Above photo: Students speak out in front of Orleans Parish Criminal Court.
New Orleans, LA – On July 30, around 40 people gathered outside of New Orleans criminal court at 2 p.m., an hour before the third court date for the 14 people arrested at the Tulane/Loyola University encampment. The 14 were arrested on May 1, around 3 a.m., by a combination of TUPD, NOPD and Louisiana state police officers.
While the crowd gathered, they chanted, “Protesting Is not a crime, free, free, free Palestine” and “Not guilty, not sorry!”
A Loyola University faculty member, Pablo Zavala, shared his thoughts about the encampment, stating, “The popular university rejected the logic of paying for your health, which many of us can’t afford, and instead offered free healthcare – and they didn’t like it. The popular university offered free books to read and learn and grow – and they didn’t like it. There was free food, there was music, there was dancing, there was love, there was community – and they didn’t like it.” Zavala is the advisor for the Loyola chapter of Students for a Democratic Society.
The group moved on to chant “Jason Williams you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide!”
Jason Williams is currently Orleans Parish’s district attorney. He was elected to office in 2021 after running on a “progressive platform.” He promised to take a different approach to handling New Orleans’ mass incarceration problem by focusing on getting incarcerated people rehabilitated and released.
This court date marked the last day that the DA could accept or decline the misdemeanor charge of “staying in place after forbidden” against the 14.
“Whichever decision they make, whether to accept the charges or not, they’ll have to make that decision under the watchful eye of us, the people!” said Carson Cruse, a member of Loyola New Orleans chapter of Students for a Democratic Society and a part of the group of 14 facing charges.
After requesting for more time, the DA accepted the charges at 15 minutes before the 4:30 p.m. cutoff.