Civil Rights and Hate Crime Prevention Forum Held at Masjid Fresno Mosque

Representatives from Global Exchange and National Lawyers Guild led a forum on Civil Rights and Preventing Hate Crime at Masjid Fresno Mosque on October 14, 2001. The Fresno Center for Non-Violence facilitated the forum. The Global Exchange representative is a trainer for the Accompaniment Project of San Francisco which provides volunteers to accompany Arab-Americans that feel threatened as they go out in the community. She spoke about current events in the bay area and about defending oneself from hate crimes.

The representative from National Lawyers Guild, Al Q., spoke of the importance of exercising one's civil rights, including the right to verbally refuse consent to searches, the right to not speak, the right to obtain legal counsel when questioned, and the right to freedom of speech. He said that authorities often use intimidation to induce people to talk or give consent to a search. Usual legal advice is to cooperate with police but remember you are not required to respond to questioning beyond one’s name and address, and cooperate but always tell authorities that you do not consent to a search.

Reporters from several news outlets were present, the reporter and TV camera man from KMPH 26 stayed through the entire forum and interviewed two Muslim-American men that had listened to the presentation. Among other questions the reporter asked questions regarding the interviewees’ willingness to cooperate with police questioning and searches.


FRESNO MEDIA RELATED ARTICLES

Fresno Protest Against Media Bias at KMJ Radio Saturday 13 Oct 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=106325

Media calls anti-war protestors supporters of Osama Bin Laden Thursday 11 Oct 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=106136

Fresno County Murder/Hate Crime Wednesday 03 Oct 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=105348


FRESNO AND CENTRAL VALLEY INDYMEDIA ARTICLES

Assault in Fresno: Another Hate Crime? Friday 12 Oct 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=106230

Media calls anti-war protestors supporters of Osama Bin Laden Thursday 11 Oct 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=106136

Fresnos emergency response to U.S. attacks on Afghanistan Monday 08 Oct 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=105658

Fresno County Murder/Hate Crime Wednesday 03 Oct 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=105348

Arab American killed near Fresno Wednesday 03 Oct 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=105284

Fresno Peace Actions Friday 21 Sep 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=104587

400 march for peace in Fresno Saturday 15 Sep 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=104264

Prison Can't Secure Town's Salvation Saturday 23 Jun 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=101321

Fresno activists great GW Bush Tuesday 29 May 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=100841

Hey Californian's lets give Bush the welcome he deserves! Thursday 24 May 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=100765

KMJ Radio Product Boycott Wednesday 04 Apr 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=2502

Also on the Internet Sunday 04 Feb 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=1644

Chowchilla Protest report Sunday 28 Jan 2001
http://www.indybay.org/display.php?id=1564