Cops preemptively arrest 600+ in DC, Campuses across the country are trying to silence criticism of Israel. Berkeley threatening to suspend 32 Students for a year for demanding Divestment from Israel. The University of California is attempting to silence dissent about its connections to Israeli Apartheid by prosecuting 32 Students who sat-in last
April in Wheeler Hall with Student Conduct Charges, threatening to suspend for a year—read more and send petitions or call!! Flood those mailboxes!
UC Berkeley Students Rally to Defend Free Speech
More About April 9th Protests to Demand Divestment from Israel
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PLEASE PRINT AND FAX OR EMAIL!!!!! THE FOLLOWING VIA EMAIL TO (and CC: wheeler_solidarity@hotmail.com)
Letters should go to:
Chancellor Robert Berdhal
200 California Hall #1500 FAX: (510) 643-5499
Berkeley, CA 94720
chanclor@uclink.berkeley.edu
Assistant Chancellor John Cummins
Office of the Chancellor TEL: (510) 642-7516
200 California Hall FAX: (510) 643-5499
Berkeley, CA 94720
jcummins@uclink4.berkeley.edu
Vice Chancellor Genaro Padilla
130 California Hall TEL: (510) 642-6727 FAX: (510)642-8153
Berkeley, CA 94720
gpadilla@uclink4.berkeley.edu
Student Judicial Affairs Officer
326 Sproul Hall FAX: (510) 643-3133 Berkeley, CA 94720
osc@uclink4.berkeley.edu
For info contact SJP: justiceinpalestine@yahoo.com, or go to our website: http://www.justiceinpalestine.org.
For more on the SJP-UC Faculty Divestment Campaign, go to: www.ucdivest.org
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Chancellor Robert M. Berdahl
200 California Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720
Dear Chancellor Berdahl,
I _____________________, am aware that on April 9th 2002, students, faculty,
staff, and community members came together at UC Berkeley to peacefully
address their concerns regarding the UniversityĂs financial investments in
Israel, estimated at over 6 billion dollars. The issue at hand is how
student fees and employee pensions are used by the UC system to fund the
Israeli governmentĂs illegal occupation of Palestine, its brutal military
and economic oppression of the Palestinian people, and its ongoing
violations of international law and human rights.
It is my understanding that the demonstrators gathered for a symbolic
occupation of Wheeler Hall. Indeed, all credible reports indicate it was the
UC Police Department officers, sent in by Vice Chancellor Cummins, who
locked the doors of Wheeler Hall with handcuffs. During this peaceful,
non-violent sit-in, 79 activists were arrested and charged with trespassing,
of which 41 are students. Additionally, six were charged with resisting
arrest and one student, Roberto Hernandez, was singled out by UC Police
Officers on allegations of assault and battery. On June 7, 2002 the Superior
Court of Alameda County dismissed all criminal charges, including the
additional charges against Mr. Hernandez, and granted each of the
demonstrators a "Factual Finding of Innocence," whereby the defendants are
deemed innocent of all charges. Such additional factual findings of
innocence are rare in criminal proceedings, and express the Court's strong
belief that the peaceful demonstrators were within their lawful right in
exercising their freedom of speech and assembly. Despite the courtĂs
granting of Factual Finding(s) of Innocence, the UC Administration continues
to threaten 38 students with severe academic sanctions, including
suspension, charging them with trespassing and related non-academic
violations of the Student Code of Conduct.
I believe Roberto Hernandez has been unfairly targeted by the UC Police
Department, and the UC Administration, because of his past commitments to
causes of social and economic justice. The UC Administration's attempt to
restrict these students' rights to free speech and peaceful assembly is
unjust and discriminatory; its attempts to silence dissent runs
contradictory to the long tradition of free speech and civil disobedience at
UC Berkeley.
We urge the University to drop the charges against those students, who
continue to be persecuted merely for voicing serious concerns regarding UC
investments in Israel. In particular, I strongly urge the University to
grant Roberto Hernandez his BA degree so he may enroll in the Ph.D. program
to which he has been admitted. His academic career should not be placed in
jeopardy for the political views he strives to uphold. As you, Chancellor
Berdahl have stated in your April 8 press release, one day prior to the
peaceful demonstration—"it is our responsibility to protect the rights of
all members of the campus community to pursue their reason for being here ¤
the work of teaching, learning, and research ¤ uninterrupted by anyone."
Accordingly, Roberto Hernandez, as a member of the Berkeley "campus
community" should be afforded this same protection, to continue with his
work of "—teaching, learning and research ł uninterrupted by anyone."
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NAME (print) SIGNATURE
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AFFILIATION DATE
www.ucdivest.org
More.