New Orleans, LA – On Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m., police reform activist Toni Jones and a small crowd of fellow organizers gathered in front of New Orleans Municipal and Traffic Court for a press conference.
Jones announced to the media that she and her lawyer are filing an appeal for two charges related to a pro-Palestine protest that occurred over a year before at Tulane University.
“Protesting is not a crime! Free, free, free Palestine!” chanted Jones. “I am not a criminal. I will be appealing this conviction in order to set the record straight: Tulane University is the criminal, Israel is the criminal, the United States government is the criminal.”
Tulane Police initially charged Jones with four misdemeanors. As a result of a prolonged political defense campaign, she was found not guilty of obstructing a public place or resisting arrest. However, she is battling against two convictions of battery and obstructing an investigation.
Solidarity speakers from Students for a Democratic Society, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and New Orleans for Community Oversight of the Police (NOCOP) spoke out in defense of Jones against Tulane University’s repression.
“Despite her arrest, she was successful at uplifting the struggle of the Palestinian people and protecting a student activist from police,” said Toni Mar, speaking on behalf of Freedom Road. Mar, an alumnus of Tulane University, also criticized the university administration. Since Tulane police targeted Jones, the administration has attempted – and failed – to repress over a dozen other student protesters.
“Tulane has shown itself to be a repeat violator of First Amendment rights, Tulane has shown itself be shamelessly invested in genocide, and Tulane has willfully bent its knee to Trump’s attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion,” stated Mar.
At the end of the press conference, Jones indicated that she does not intend to let her conviction stop her from attending future protests. She stated, “We will not rest until Palestine is free. We will do our best to usher forward the liberation of Palestine, and if we are lucky, we may just as well free ourselves in the process.”
Jones’s next court appearance will be August 12 at 9 a.m. Activists will continue to update supporters on future mobilizations via NOCOP’s Instagram page, @n.o.cop.
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