For Immediate Release: December 9, 2005
Contacts: Dan Mayfield, (408) 287-1916,
Tahnee Stair, (510) 435-9969

PRESS RELEASE

Press Conference 5:00 PM, Monday December 12, 2005 With Muslim & Youth of Color Racially Profiled & Brutalized By Police.

Also Speaking: Their parents, attorney, and community support organizations.

Outside the Offices of the Human Relations Commission
1880 Pruneridge Santa Clara, CA 95050

At 5:00 PM, Monday, December 12 outside the offices of the Santa Clara County Human Relations Commission the Arrestees from the Colin Powell Demonstration, Their Lawyer, and Community Groups will hold a press conference to protest the racial profiling that occurred in the arrests of eight individuals during the protest at Flint Center on November 11, 2005.

Later, at 5:30 the Human Relations Commission will conduct a hearing
raising this case.

The arrestees in the De Anza protest, their attorney, and community members who are witnesses to the arrests and the racial profiling that occurred will make statements in the hearing.

WHAT OCCURRED ON NOVEMBER 11:

There were three days of demonstrations: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. (November 9, 10, and 11, 2005) Eight people were arrested at the Friday November 11 demonstration. One was arrested inside disrupting the event while seven were arrested outside the event. The seven youth arrested outside were all youth of color - six were Muslim. They were brutally arrested though they had not broken any law.

Community support for the students has been overwhelming. Over 1500 hundred letters have been sent to the District Attorney website demanding the charges against the students be dropped and the Santa Clara County Sheriffs be held accountable for racial and religious profiling.

To schedule an interview with a community support organization on the issue of racial profiling in the community, the students, attorney Dan Mayfield, or the De Anza 8 Support Committee, please call the contacts above.