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Muslim Students Tried for Protesting “Israeli” Ambassador Speech

Muslim Students Tried for Protesting “Israeli” Ambassador Speech
folder_openToday's News access_time12 years ago
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Prosecutors on Wednesday claimed that 10 Muslim university students broke the law when they shouted down a speech by the "Israeli" ambassador Michael Oren on a Southern California campus in a case that has stoked an impassioned public debate about freedom of speech.

The group of Muslim students is being tried for protesting a speech by "Israel's" ambassador to the United States in February 2010.

The Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas alleged that the Muslim students, known as "Irvine 11", violated Oren's right to free speech by delaying his remarks for 20 minutes.

However, supporters of the students insist that they were practicing their constitutional rights based on the First Amendment to the US Constitution and should not be criminalized for protesting.

A group of peace organizations believe the prosecutors pursued criminal charges due to political consideration in favor of the "Israeli" regime, the prime US foreign ally.

The group says the case is a prime example of selective prosecution and that the students are being punished because the "Israeli" ambassador was involved.

"Because they were protesting the activities of his country and also because the young men were all Muslim, and because perhaps those behind the prosecution thought that they could get away with it because of the rampant Islamophobia in this country," said Ameena Qazi from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) of Los Angeles.


Also, defense attorneys said the students planned their protest within the boundaries of the law and their combined statements lasted no longer than five minutes.

They also noted that Oren was able to finish his speech and argued that delays in the event entitled "U.S. Israel Relations from a Political and Personal Perspective" stemmed from organizers' introductory remarks and a private reception that ran late.

"Each statement is for roughly five seconds. Some of the longest ones go 8 seconds - no more," Dan Mayfield, who represents two of the defendants, said in his opening statement. "The evidence will show the interruption by the defendants - all of them together- lasts roughly a minute."

The Irvine 11 trial is scheduled to last several weeks with closing arguments expected by September 23. If convicted, the Muslim students face up to six months in jail.


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