The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned University of Virginia (UVA) police for attacking anti-genocide student protesters on the university’s campus.
Yesterday, UVA police raided the student protest encampment on campus, arresting 25 people. Officers in headgear and carrying shields began to clear the encampment in the afternoon. Videos on social media showed protesters were pushed to the ground, dragged by their arms and sprayed with chemical irritants.
SEE: Virginia Cops Slammed for College Protest Crackdown
In a statement, CAIR Deputy Executive Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“The use of excessive force against students attempting to stand up against a genocide that is being funded by our government is unacceptable. We condemn the actions of the UVA police and urge the university to conduct a full investigation, apologize for calling in police, respect free speech, and engage in dialogue with their students.”
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com