposed to be for foreign fugitives, parole violators, members of violent gangs and sex offenders, I consider the actions of local law enforcement in selective identification and prosecution of those who protest the war to be blatant political intimidation of our rights of free speech and free assembly.

I urge you to argue strongly in your court the rights of us as citizens to protest an unjust and criminal war.

I am so proud of you all!

I hope you can attend the 51st New Jersey Peace Action annual banquet on Sunday, April 27th to be held in North Pompton Plains, NJ.Peace!

Ann Wright
US Army Reserve Colonel and former US diplomat

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Defend the Rutgers 3!

2 additional students have recieved court summons for the walkout.

Join the facebook group for their defense. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14201206009

More info will be provided as the situation develops

Monday, April 14, 2008

Rutgers Walkout Organizer Recieves Court Summons

On Friday a member of Rutgers Against the War received a summons for activities during the March 27th Rutgers Walkout Against the War. The student was the only person to receive a summons for the activity despite the fact that the walkout was organized by a coalition of multiple groups.

The official charge: “Did engage in conduct which caused a physically dangerous or hazardous condition, specifically by organizing and participating in a protest march onto route 18 disrupting traffic in violation of N.J.S. 2c: 33-2A(2)”

An official response will be released from the student and the walkout coalition about the police charges.

Friday, April 4, 2008

Walkout Eyewitness Report

Walkout Eyewitness Report
By Adriel Bernal Tent State/SDS
I’d like to start by sending a big thank you to all of Tent State’s coalition partners who put in a lot of work to make the Walkout happen:
Arabic Cultural ClubBAKA – Students United for Middle Eastern JusticeCentral and South American AllianceFusionHuman Rights HouseLambda Theta AlphaThe Latino Student CouncilLLEGO (LGBTQQ People of Color Alliance)RadigalsRU ChoiceRutgers Against the War
The other big acknowledgement goes to everyone who came out to the Walkout this year. Without you guys putting all that energy and enthusiasm into the event, it couldn’t have been so successful. Special thanks to the photographers of that historic day whose excellent work appears in this article.
Anyone who visits the front page of MichaelMoore.com can see just how huge of an event the Rutgers Walkout was last Thursday, March 27th. I saw between 600-800 people come out to the rally/march on Voorhees Mall to show their support for the troops and their opposition to the occupation of Iraq. The rally included speakers who were directly affected by the ongoing conflict. Gold Star mother for peace Sue Niederer spoke of the tragic loss of her son in the war, while Iraq Veteran Against the War (IVAW) member and Iraq vet Kristofer Goldsmith shared the perspective of fed-up soldiers on the ground.

After the rally we marched around campus, going through the downtown area of George Street to eventually reach the Exxon gas station for an impromptu sit-in with the banner “Arrest Exxon” unfurled. There Rutgers student and Tent State University/Students For a Democratic Society member Erik Straub took the megaphone and made the excellent point that the people who start wars aren’t the ones fighting them, it’s oil companies like Exxon who help create U.S. foreign policy by contributing millions of dollars to pro-war think tanks and politicians.

Upon reaching Douglass campus a democratic decision was made about what to do next: take Route 18! Shouting “whose streets, our streets!” we marched in traffic lanes with a police escort (much appreciated) and got many peace signs and supportive honks, although you can’t make everyone happy.

We got back to the rally starting point afterwards in order to have a speak-out with participants of the march and also make announcements. Unlike many protests I have attended, we did not end the march without giving people something to do afterwards. The ward campaign for democracy in New Brunswick was announced (website: empowernb.com) which if successful will give city residents neighborhood-based representation instead of the current at-large system that is designed to allow the corrupt city machine run unopposed year after year.
If I haven’t made it clear enough: everything turned out really well and a lot of kids who have never been to a protest before really felt empowered by the experience. Apathy is a myth, people care they just need the right outlet to show it.
* **** Photos Courtesy of Adriel709 at Flickr
*Photos courtesy of Tom WP - KevCowiffle at Flickr


Rutgers Walks Out Against the War 2008


written by Tiffany C Rutgers Against the War/Campus Antiwar Network


(Star Ledger Picture)

Hundreds of thousands of you have survived the relentless propaganda you have been subjected to, and are actively fighting your own government. In the ultra-patriotic climate that prevails in the United States, that's as brave as any Iraqi or Afghan or Palestinian fighting for his or her homeland.



