Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society Stands With Alejandro Orellana

Tallahassee SDS stands in solidarity with Alejandro Orellana and stands firmly against the continued weaponization of the FBI against activists. Orellanna has been charged with both “conspiring to commit civil disorders” and “aiding and abetting civil disorders” for the supposed crime of handing out face masks and water to protesters, where those who raised their voices to speak against the continued abuses of I.C.E. were met with disproportionate violence and brutality.

This is indicative of the increased oppression faced by activists as the Trump administration continues its campaign against anyone who dissents against the continued I.C.E. raids targeting immigrant communities across the country. This has been made further evident by the other charges levied against protestors by US Attorney Bilal Essayli, including the union president of the SEIU in California, David Huerta.

This, sadly, is only a preview of the brutal tactics of oppression that will likely continue under the Trump administration. We must continue to make our voices heard and loudly proclaim what we know is true: handing out water and face masks to protestors is not a crime!

Orellana has been fighting for Chicanos and Latinos for over 10 years, and this campaign to silence him by Federal authorities shows just how far they will go in order to silence those who speak out in support of marginalized communities and stand against the racist policies of the Trump administration.

We at Tallahassee SDS will continue to stand up against the tactics of oppression levied by the Trump administration and stand up for Alejandro Orellana! The more that we win, the harder they will try to oppress us, but we must continue to fight for all of the oppressed!

Orellana’s work for the marginalized, for the oppressed, for his community will not be erased, regardless of how hard Federal Authorities may try to paint him as a “criminal.” We know the truth! This oppression of activists must end! We demand that these phony charges against Orellana be dropped!