Unitarian Universalists Arrested in Protest Against SB 1070
Message from the Unitarian Universalist Association's Standing on the Side of Love Campaign
On July 29, 2010, Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix, and twenty-seven other Unitarian Universalist (UU) clergy and laypeople were arrested in downtown Phoenix, AZ, for acts of peaceful civil disobedience. The protest was part of the National Day of Non-Compliance against SB 1070 and was supported by the UUA's Standing on the Side of Love (SSL) campaign. More than 200 SSL supporters joined Puente and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network in the Phoenix protests. In addition, UU congregations across the nation hosted vigils and participated in rallies in their hometowns.
The Unitarian Universalists arrested were blocking a public building and practiced peaceful resistance. They were carried away by police, detained, processed, and jailed. Several of those arrested were released late Thursday night, and the releases were continuing on Friday. During the public witness actions, the UU protesters were easily identified by their yellow "Standing on the Side of Love" t-shirts, and many of them appeared in international television and print coverage of the demonstrations.
In support of undocumented people and the protestors arrested yesterday, the Unitarian Universalist Association's Standing on the Side of Love campaign asks Unitarian Universalists to:
- Wear SSL t-shirts or buttons to church this Sunday. If you do not have SSL apparel, please consider wearing yellow.
- Follow the unfolding events on the Facebook page of Standing on the Side of Love campaign, and change your Facebook profile image for the weekend to the SSL logo.
Important Links
Selected Media Coverage of SSL Protests
- "Arizona Protesters Arrested (Flash)," The Desert Sun
- "Immigration Protestors Clash with Ariz. Police (Flash)," MSNBC
UUA President Rev. Peter Morales Speaks Out
- "Handcuffs, Hangman and Jesus: Reflections on My Arrest at the SB1070 Protest in Phoenix," Huffington Post
- "Arizona Immigration Law: Why I'll be in Phoenix Thursday," Huffington Post
- "What People of Faith and Conscience Must Do About Immigration Reform," Washington Post
Additional Video
- "UUA Moderator Gini Courter at Jail House Vigil (YouTube)"
- Standing on the Side of Love Channel on YouTube
For more information contact socialjustice @ uua.org.
This work is made possible by the generosity of individual donors and congregations. Please consider making a donation today.
Last updated on Tuesday, October 11, 2011.
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