April Days of Action Against Drones: University of Florida site of weeklong demonstration event

Students for a Democratic Society and the UF libertarians came together between April 8th and 12th for a week of anti-drone action, joining the nationwide April Days of Action Against Drones. As reported in Fight Back News, the event incorporated a wide variety of educational demonstration that spread awareness about U.S. imperialism, civilians murdered by drone warfare, and UF's involvement in research that supports the drone industry.

On Monday, April 8, activists painted a huge mural on the 34th
 Street Wall reading, “4700 murders and counting,” referring to the
extrajudicial killings carried out by the U.S. government in countries
 like Yemen, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

On Tuesday, in Turlington Plaza, Students for Justice
 in Palestine (SJP) joined SDS and UF Libertarians to
 hold a moment of silence and read the names of
over 400 children killed by drone strikes in
Yemen and Pakistan.

In "Pin the Drones," students in the Plaza of the 

Americas were challenged to find a country

 that the U.S. had not invaded bombed,

 or occupied within the last 10 years. This

 proved a difficult task

On Friday, 4/12 activists gathered in front of Tigert Hall, UF's
administrative building, to call attention to the university's
 involvement in research that fuels drone development.

"Drop TUITION not BOMBS;" describes the tradeoff implicit
 in the University's funding of drone research.

 

"FUND EDUCATION NOT OCCUPATION" was the message
 broadcast by a banner hung from the Tigert Hall steps.

After the rally on Friday, April 12, a delegation of students met with administrators to demand that information concerning UF’s relationship with the military and drone companies be made public. After the meeting, SDS organizer Michela Martinazzi said, “We’re not against technology, but we are against U.S. wars and murder. We think that there is some important drone research being done for wildlife monitoring, but UF research needs to be transparent and accountable.”

April Days of Action Against Drones continue! How will YOU get involved?!