Amnesty protests Alberto Gonzales at Washington University
Sarah O'Brien
Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: News
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The students wore scraps of orange fabric, and some donned orange jumpsuits to show solidarity with the prisoners being held at the controversial high security detainment camp for those who have allegedly plotted against the United States.
Guantanamo Bay has been tagged by survivors and others as a "torture camp," and charges have been brought against Gonzales for the creation of the questionable policies practiced there.
"The Wash U peace coalition came to Amnesty and asked if we would help participate in the protest," Rachelle Kuhl, sophomore, psychology, and co-president of the UM-St. Louis Amnesty branch, said.
Amnesty International's stance on the prison is that Guantanamo Bay be torn down for ethical and humanitarian reasons.
"Attending the protest was a good opportunity for us to uphold Amnesty's belief that Guantanamo should be shut down for violation of human rights," Kuhl said.
Amnesty members had a table on the bridge the week before the event and passed out flyers inviting students to meet up with them at the South Campus MetroLink stop to travel to the protest together.
"We asked, 'do you want to hear about Guantanamo bay?' and a lot of people stopped and listened," Kuhl said.
"We really want to educate UMSL faculty and students about what is happening," Kuhl said.
About 12 UM-St. Louis students attended the protest alongside Washington University and St. Louis University students.
Gonzales was speaking at the 560 Music Building across from the University City Hall on Delmar Boulevard about his life and career after being attorney general.
Amnesty claims it was protesting his visit because the large honorarium Gonzales was receiving from Washington University was funding his trial for the creation of Guantanamo Bay.
The speech cost about $30,000 and was paid for by Washington University's College Republicans organization to the chagrin of Washington University's faculty and students alike.
Around 200 students showed up in orange holding signs which read "Torture is evil" and "Love my country, fear my government." They also chanted, "A-G, don't torture me."
"We yelled and we chanted a lot," Kuhl said, "we stood there with other students and chanted 'close down Guantanamo'."
"We had a band there and another organization which reenacted what detainees were put through at the prison," Kuhl said.
She said Amnesty wants to stress that they want students to get tuned into other protests and educate themselves about what is happening.
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