If you join the battle, not in your hundreds of thousands, but in your millions, you will be greeted joyously by the rest of the world. And you will see how beautiful it is to be gentle instead of brutal, safe instead of scared. Befriended instead of isolated. Loved instead of hated.
I hate to disagree with your president. Yours is by no means a great nation. But you could be a great people.



History is giving you the chance.



Seize the time.



--Arundhati Roy, from her speech “Instant-Mix Imperial Democracy (Buy One, Get One Free)”, given in NYC in 2003

On Thursday, March 27, 2008, Rutgers students and community members of New Brunswick and Central Jersey seized the time to remind the world that the US occupation of Iraq is not an issue to be left on the backburner. It is an issue that we recognize is affecting not only the millions of Iraqis and the members of the US military, but our communities right here at home along with the international community. After months of building a strong coalition of student groups and devoted organizing, students and community members walked out of their classes and daily schedules at 1:23PM (“1-2-3 WALK OUT!!!”) in order to disrupt their lives and continue building a movement for social justice. The coalition included a diverse array of student groups, highlighting the interconnectedness between all issues: Arabic Cultural Club, BAKA (Belief Awareness Knowledge Activism, Students United for Middle Eastern Justice), CASAA (Central And South American Alliance), Fusion (multi-racial issues group), Human Rights House, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Latino Student Council, LLEGO (queer people of color), Radigals, RU Choice, Rutgers Against the War, and Tent State/Students for a Democratic Society. A rally commenced at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Voorhees Mall, a memorial that was created with the help of anti-war activists and placed in a location where rallies and teach-ins were held during the Vietnam War era. Speakers included members of the different coalition groups and community members, emphasizing the negative economic and social impact of our communities due to the war along with the racism, sexism, and classism needed to perpetuate the US involvement in the Middle East. Political spoken word was performed by Gist/The Essence and members of the JustUs League. Sue Niederer, a gold star mother of Rutgers alumnus Seth Dvorin who was killed in action in Iraq, addressed the crowd on the military’s dishonesty and the reality of war. Iraq Veterans Against the War members Margaret Stevens and Kristofer Goldsmith also spoke. Kristofer Goldsmith, a forward observer for the US Army in Iraq, gave a compelling speech:



"I'm an American soldier, okay?" he said. "I'm a combat vet. I have friends that are [in Iraq] right now. I'm speaking for the guys that don't want to be there and members of Iraq Veterans Against the War." Goldsmith asked everyone in the crowd to please stop calling the conflict in Iraq a war. "It's not a war it's an occupation," he said. "When Congress votes in support of the War, they are not supporting the troops. I never got a pay raise when I was there."After the speech, the crowd yelled in support, “They’re our brothers, they’re our sisters! We support war resisters!”By the end of the speeches, the crowd of over 500 people was anxious to march and make our message heard. People began chanting “Whose streets? Our streets!” and “No justice, no peace! US out of the Middle East!” as we began flooding College Avenue, threading through Brower Commons to George Street and past the River Dorms, picking up more people on the way. Our first stop was the intersection Old Queens, where several administrative buildings and President McCormick are located. Here, Tiffany Cheng, a member of Rutgers Against the War and the Campus Antiwar Network, addressed the university’s complicity in the war. Kicking off a divestment campaign, she spoke about the university’s investments of its endowment in such war-profiteering companies like ExxonMobil, Halliburton, Raytheon, Boeing, L3 Communications and its closed policy in making this information publicly available. As we continued to march towards downtown New Brunswick where many banks and corporate offices are located, they stopped at George Street and Albany Street, one of the largest intersections in the town and sat down in the streets, stopping traffic. “We are sitting down to remember all of those who have died,” Suzan Sanal, a member of Rutgers Against the War, addressed to a solemn crowd. “Over 4,000 US soldiers have now been killed in Iraq. Over 1 million Iraqis have died. We are sitting down for five minutes of silence for the five years that the US has occupied Iraq.” With traffic congested, a few frustrated drivers began honking, but the hundreds of us stayed firmly planted on the streets, holding up peace signs into the air, our tranquility and solidarity louder than words. As the five minutes were ended, Philippe Garcesto, a spoken word artist, read Saul Williams’ “The Pledge of Resistance”, declaring: “Another world is possible, and we pledge to make it real!”




