One of the men goes for her phone. The other grabs at her hands. Ozturk screams. Shock and fear ripple through her voice. Two masked women join them, tugging at her backpack, peeling the straps from her shoulders. “I’m going somewhere, I need to call someone,” she pleads. “We’re the police. Relax,” one of the men says in response.
They surround her. Then, one by one, they pull their neck gaiters up to cover their faces. “You don’t look like police,” a voice off screen says. “Why are you hiding your faces?” The questions continue, but the figures don’t respond. Instead, they cuff Ozturk, cross the street, and put her in an unmarked SUV. She is gone.
For the record, and I know I’m not the first to say it, this woman committed NO crime. She didn’t overstay a visa, she didn’t protest illegally. She wrote something the administration didn’t like.
For that, she was arrested by 8 masked officers in the middle of the street, in broad daylight. She was thrown in the back on an unmarked SUV. She’s received no legal representation. No trial. Not even charges, because again, she committed no crime.
Americans, you realize you’re watching the death of your rights and the rule of law, right? You have no illusions about the fact that you are defenseless? There is no longer any guardrail between you and an El Salvadoran prison camp. In something that reminds me very much of Stalin, an accusation is now a conviction.
Defenseless is a good word, it seems like we’re all just waiting for a savior to show up and rescue us. It doesn’t help that a large amount of Americans see protest as pointless right now. What it feels like is the bystander effect on a national level.
The worst part is how many people either support or just brush it off.
After all that trashing of Russians and why they do not fight against their government, the world gets to see that Americans are basically the same: so many fall for the dumbest possible propaganda and the rest is either afraid or apathetic.
Americans see protest as pointless right now.
Americans have seen a generation of peaceful protests that were crushed and villified. Anti-WTO, Anti-Iraq War, Occupy Wall Street, George Floyd, etc; all failed to achieve any of their stated goals.
And now that the fascists have taken control, peaceful protest is even less effective. For peaceful protest to succeed your opponent must have empathy, and fascists have none.
The last protest movement that accomplished something substantial was the civil rights movement. It was not peaceful, it was militant. I think we need a modern Black Panther Party.
For peaceful protests to succeed they must attract more people to the cause and gather momentum. Protests now would be useful for bringing people together and emboldening people to resist what’s going on. They are a step in building a movement. To say “protests alone don’t change things” misses this point.
Exactly, you need armed protest.
What the fuck do we do? I’m in a hyperliberal city in one of the few blue states left. We are relatively safe for now. I make a comfortable amount of money that I use to support my wife and friends who sometimes may not have necessities. I cannot risk my job by taking every day off to protest. Protests also seem meaningless to go to for me in my city because they’re happening in a safer city.
I am donating to the ACLU every month, but idk what else we can be doing. What can we be doing?
You have no illusions about the fact that you are defenseless?
We have guns. Lots of guns.
Everyone needs to arm themselves and train.
Your guns don’t compare to the guns the government use. Nor do you have the numbers to resist even if equally armed. If the 1/3 of voters that didn’t vote, actually voted for for Harris, you wouldn’t be in this mess but there you are.
and if we had a time machine we could fix all this. STFU. GUNS.
She wrote something the administration didn’t like.
What was written?
Ozturk’s lawyer later said she hadn’t been able to contact her and had no idea of her whereabouts.
America, the land of the free… Right?
Remember when conservatives were all like fear mongering that Obama was going to do this to them? It was always projection.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson later claimed Ozturk “engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization.” The person said Ozturk, who is from Turkey, had had her student visa revoked.
To be perfectly clear, Ozturk is not accused of breaking the law. The Department of Homeland Security hasn’t bothered to explain its reasoning, but several outlets reported that Ozturk co-authored a student opinion piece urging Tufts to recognize the International Court of Justice’s declaration of a “plausible risk of genocide” unfolding in Gaza and to divest from Israel. You can read the article if you like. It does not mention Hamas.
WT actual F? A school opinion piece gets you disappeared??
We FUCKING TOLD ALL OF YOU THIS WOULD HAPPEN. And you said we were being hyperbolic.
It will get worse.
Can we stop talking about “we should, we should”? Who is actually doing?
The time for talk was over November 4th, but it is beyond over now - arm yourself, period.
Where are the community resources for community building and fighting against ICE tactics - this is what the internet is for? Who is running the underground railroad? Why are every single one of us not educated on TOR and VPNs? Who are we primarying? What are the plans for removing propaganda from our real life communities?
There are no accessible answers to these questions - this is unacceptable, and we get this in order now. No one is coming to save us, we must do it ourselves. We have a 2 month window between now and when the most in-person activity will happen (summer).
P.S. Everyone screams at the gun owners and politicians about why they won’t do anything. But why would they? They’ll basically throw their lives away for nothing - especially when the people they claim to fight for are so fucking spineless.
If this woman can have her First Amendment RIGHT stripped and arrested in the street by plain clothes, and every single person in this country isn’t rioting, guns and laws will not fix it.
P.S P.S If you are not from America and are in a relatively free country, one of the best things you can do is host the resources for fighting the Nazis. American companies, individuals, and organization are automatically compromised.
If are an American, create an onion service or host using an EU VPS and domain registar.
Our inner child will refuse to believe this, but history has shown us that fascists cannot be stopped peacefully.
Concealed carry might be our only real defense in the future
Maybe but One gun vs. 10 isn’t gonna do much. Needs to be combined with community organization. Get to know your neighbors and look out for and protect those likely to be targeted next. Organize your workplace and protect your coworkers from ICE. If you don’t speak up there will be no one to speak up for you when it’s your turn.
There are more than 10 of us.
Yes. That was literally my point.
