Seeking Justice: The Repercussions of Our Peaceful Protest Against Genocide
By Parker Hovis and Keely Gliwa
One would think in our modern age, with knowledge of past horrors and the everyday people that enabled them, that protesting against genocide would be encouraged. Yet, the reality across the United States is the direct opposite. First Amendment rights are being trampled to conceal growing criticism of Israel’s blatant violations of international law. Such repression occurred at the University of Florida in late April of 2024, as part of a concerted national effort to silence anti-genocide, anti-apartheid, and anti-colonial speech on college campuses. For nine individuals arrested in the Plaza of the Americas, now known as the UF 9, the supposed misconduct which triggered their arrests was sitting peacefully in folding chairs while playing cards. A campaign has begun to demand the frivolous charges, criminal and academic, be dropped immediately. Sign the petition, connect us with legal support, donate to the legal fund, and learn more at https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/drop-the-charges-against-the-uf-9/ – or by following @UF9ForPalestine on Instagram. We are a subset of the UF 9, and this is our story of how our lives were uprooted for engaging in peaceful protest against the US funded genocide in Gaza.
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