Attack On Free Speech at SF State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATTACK ON FREE SPEECH AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY

April 27, 2005- 11:00 AM
Administration Building Steps
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Ave

PRESS CONFERENCE AND PUBLIC MEETING TO DEFEND CIVIL LIBERTIES OF STUDENTS AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY

At San Francisco State University, on Wednesday March 9, over 150 students joined Students Against War and other student groups to protest the Air Force recruiters and the Army Corps of Engineering attending a school sponsored career fair. The crowd flooded the fair, surrounding their tables and chanting. When Air Force recruiters tried to wait out the protest, students staged a peaceful anti-war sit-in and teach-in.

Students at San Francisco State need your help. The attack against student activists for the March 9th counter recruitment protest has escalated. On March 22nd three individual students received letters stating that they must appear for a confidential meeting with the head of Judicial Affairs. On April 1, 2005, the six student organizations that endorsed the demonstration, including Students Against War and the International Socialist Organization, received letters stating that the administration is beginning formal disciplinary proceedings against them.

The administration is directly attacking the civil liberties of students on campus. The actions of the police and the San Francisco State administration are a blatant attempt to stifle dissent and create a climate of intimidation.

On April 27, there will be a press conference at 11:00AM to defend students’ free speech rights at San Francisco State University with political prisoner and civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart, Matt Gonzalez, a member of the Green Party and former president of the SF Board of Supervisors.

Immediately following the press conference there will be a speaking event with Lynne Stewart, Matt Gonzalez, Peter Camejo, and Cindy Sheehan, co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace and a member of Military Families Speak-Out.