May 3, 2:21 p.m.
**Due to Svochak yelling “liar, liar” over Rashid’s press conference, only the first 50 seconds of Rashid’s statement was able to be understood and transcribed.**
Abdelnasser Rashid, State Representative for Illinois 21st District, gave a press conference to the protesters at the encampment. Rashid was joined by Carol Ammons, State Representative for Illinois 103rd District, along with protesters. Several faculty members were present wearing shirts saying “Protect our students.”
“Hi, everyone. My name is Abdelnasser Rashid. I’m the state representative for the 21st District of Illinois, and I am so proud and so honored to stand here in support and solidarity with the protestors. I want to let all of you know that you are participating in the rich tradition of protesters — part of the American DNA. Generations of students before you were set up in camps just like these to protest the Vietnam War, to fight for civil rights and to protest apartheid in South Africa. You are carrying on that incredible legacy of fighting for peace and for justice, and you should be honored for that. You shouldn’t be maligned — students before you were maligned; the protesters before you were maligned. They’re going to fight back against it because we’re fighting the fight for peace and for justice.”
