In advance of today’s campaign rally featuring Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump at the UIC Pavilion, the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois today sent a letter this morning to UIC Chancellor Michael Amiridis urging the school to minimize the likelihood of civil liberties violations at today’s rally.
Media reports from Georgia, for example, suggest that a group of African American students were removed from a Trump rally. It is unclear who ordered the removal or why.
The ACLU letter urges UIC to explain to students and others precisely what conduct could lead to their exclusion or removal. Second, the ACLU is urging the campus police to be clear on who has the authority to make decisions about excluding or removing people from the rally, including getting the name and position or any person who directs security to remove a student. And, if students or others are removed or excluded from the rally, they should be told precisely why the action was taken and the identity of the person who ordered the exclusion.
Finally, the ACLU letter reminds UIC that under no circumstance should campus police take action against a person or group for reasons such as race, religion, sex, or disability.
As the letter concludes, “(a)nnouncing the ground rules in advance will diminish the chances of disturbance, confusion or discrimination.”
Learn More:
- Read the letter (PDF)
- View our report: "Know Your Right to Protest in Chicago"
- Visit our mobile-friendly guide, "Know Your Rights: Freedom of Expression in Chicago"
