Say No to the City’s Attacks on Free Speech!

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following July 1 statement from Students for a Democratic Society.

In late April 2016, the remaining candidates for the 2016 Republican nominee, Ted Cruz and John Kasich, dropped out of the presidential race. This leaves Donald Trump as the presumptive nominee, without any opposing Republican candidate with support from Congress. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) chapters, along with numerous progressive, anti-war, anti-racist organizations in the Coalition to Stop Trump and March on the RNC, are thus preparing to March on the RNC in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 18th, and to call on people everywhere to “Dump Trump!”

Since early 2016, SDS chapters have been hosting protests to Dump Trump all around the country. Trump has inflamed xenophobic sentiment against Central American immigrants and Middle Eastern refugees, using slogans like “Build the Wall” and “Make America Great Again.” He has popularized white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, who encourage racist attacks on African-Americans. He has emboldened sexist attacks on women and members of gender minorities, and he also denounced progressive protesters and called for measures to repress them more brutally and more swiftly, many of whom include SDS members.

SDS also condemns the attempts of the City of Cleveland and the FBI to curtail the right to protest. The City attempted to limit the protest to designated parade routes, away from the site of the convention. These restrictions were overturned as unconstitutional in a hearing last Thursday, but the city has still refused to issue permits to march on the RNC.

SDS demands that Cleveland immediately issue permits to protests at the RNC. If the City of Cleveland refuses, SDS and dozens of other organizations are prepared to go forward without a permit, and march right up to the site of the convention.

SDS also condemns the FBI for their attempts to interrogate and intimidate activists in Cleveland. Their effort to create a climate of fear and stop the protests will not succeed. SDS demands the FBI immediately cease their repressive actions and encourages all activists to reject FBI questioning.

Most of all, SDS chapters calls upon progressive students everywhere to Dump Trump and attend the March on the RNC!

#UnitedStates #StudentMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #SDS #US #marchOnTheRNC #Elections #Cleveland #RNC2016