Young Black activists tell why they disrupted the Jeff Sessions confirmation hearing

Two of the young African American activists who helped disrupt the Jeff Sessions confirmation hearing Jan. 10 talked to Fight Back! about the action that gained worldwide attention.

Michael Sampson stated, “The thing I enjoyed most about the #NoSessions action was the solidarity displayed amongst many different groups. There were many different organizations and ethnicities all fighting the same cause, which was to halt the nomination of the oppressive Senator Jeff Sessions. Sessions has a long history of racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia which deems him unfit to serve as the attorney general. Sessions’ record proves he is unfit for the position and is an opponent to the progression of civil rights.”

Sampson was arrested and charged with ‘disruption of Congress.’

Joshua Parks, a student activist Howard University and part of the NAACP delegation that staged a sit-in in Senator Jeff Sessions’ office said, “I participated in the action because Jeff Sessions has a long history of carrying out national oppression and systemic discrimination of Black and brown communities in this country. In Alabama he worked to suppress the Black vote as well as supported laws that criminalize African Americans, Latino and Muslim populations. He is a full-fledged racist with long ties to the KKK and must be stopped, along with Donald Trump.”

The participants in that protest were also arrested.

There is a growing movement against Trump, his nominees and his allies that is spreading across the U.S. Protests are scheduled for Jan. 20, Trump’s inauguration day.