S.F. activists protest racist arrests

SAN FRANCISCO--Activists are kicking off a campaign to defend two members of the City College of San Francisco Muslim Student Association (MSA) who were arrested during an altercation with members of the San Francisco State University (SFSU) College Republicans on February 11.

Several dozen students from the General Union of Palestine Students, the Muslim Student Association and the Campus Antiwar Network gathered to confront the College Republicans, who were holding a rally in support of the recent escalation of Israel's war on Palestinians, under the slogan "Free Palestine, Destroy Hamas."

The SFSU College Republicans have a history of racist theatrics on campus. They were temporarily sanctioned last year for a similar rally in which they stood on a Muslim flag.

In the past, the Republicans have dressed up as Border Patrol agents, and members once wore "Fry Tookie Williams" T-shirts on campus. Williams was a California death row inmate and activist who was executed in 2005.

Tempers were raised by the Republicans' racist provocations, especially when they stood on top of a flag with Islamic scripture on it. When protesters began surrounding the Republicans, SFSU police rushed into the crowd and arrested two protesters, Jeremy Stern and hip-hop artist K-Real aka Muhammad Abdullah.

K-Real's charges have since been dropped, but Stern is being charged with felonies related to the altercation, including resisting and obstructing a police officer.

Activists are in the beginning stages of organizing a defense campaign and are hoping to tap into a new mood of anti-racism and solidarity with the Palestinian people. "The country is sick and tired of hate and fear, and open to educating themselves about the Muslim world," said K-Real.