UMD ‘Students for Justice’ Speak Out Against the Purchase of Personal Protective Gear

A group of nearly 20 students calling themselves 'Students for Justice' are rallying against the city's possible purchase of riot gear.

DULUTH, Minn.- A group of students at the University of Minnesota Duluth calling themselves the Students for Justice marched around campus and spoke out against the city’s possible decision to purchase riot gear.

The group of nearly 20 student activists chanted that a city that does not have problems with riots should not have to purchase riot gear. The students found it disturbing that the council is making tonight’s vote on ‘National Anti–Police Brutality Day.’

“We want to get across that the community thinks that this is not a way to get to peace and solidarity. We want our councilors, that we voted in, to understand that and we want our police department to understand that we are doing all of this out of love… We want to have better communication, we want to have a better community of solidarity and love and we don’t think that this is the way to go,” said rally organizer Azrin Awal.

The students’ primary reason for the rally was to get people to sign the petition asking Mayor Emily Larson to speak to the council in hopes of tabling the night’s vote.