The Solidarity and Political Action Committee and BIPOC Caucus of Graduate Employees’ Organization 3550 stand in complete solidarity with NU Community Not Cops and Northwestern Graduate Workers, who have been fighting for abolition in Evanston for over a month.
While NUCNC and Northwestern GW have been marching for abolition and racial justice, Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro and Evanston Mayor Steve Hagerty have threatened and directed violence against protestors, instead of making the choice to protect Black and Brown lives and invest in communities. On Halloween, Evanston Police Department, assisted by various police forces brought in from other suburbs of Chicago (through the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System), pepper-sprayed, beat, and arrested abolitionist protestors in the streets of Evanston. Such actions by the university administration and the police departments speak to their repressive, disciplinarian, anti-student, and anti-democratic character.
Since June of this year, NU Community Not Cops has pushed for the abolition of police on the Northwestern campus. On June 3rd, Black members of the Northwestern community, in coalition with campus allies, issued an open letter to university administration to invest in the health and wellbeing of Black student and non-student communities, commit to life-giving institutions, and divest from law enforcement (specifically Evanston and Chicago PDs and the campus police, Northwestern University PD).
Evanston and Northwestern University have responded to these demands by directing violence towards Black organizers and other organizers of colour.
GEO organizers and members stand with NUCNC and Northwestern Graduate Workers in their struggle for abolition. Our own Strike For Safe Campus brought to the bargaining table demands related to policing, so many of us here in Ann Arbor understand just how critical NUCNC’s work is for ensuring campus safety.
We are moved by these efforts and encourage all of our members and allies to support NU Community Not Cops activists and all allied Northwestern Graduate Workers and community members by donating to support funds and spreading awareness.
You can contribute to organizer support funds:
- Venmo @NUCNC with comment NUCNC
- Cashapp $nucnc with comment NUCNC
- Venmo @NorthwesternGW with comment NUCNC Organizer Support Fund
In solidarity,
Solidarity and Political Action Committee & BIPOC Caucus
Graduate Employees’ Organization 3550
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