Emergency Conference to defend the Tampa 5: Civil liberties in the era of DeSantis
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following call for an emergency conference to defend the Tampa 5.
Please join us Saturday June 24th in Tampa, FL for a conference uniting activists from around Florida and the country behind the case of the Tampa 5 and the movement to stop Ron DeSantis. The Tampa 5 were students and employees of the University of South Florida who were arrested and charged with felonies on March 6th after being attacked by police at a protest demanding USF president take a stand against GOP attacks on the Florida university system. You can read more at the links below:
https://new-students-for-a-democratic-society.ghost.io/justice-for-the-tampa-5-defending-diversity-is-not-a-crime/ https://www.fightbacknews.org/2023/5/18/tampa-5-are-facing-10-plus-years-jail-drop-charges-now https://www.cltampa.com/news/usf-students-arrested-over-diversity-protest-enter-not-guilty-plea-15652995 https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2023/05/17/usf-protesters-plea-not-guilty-charges-battery-against-police/
DeSantis is not merely a threat to the Tampa 5. Dozens of activists have faced political repression this spring, and the state of Florida is doing its utmost to repress broad swaths of Floridians including African Americans, immigrants, the LGBTQ community, and public-sector unions. The conference will run from 9-5 and include panels from activists across the student and labor movements as well as the fight to preserve civil liberties, speeches from politicians, and a catered lunch. We are currently in the process of confirming a venue and will share the location when it is ready. In order to effectively run this one-day conference, everyone attending should please fill out the form below to help us prepare logistically:
https://forms.gle/FonAzaCsJ77Nqodp6
Drop the charges!
Protesting is not a crime!