Wrongful arrest in Chapel Hill and other updates

Below is a message I received about the arrest of a UNC student peacefully protesting in support of farmworkers on a public sidewalk in Chapel Hill.  The trial referred to was postponed to May 12th because Officer Sheehan, who arrested the student, was sick on the 14th.  There is a petition against the arrest online at www.petitiononline.com/tamara/petition.com and her supporters are asking people to call the District Attorney at (919) 732 9334 to ask that the officer be reprimanded for aggressive behavior and wrongful arrest.  Email me if you want the contact information for the legal defense fund. 

 

Also in Chapel Hill, SAW is still occupying South Building to oppose UNC's involvement with sweatshops. 

 

Rally in Support of Wrongly Arrested Student Activist

There will be a rally and speak-out in support of Students for a Democratic Society member and Chapel Hill activist on Monday April 14, 2008 in front of the Chapel Hill Post Office/Courthouse at 11 am. Tamara was arrested on a public sidewalk November 30, 2007 at the Burger King protest in Chapel Hill and on Monday, April 14, she will plead "not guilty" to the charge of "failure to disperse" (blocking free passage of a walkway-- C.H. town ordinance 11-6).

On November 30, 2007, there was a picket on a public sidewalk in front of the Burger King on Elliott Road. The protest was part of a national day of action in solidarity with farmworkers who pick tomatoes for Burger King (http://www.ciw-online.org/). 15 minutes before the end of the picket, Tamara arrived. As picketers were in the process of leaving several police cars drove up and Chapel Hill police officers proceeded to harass picketers who were exercising their First Amendment right to assemble and right to free speech. The picketers stated that they would leave but were prevented from doing so by the police officers who were demanding that protesters identify themselves (when they were on a public sidewalk). Tamara was arrested for "failure to disperse" on a public sidewalk as she was attempting to walk to her car to leave.

Tamara's trial is set for Monday, April 14th in the Chapel Hill Courthouse. She is being represented by civil rights attorney Al McSurely of the North Carolina NAACP. "The officers lacked probable cause to arrest Ms. [], " Mr. McSurely said. "All people who are concerned about the assault on the Constitution need to remind the Chapel Hill authorities that our rights to assemble and raise fundamental issues about public policy are precious."

Please join us outside the Courthouse/Post Office where members of the community will speak-out against the violation of Tamara's First Amendment rights of freedom to assemble and freedom of speech. The rally and speak-out will occur at 11 am on the steps of the Post Office on Franklin Street then community members and students will join Tamara inside for the trial. Join us as we stand against rogue cops who harass and intimidate youth and students who are struggling for a better world!

Student Action with Farmworkers, Student Action with Workers, the Chapel Hill/Carrboro NAACP, UNC Students for a Democratic Society, the Orange County Bill of Rights Defense League, and the NC American Civil Liberties Union stand in solidarity with Tamara and condemn the Chapel Hill Police Department and Officer Sheehan for this gross miscarriage of justice.

 

Re-legalizing marijuana day of action update

I was the first person to call Price's office in support of the bill (and industrial hemp) on Monday and hey will email me about Price's position on legalization.