Irvine 11

On February 8, 2010, ten University of California, Irvine and University of California, Riverside students individually stood up and made brief statements of protest during a speech by Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren.  The students expressed deeply ingrained political dissent over Israel’s unlawful treatment of the indigenous Palestinian populations.  

Despite the peaceful nature of the protests, each protester was immediately arrested and cited. An eleventh student was similarly arrested and cited as he attempted to leave the lecture hall along with a large group of attendees. These students have come to be known as the “Irvine 11.” On February 7, 2011, the Orange County District Attorney’s office indicted the Irvine 11 on two misdemeanor charges.

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While these students’ protest was purely political, the Orange County District Attorney has labeled this case as the “UCI Muslim Case.”  Based on the OC DA’s perception of the students’ religion, amongst other things, the students faced unprecedented and discriminatory criminal charges.

This case is yet another situation that challenges the constitutionally-protected rights of Muslims (and those perceived to be Muslims) in America. Freedom of speech, religious freedom and freedom of peaceful assembly are rights that all Americans should not compromise on, and we need your help to make sure that people in America don’t face jail sentences or other discriminatory retaliation because they dare to express their political opinions or because of their perceived religious identities. Such an unwarranted prosecution sends a chilling effect and damages one of the core principles that serves as the foundation for our American society.

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