The crowd broke its silence and cheered, continuing to march down George Street, past Congressman Frank Pallone’s office where Erik Straub, a member of Tent State/Students for a Democratic Society shouted, “Right now we are passing Pallone’s office, who claims he is against the war, but continues to vote to fund it. We must hold our politicians accountable!” As we reached Livingston Avenue, on which a New Brunswick middle school is located, we stopped yet again to address the neglected affects of the war. Jessy Menjivar, a member of the Latino Student Council, spoke about how the war is draining money from our communities, particularly minority communities, and only serving for the profit of a few. “¡El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido!” Jessy shouted to the crowd. One block down, we reached the Marine recruiting office, where a small counter-protest of approximately seven people were waiting for us with flags and signs, attempting to block the entrance. Our group of hundreds jumped over the railings and drowned out the right-wingers who were shouting racist slogans such as “Why don’t you go back to where you came from!” to two Pakistani students. Kristofer Goldmith from Iraq Veterans Against the War calmly addressed the crowd about the truths he witnessed in Iraq.
Continuing past the neighborhoods of New Brunswick we chanted, “Tell me what democracy looks like! This is what democracy looks like!” and “What do we want? Troops out! When do we want it? NOW!”

(Street closure in front of Exon Mobile- Unfortunately you cant see the big Tent State/SDS banner that says Arrest Exxon)


Nearing the Exxon gas station, people began shouting “Exxon Mobil, BP Shell, take your war and go to hell!” At the intersection of the gas station, we once again sat down in the streets. Erik addressed the crowd with the real intentions of the US’s endeavors in the Middle East: its intentions on securing oil and the contracts that the government has already made with companies such as Exxon. Our planned destination for a speak-out at Voorhees Chapel was in sight, but people in the crowd were shouting to march onto Route 18, a major highway in New Jersey. After asking everyone whether they wanted to end at the chapel (a question greeted with silence) or to continue marching onto Route 18 (a question greeted with deafening cheers and clapping), we took a side street and flooded into the highway during rush hour. With our signs and chanting, every car we marched past was a witness to our message. Many honked in support or rolled down their windows to hold up peace signs and fists of solidarity. Even as several of the walkout coalition delegates tried to lead the crowd back towards campus, people continued walking northbound on the highway, realizing the power in numbers. Eventually we headed back onto campus, chanting “Whose school? Our school!” and “We are unstoppable! Another world is possible!”




Gathering back at the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, we had a speak-out where anyone who wanted to voice their opinions were able to do so. Youth from the New Brunswick community raised concerns about the city’s corruption, gentrification, and undemocratic processes. Students raised issues about alternative energy, police, and politicians. Unwinding at the walkout after-party, more political spoken word was performed by community members including Pandora Scooter, Denarii Monroe of LLEGO, Battle, Brittany Cline, Ion and Successor of Atlantis Underground, and rapper Silent Knight. Ion and Successor of the JustUs League and Atlantis Underground brought the snaps, laughs and cheers with their social commentaries loaded with wit. Brittany Cline of Atlantis Underground closed her piece, something she had written about the walkout, with the message of the day, to get organized and keep organizing: “Let our voices be louder than they were here today.”