Difference between revisions of "Conor Monroe"
| Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
[[Category:New Students for a Democratic Society]] | [[Category:New Students for a Democratic Society]] | ||
| + | ==References== | ||
| + | {{reflist|2}} | ||
| + | [[Category:New Students for a Democratic Society]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Florida]] | ||
Revision as of 01:31, 11 December 2017
Template:TOCnestleft Conor Monroe
Trayvon Martin rally
Over 200 students, community activists and supporters rallied and marched from the University of Florida campus to the downtown FBI office on March 26, demanding justice for Trayvon Martin.
Protesters gathered in the blazing sun near Turlington Plaza on the University of Florida campus to begin the event and listen to speakers demanding justice for Trayvon Martin.
Speaking about the racism and oppression faced by African-Americans, Chief Steward Jose Soto of Graduate Assistants United said, “We are not one nation as our pledge suggests. We are many nations. We gather here today, just as we rallied for Kofi Adu-Brempong two years ago this month, to demand justice and self-determination for African American people.”
Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society member Skye Schmelzer led several chants: “Jail the killer, fire the cops, without Justice, we won't stop!”
Despite the intense hostility and best efforts of local law enforcement, the 200-strong chain of people stormed onto University Avenue, blocking an entire lane of traffic. Cops shouted at the protesters to get back onto the sidewalk, but the angry crowd ignored them. At one point, two police cars tried to block the road by turning sideways in front of the march, but Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society member Conor Monroe bravely jumped out to keep the road from being closed.
After the mile-long march was over, the crowd arrived at the foot of the FBI Field Office in Gainesville. The main doors into the building were locked, but members of Gainesville Area SDS found a secondary entrance. A ten-person delegation made their way upstairs to the FBI Field Office, which was located inside a Wells Fargo bank. Meanwhile, the crowd chanted, “No justice, no peace, no racist police” outside.
Inside the FBI Field Office, the delegation demanded a meeting with a member of the FBI. FBI officials demanded that the delegation leave the building and claimed that the police were on their way. “The police followed us here as we marched in the streets, and they're standing around outside, what do you mean they're on their way? We want a meeting to present our demands to the FBI,” Students for a Democratic Society member Cassia Laham shouted back.[1]
References
- ↑ [http://www.fightbacknews.org/2012/3/27/gainesville-florida-sds-marches-trayvon-martin FightBack News, Gainesville Florida SDS Marches for Trayvon Martin By Fernando Figueroa | March 27, 2012]