Defending Free Speech & Civil Liberties
Fighting for free speech, human rights, and justice for all.
WE'RE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY
- In 2015, Illinois was the first state to unanimously pass a bill into law that punishes a fundamental, crucial form of peaceful protest: using a financial boycott to protest Israel’s human rights violations.
- The bill was distributed throughout the country, resulting in 38 states across the nation passing a law that punishes companies and/or individual contractors from boycotting Israel over concerns for Palestinian human rights.
- Illinois makes Israel uniquely immune from peaceful protest and objecting to their actions.
- In 2019, Ben & Jerry’s took a stand for human rights, and Illinois retaliated by directing our state pension fund to withdraw its investment in the parent company, Unilever, by an estimated sum of over $100M.
PASS THE ILLINOIS HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY PROTECTION ACT
- Narrow repeal of the 2015 bill which punishes companies from boycotting Israel.
- Restore our right to peacefully protest and protect vulnerable communities from retaliation.
- Restore Illinoisan’s values of protecting civil liberties.
PROTECT OUR RIGHTS
- President Donald Trump has called for US troops to take over Gaza and make Gaza the “Riviera of the Middle East,” forcing the removal of 2 million innocent people and explicitly threatening ethnic cleansing.
- University protestors are being threatened with deportation for standing up for the over 140,000 Palestinians who have been killed.
- Illinois spends taxpayer money and withdrawals from investments of the already vulnerable pension fund to ensure that we do not invest in companies that protest these atrocities.
- As a humanitarian catastrophe continues to unfold before our eyes due to Israeli policy of occupation and apartheid in Palestine, Illinoisans reserve the right to engage in peaceful protest and express their belief in a just peace. We must work to protect these rights.
SIGN ONTO OUR COMMUNITY LETTER
Join us in taking action to pass the Illinois Human Rights Advocacy Protection Act by signing onto our community letter. It will take all of our voices to pass this bill, defend our liberties, and stand up for our right to advocate for Palestinian human rights.
