[Peace-discuss] article about the Counter-Demonstration at Assembly Hall

[Karen Medina]

A report from Brian Donilar
For those who missed the anti-Chief rally on Saturday,
Students for a United Illinois Hold Counter-Demonstration at Assembly Hall

About 100 people protested outside Assembly Hall where for the third
year there was a pro-Chief rally organized by those wishing to revive
the University of Illinois’ racist mascot. This year, protesters were
made to stand behind a taped-off area and watched closely by
University of Illinois police and Assembly Hall security. There was
some confusion among officials over this practice, as one security
guard told me that Assembly Hall was private property. When I asked
UIPD Lieut. Skip Frost, he said that it was maintained by the
University of Illinois, therefore it was public property, but the
decision to tape off protesters had been made by the Assembly Hall
management. The creation of such a “free speech zone,” which has
previously been enforced at recent Democratic and Republican National
Conventions, is a serious suspension of the First Amendment and modern
method for controlling peaceful protest.



A press release was provided to the Independent Media Center by Roger
Fontana, a member of the National Coalition Against Racism in Sports
and Media. He delivered a message on behalf of Teresa Two Bulls,
President of the Oglala Lakota Nation on the Pine Ridge Reservation in
South Dakota. It reads:



“The Oglala Lakota Nation wishes to express its deep concern and
disgust at the continued ‘Unofficial’ use of trademark protected
properties owned by the U of I, the team name “Fighting Illini,” the 3
in 1, and any and all artifacts associated with the hostile and abuse
racist tradition known as Chief Illiniwek.”

--
Brian Dolinar, Ph.D.
303 W. Locust St.
Urbana, IL 61801
briandolinar at gmail.com
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