Chicago students demand free speech, sanctuary campus, and divestment at U of I trustees meeting

Chicago, IL – In the early morning on Thursday, November 12, students demonstrated outside of the UIC Dorin Forum in Chicago to demand that the University of Illinois (U of I) System Board of Trustees end policies restricting free speech, declare itself a sanctuary campus, and divest from Israel. The action was organized by Students for a Democratic Society at UIC (SDS) and allies.

The protest comes as the UIC administration has continued to restrict student organizing through its “Open Expression” policy, which SDS at UIC has denounced as a bureaucratic tool to surveil and discourage political activity on campus.

In an open letter delivered to Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda’s office on October 15, SDS wrote, “We demand an end to the so-called Open Expression Policy, which has repeatedly been used by UIC to restrict the speech of political student organizations on campus. In particular we want an end to the policy of prior registration and administrative approval for free speech and assembly.”

SDS member Emma Adaya said, “Instead of using their resources and power to actually address these matters, members of administration choose to implement policies and other measures that not only silence us as a campus community, but also prevent us from making our campus a better place to thrive.”

Amir Hartt, a member of SDS and Students for Justice in Palestine at UIC (SJP), told the crowd, “Admin refuses to divest from genocide and apartheid, refuses to protect its marginalized students, and refuses to allow free speech like ours on campus.”

The action also builds on years of organizing by groups like Mexican Students de Aztlan and Students for Justice in Palestine for a sanctuary campus and for divestment from the genocide being carried out by U.S and Israel.

In September, students forced U.S. Customs and Border Protection to withdraw from a College of Business career fair after mass mobilization. On November 4, following a bomb threat in the student services building, the administration failed to notify and evacuate students, staff and community members until an hour after the bomb was found. On November 11, administration tried using their open expression policy to silence students at the SDS-led counter protest against an event Turning Point USA bigots.

Ángel Naranjos, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, said “The board of trustees—the reason why we are protesting today—love to say that they care about us, love to say they are here for us, but we know that the real reason that they are meeting today is because they are trying to find ways to line their own pockets and make more money for themselves.”

After the program students entered the board of trustees meeting to give public comment. Maria Perez, a member of SDS and Mexican Students de Aztlan, said, “Free speech is our First Amendment right, not some privilege we are granted when we comply with your hypocritical bureaucratic policies.”

Speakers called on people to join organizations like SDS, Mexican Students De Aztlan, Anakbyan and Students for Justice in Palestine. Sign SDS at UIC’s petition to defend free speech on campus and follow @sdsatuic on Instagram to stay up to date.

#ChicagoIL #IL #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #FreeSpeech