Dear allies of Climate Justice at BC,

On April 8th, a CJBC member met with Dean Mogan. The aim was to work with the administration, honestly and respectfully, as we have always tried to do. As you may know, the larger Boston climate justice community, as well as those concerned about the repression and intimidation of student organizers at BC, decided to hold a peaceful march and rally on April 12th, meeting at 1PM at the BC green line stop. We want to be clear, CJBC did not have to tell the administration about the event. We could have kept the event a secret, as we suspect outside groups would have preferred. Instead, we approached the administration and sought a permit.

Unfortunately, the Dean of Students has again denied a permit to protest. This was done on the same grounds as past permit denials: CJBC is not a registered student organization and BC is concerned with liabilities. While we will continue attempts to work with the administration, CJBC has decided to withdraw our participation. Let us be clear, we are no longer affiliated with the event in any way. The action was never ours, but we wanted to be honest and transparent with the administration. As a sign of good faith, we let the administration know about this event which was organized by outside groups, and we are now being punished for that. Our attempts at working with the administration appear to have backfired: it now looks as though some CJBC members–those who continue to try and work with the administration–may face consequences regardless. We hope that is not the case.

We had hoped we would be able to work with the administration. We are saddened that we won’t be able to attend collectively as CJBC. It means the world that the whole Boston climate justice community has been so moved as to come to our aid, and we deeply wish we could participate. However, to our knowledge, faculty, staff, students, and the larger Boston area climate justice community will continue to hold the rally on our campus. It is also highly likely that acclaimed activists Bill McKibben and Bob Massie will be attending and speaking.

We hope those coming to stand in solidarity with climate justice organizers are not treated with hostility. If you choose to attend, you do so at your own risk. In all likelihood, it appears as though BC may lockdown what is typically an open campus. We are aware of the irony in preventing faculty and students, mothers and fathers, ministers and community allies from entering campus, when they are only seeking to demonstrate for the basic rights of students and the urgency of climate justice. Nevertheless, this is the situation.

Love and Solidarity

Climate Justice @ BC

https://climatejusticebc.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BCFossilFree

@Fossil_Free  @BClimateJustice

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