Justice for the Tampa 4! Drop the charges! Defending diversity is not a crime!
Anakbayan USA stands with Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and especially its Tampa Bay chapter in their fight against anti-people, neoliberal, and racist attacks on education. We join Tampa Bay SDS and the Tampa Bay 4 in their right to demand that the University of Southern Florida (USF) prioritize the retention of campus diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and culturally relevant curriculum, not compliance with Governor Desantis’ racist policies to cut them.
As Filipino youth and students across the U.S., we experience the impacts of rising fascist attacks on education. We clearly see the collusion of state forces, educational institutions, and corporations in prioritizing profit over education. Campuses claim to be for the students they teach, hire, and mold, but, time and time again, they show their allegiances to the state and its funders over its students. Campuses do this by not only ignoring student demands, but by violently repressing student activism and in unleashing state tools, like the police, on youth to do so.
We strongly condemn the USF Administration and the USF Police Department in their violent, unjust, and haphazard arrest of four SDS members. In the process of arrest, the USF police gave no clear explanation of why they were being arrested and detained, nor were they read their rights. The police used brutal force on the Tampa Bay 4 to protect the interests of the state and suppress a peaceful protest.
Anakbayan USA stands in solidarity with SDS and the Tampa Bay 4. Together, we will continue to fight back against racist, neoliberal policies and activist repression! We will take back our education!
Shame on USF admin for sanctioning violence! Free the Tampa Bay 4! Protesting is not a crime!
#JusticeForTampa4 #Tampa4 #DropTheCharges #TakeBackOurEducation #DefendAffirmativeAction #IncreaseBlackEnrollment
