Democracy and Dissent: The Suppression of Black, Indigenous, and Palestinian Rights

Dissent—the popular expression of political opposition outside of the ballot box—is not only a cornerstone of civil rights movements but also essential to ensuring that private and public institutions remain accountable. Yet, the right to dissent has come increasingly under fire in the United States. In this panel, speakers from Black, Palestinian, and Indigenous movements and movement lawyering organizations will describe the wave of anti-protest legislation sweeping the nation. The session will focus on the critical infrastructure bills, anti-boycott legislation, surveillance, and other methods increasingly employed to quash dissent. The panel’s primary aim is to discuss how we will resist in joint struggle.

Moderator:
Luna Martinez, JD Candidate, UC Berkeley School of Law

Panelists:
Leoyla Cowboy, Legal Worker, Water Protector Legal Collective
Liz Jackson, Senior Staff Attorney, Palestine Legal
Carl Williams, Executive Director, Water Protector Legal Collective