11 arrested during Israeli ambassador's talk

ACTION ALERT

Eleven students at the University of California-Irvine were arrested and deprived of their right to free speech when they attempted to make orchestrated statements during an event featuring Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren.

The students were detained in a room until after the event and now are facing disciplinary charges, including possible expulsion.

ACTION ALERT

(PALOS HILLS, IL 2/16/10) – Eleven students at the University of California-Irvine were arrested and deprived of their right to free speech when they attempted to make orchestrated statements during an event featuring Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren.

The students were detained in a room until after the event and now are facing disciplinary charges, including possible expulsion.

Ambassador Oren represents a country that is guilty of continuing to thwart international humanitarian and civil law by depriving Palestinians of their basic rights. Israel continues to violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Fourth Geneva Convention by its illegal siege on Gaza, the Apartheid Wall, illegal arrests and detentions and restricting freedom of movement, among other abuses. Mr. Oren was invited to speak by the UCI Law School and the Political Science Department.

It is unconscionable that students who were exercising their right to free speech were arrested.

TAKE ACTION

Contact UCI Chancellor Michael Drake and the Dean of Students office and demand these students be allowed to continue their studies.

TALKING POINTS

• It was unjust to arrest students for simply having the courage to stand up and speak out against a man responsible for propagating the deaths of thousands of innocent people.
• Civil disobedience has historically played an instrumental role in the civil rights movement in America the eventually ensured equality and human rights for all minorities.
• Michael Oren is a representative of a state that is condemned by more UN
• Human Rights Council resolutions than all other countries in the world, and
• He should not be honored at UC Irvine.

CONTACTS

Chancellor Michael Drake:
949.824 .5011; [email protected]
Dean of Students office:
949.824.5181; [email protected]