Action alert: support the city council’s Free SPeech Resolution

Using alarming, police-state tactics, the Trump Administration has swept many innocent students off America’s campuses. In particular, Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts graduate student with a valid visa, and Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia student and legal permanent resident, were both arrested and transported to a Louisiana detention center. They were both arrested simply for exercising their right to free speech in support of Palestinian liberation generally and the call to end the genocide and ethnic cleansing being waged by Israel in Gaza.

Rumeysa was transported to Vermont, detained in an INS facility in St. Albans, Vermont and then put on a plane departing Burlington Airport. An initial hearing for Rumeysa is set for Federal District Court this Monday, April 14. Khalil is still being detained in Louisiana.

Given the urgency of Rumeysa‘s case, Progressive City Councilor Gene Bergman has introduced a resolution that would have the City condemn the Trump administration’s actions against free speech, reconfirm our City’s commitment to the civil rights of citizens and noncitizens alike, and call for the release of Mahmoud and Rumeysa. 

The resolution is being co-sponsored by all 5 Progressive City Councilors and Councilor Bergman has reached out to Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, all Democrat City Councilors, and the leaders of our Neighborhood Planning Assemblies to gather support, input and engagement. This effort is consistent with council Progressives’ call for greater collaboration, cooperation, and civility, most recently expressed at the city’s reorganization day election of a council president. The resolution has the support of many local advocacy organizations.

The Free Speech Resolution has been submitted to be on the City Council agenda, either on Monday April 14 or Monday April 28. While input and engagement may result in changes from the current draft, there will be a draft resolution posted before the meeting on the City’s meeting calendar.

Given the national emergency and its impact on us here in Burlington and the rest of Vermont, we encourage people to come to the Council meeting this coming Monday, April 14 to speak in support of council action. It begins at 6:00 pm. To speak, you must sign up either in person or by Zoom at least 1 hour before the public comment period is scheduled for. If you cannot attend in person, please reach out to your Ward and District Councilors.