PRESS CONFERENCE AT UC-BERKELEY
Monday, November 14 at 2:30 pm
Steps of Sproul Hall, University of California-Berkeley campus
(Near campus entrance on Bancroft and Telegraph)
Over a dozen UCB students and community protesters are holding a press conference on Monday Nov. 14 at 2:30 pm to announce their lawsuit against the University of California Berkeley and the police officers responsible for viciously beating and arresting peaceful protesters on Novemeber 9, 2011 during the Occupy Cal action. Attorneys with the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration, Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) are filing the civil suit and are also representing some protesters in their criminal cases to get the bogus charges dropped. Students and the community members stood unified and proud at last week’s Occupy Cal demonstration to gather and speak out against the attacks on funding for public education, against racism and for increasing underrepresented minority student enrollment.
“The police repeatedly beat students, especially women students, in the ribs, stomach, arms, legs, and face,” said Matt Williams, UC Berkeley senior and BAMN organizer. “The police attack on protesters was completely unwarranted and unacceptable. Our protest was peaceful. The police were the real criminals.”
BAMN attorney, Monica Smith, said, “The administration and police need to understand that they cannot get away with brutalizing protesters. They must be held accountable.”
Yvette Felarca, a plaintiff and BAMN National Organizer who was targeted first and with especial brutality by police in one protest video that has gone viral on YouTube, said, “We want to send a message to students and to the entire movement: ‘We have your back, we will defend our rights and each others. We will stand our ground.'”
BAMN is also endorsing and participating in the Occupy Cal strike on Tues. Nov. 15 and mobilizing to the UC Regents Meeting at UCSF on Wed. Nov. 16.
Anyone interested in joining or aiding the lawsuit should contact Yvette Felarca at 510-502-9072 or yvette.felarca@bamn.com.
