FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2024
Richmond, VA – In response to the arrest of student protesters at the University of Mary Washington and Virginia Tech protests now occurring at Virginia Commonwealth University, Eric Sundberg, candidate for Richmond’s 7th city council district, released the following statement:
"The right to protest is a fundamental civil liberty that should not be infringed, as an alum of UMW and a current masters student enrolled at VCU, I am deeply ashamed of my alma mater’s participation in undemocratic oppression of speech. I hope VCU’s administration will realize that trying to intimidate protesters is not only wrong but foolhardy—injustice will only draw more attention.”
"Efforts to paint peaceful protesters as violent criminals by UMW’s administration and Governor Youngkin at Virginia Tech echo the long history of police brutality against anti-war protesters. For those that recall their history, the same brutality was employed against anti-war movements during the Vietnam and Iraq wars. Today, we look back on those breaches of civil rights as shameful transgressions against civil liberties."
“Sadly, this is not the first time my alma mater has arrested protesters—UMW has a long history of working with law enforcement to silence dissenting students, including civil rights and environmental justice advocates. I am proud that many alumni and faculty did call out the administration and the government for their violations of the first amendment.”
“Furthermore, the erasure of Jewish anti-war advocates is deeply concerning and disingenuous. No matter your feelings, you must acknowledge the diverse voices within this anti-war movement, including Jewish anti-war advocates. It is dishonest and to treat Jewish people as a monolith—I recommend our political institutions take the time to meet with and hear the concerns of those protesting for peace in Palestine and realize how universal the call to end violence truly is in our country.”
“City council and its members must provide a venue for real dialogue. Consensus will always evade us if we don’t have a council that can talk to citizens of differing opinions. Any cooperation and advocating for the arrest of non-violent protesters must be thoroughly disavowed by our city government and officials.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Eric Sundberg
press@votesundberg.com
(804) 396-3125
To learn more about Eric Sundberg's campaign and join the movement, visit the campaign's website.