Tallahassee, FL – Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) led a protest against the militarization of the Florida State University Police Department (FSU-PD) at the steps of the Westcott administration building on Jan 27. Students called for the university to return the military weapons it acquired through the controversial 1033 Procurement Program. This program allows for local and state police departments to acquire surplus military weaponry and vehicles from the Department of Defense for a discounted cost. Students held signs reading “Money for education not militarization,” and “Campus is not a warzone.”

Regina Joseph led the student protest and riled the crowd with a chant of, “No justice, no peace, no military police!”

“We have seen various police departments militarize their police forces to brutally suppress peaceful protests across the nation and intimidate everyday people. We fear that the militarization of the FSU-PD could lead to similar results. Our campus is not a warzone,” said Shivani Ehsan, representing Tallahassee Dream Defenders.

After several rousing speeches by student organizers, the crowd marched into the administration building to deliver their demands directly to university President John Thrasher. Although the administration attempted to make the students leave, they stood firm until the president came out to meet with them. Thrasher refused the student's demands or to answer any questions regarding police militarization.

“John Thrasher was quite unequipped for dealing with our concerns. He said he sided with FSU-PD yet couldn't articulate to us his opinion about military grade weapons and why FSU has felt the need to purchase them. I think the concerns of the student body should have been taken into account before these weapons were purchased. He has failed to allow us to express our opinion through open forums, which he promised at the beginning of his presidency,” explained SDS activist Savannah Hawk.

To continue the campaign, students are submitting a referendum on police militarization to the Student Government Association ballot and are gearing up for a teach-in on the history of police militarization.

#TallahasseeFL #InJusticeSystem #SDS #PoliceBrutality #FloridaStateUniversity #antiPoliceMilitarization

Gainesville, FL, – On Nov. 19, University of Florida Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally against police militarization in Turlington Plaza. Nearly three dozen students gathered at this busy spot where crowds of students walk by between classes. The student activists held signs saying, “Opt out of the 1033 program,” and “Schools don’t need soldiers.”

Student organizers handed out pamphlets explaining the 1033 Program and how the University of Florida and Alachua County receive weaponry through it. The 1033 Program is an initiative of the Department of Defense where surplus military grade weapons are given to local police departments, including university police departments. These departments have to pay to upkeep these weapons, which, depending on the items, can become very costly.

Tristan Worthington, an organizer with SDS, led the rally and amped up the crowd chanting, “When I say ‘opt out’, you say ‘now!’” She then emphasized, “As responsibly aware citizens, we have to work to ensure that police departments do not have unbridled reign in pursuing unnecessary armament. Police are supposed to be citizens protecting citizens, not soldiers quelling the voice of the masses.”

Chris Cassada, President of Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, spoke at the rally. He said, “Students should care about demilitarizing the police because tuition money should be spent solely on furthering education, not on arming campus police with dangerous weapons. The required usage of the weapons within a year also creates a false incentive to use the weapons against students.”

Throughout the rally three university administrators watched from the edge of the crowd. At the end of the event, they approached some of the organizers and asked them whether or not they’re planning on escalating these actions. One of the SDS organizers simply said, “We’ll see you on Dec. 3.” SDS is planning to hold a final action against police militarization on Dec. 3 where they plan on speaking with administrators.

#GainesvilleFL #UniversityOfFloridaUF #GainesvilleSDS #antiPoliceMilitarization #1033Program