NYC: Defend New School Protesters! Drop All Charges!

(Young Spartacus pages)

The following statement was distributed by the Spartacus Youth Club at a rally against police brutality at the New School on April 16 protesting the arrests on April 10. Reportedly, three protesters were also arrested at the April 16 rally. We call to drop all the charges now!

The Spartacus Youth Club denounces the NYPD’s vicious repression against protesters at the New School on Friday, April 10. Protesters calling for the immediate resignation of the New School President Bob Kerrey and Executive Vice President James Murtha had occupied the school’s 65 Fifth Avenue building. The NYPD brutally attacked protesters, some with pepper spray. At least twenty have been arrested and charged with bogus misdemeanors and felonies including criminal mischief. Outrageous among the charges are resisting arrest and possession of burglar’s tools—typical frame-up charges used to portray protesters as criminals. Drop all the charges now!

This SWAT-style attack on these students and youth was an unmistakable act of intimidation to deter any form of protest against the administration. It was carried out at the behest of the infamous war criminal and former Democratic Senator Bob Kerrey, who oversaw the ruthless murder of 21 civilians—mostly women and children—in Thanh Phong, during the Vietnam War in 1969.

We demand that all charges be dropped immediately and that no further actions, including suspensions and expulsions, be taken against the protesters or any of those connected to the occupation! Release those still imprisoned, now!