The Lookout100 UC professors oppose charges for Muslim protesters
A group of 100 professors at the University of California Irvine is asking the Orange County prosecutor's office to drop charges against 11 Muslim students who interrupted a speech by the Israeli ambassador in a protest.
In a letter, the professors argued that the criminal charges set "a dangerous precedent for the use of the criminal law against non-violent protests on campus." They added that the school has already disciplined the students and the Muslim Student Union, by suspending the group for a quarter.
The Orange County prosecutor contends that the students planned in advance to act in concert to prevent Ambassador Michael Oren from being heard, which violates the law, The Los Angeles Times reports. If they're convicted, the students face up to six months in prison on two misdemeanor charges, including conspiracy to disrupt speech.
Oren paused his 2010 speech for 20 minutes while the protesters decried what they called Israel's crimes against humanity, according to the OC Weekly.
(Oren: AP)