“We’re the police. Relax”
“We’re the SS. Be very afraid”. There, FTFY
Makes me wonder if it would be a good idea to take down my “Hate has no home here” flag, that is prominently displayed in my yard.
We live in a very diverse neighborhood, and I’m happy to have this flag up. But I don’t need any billy-jackoffs coming around causing a fuss, or worse.
It is possibly all the more reason to keep it up. I don’t want to be a target either, but these people need to know when they have entered hostile territory.
AP’s article mentions that Ozturk was posted on this website, https://canarymission.org/
After the op-ed was published, Ozturk’s name, photograph and work history were published on the website Canary Mission, which describes itself as documenting people who “promote hatred of the U.S.A., Israel and Jews on North American college campuses.”
'Tis a spooky place. No names, none of the articles have bylines, contact is just a webform, domain registration is anonymized, donation link is being washed thru some company called RTech Digital Marketing out of India.
Really got me wondering, who the fuck are these people and why do they seem to have ICE’s ear.
I don’t know if this is everywhere but here in Egypt this website just gives you a
“You are not allowed to access this website”
Which sounds slightly ominous
Canary Mission is run by Jonathan Bash who also runs an Israeli nonprofit.
https://www.influencewatch.org/organization/canary-mission/
They have ICE’s ear because a board member of that nonprofit considers Stephen Miller a close friend.
From that link:
One of the board members, an American-born Jerusalem resident named Rabbi Ben Packer, operates an ideological hostel in Jerusalem’s Old City that sends its lodgers to volunteer at illegal West Bank settlements. According to a Haaretz report, Packer distributes the literature of Rabbi Meir Kahane, the Israeli politician whose party was outlawed for racism in 1988. Packer says he is a friend of Stephen Miller, the Trump administration official who pushed to have families separated at the U.S. border.
“Stephen Miller is not just my friend, he’s not just our friend, HE IS US!” Packer wrotein a 2016 column. “He is part of that new proud generation, no longer relegated to the fringe. His appointment is spectacular news for the Jewish People and he should be blessed with everything to do great things!”
Seem like modern day SA
What was fascinating, or perhaps horrific is a better word, about the article that I didn’t know about is the brief mention of “The Canary Mission”
Here’s from their about page:
Canary Mission documents individuals and organizations that promote hatred of the USA, Israel and Jews on North American college campuses and beyond. Canary Mission investigates hatred across the entire political spectrum, including the far right, far left and anti-Israel activists.
Canary Mission is motivated by a desire to combat the rise in anti-Semitism on college campuses. We pursue our mission by presenting the words and deeds of individuals and organizations that engage in anti-Semitism, racism and bigotry on the far right, far left and among the array of organizations that comprise the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Essentially they gather dossiers on private individuals that they claim are anti-semitic. So, I looked up the woman that was taken off the street like a Ukrainian draft-dodger.
https://canarymission.org/individual/Rumeysa_Ozturk
Rumeysa Ozturk engaged in anti-Israel activism in March 2024, in the wake of the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israelis on October 7, 2023.
Ozturk is a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
What was the anti-Israel activism, you ask? I figured it was some sort of protest. Sort of like the one in New York where they occupied a building.
Nope
On March 26, 2024, Ozturk co-authored an op-ed published in the Tufts Daily newspaper titled: “Try again, President Kumar: Renewing calls for Tufts to adopt March 4 TCU Senate resolutions.” The authors urged “President Kumar and the Tufts administration to meaningfully engage with and actualize the resolutions passed by the Senate.”
The op-ed referred to the passing of anti-Israel resolutions by the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate, which demanded the University “…acknowledge the Palestinian genocide, apologize for University President Sunil Kumar’s statements, disclose its investments, and divest from companies with direct or indirect ties to Israel.”
At Tufts university, the Community Union Senate (not really sure what this is. a student council or something) passed a 3/5ths majority resolution urging the president of the university to
-
acknowledge the Palestinian genocide
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apologize for some statements, I don’t know what
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disclose its investments
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divest from companies with direct or indirect ties to Israel
She co-wrote an op-ed essentially demanding the president follow the resolution that was passed. That’s the “anti-Israel activism” she’s guilty of. I suppose that’s enough to be deported. Be careful out there guys. If you aren’t a citizen, shut up about your political views until you are. Because there are eyes out there watching everything you do. Even if you are… consider what you are doing. You may be making an enemy of a vindictive state that is willing to break the rules.
Here’s the op-ed, in case you’re interested: https://www.tuftsdaily.com/article/2024/03/4ftk27sm6jkj
These resolutions were the product of meaningful debate by the Senate and represent a sincere effort to hold Israel accountable for clear violations of international law. Credible accusations against Israel include accounts of deliberate starvation and indiscriminate slaughter of Palestinian civilians and plausible genocide.
Lock 'em up, I guess. If you believe that Palestinian civilians have a right to life then you are a terrorist-sympathizer in this administration’s opinion.
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“We’re the police relax” says the gestapo mother fucker disappearing people
Things that someone who isn’t the police would also say.
“Uh yes it’s me, the police. Come with us. Whatsamatter, don’t you believe in police?!”
From 1933 to 1934 in 3 months. Clock is ticking dear american people.
This is terrifying. Anybody can pretend to be ICE and kidnap in broad daylight.
Yes , it’s unsettling.
Literally disappearing people off the street
Didn’t the U.S. fight a war against a country and its leader who did the same shit? I was never very proud to be an American because this country has done some fucked up shit since 1776. But this is downright terrifying to me as someone who is disabled and considered a parasite by Elon because if they aren’t stopped after this then it’s game over for any “non-white” people, LGBTQ+, and poor people in general to be disappeared.
This may be why they want Greenland so bad 🤔
Look at their body language.
These aren’t law enforcement professionals detaining a suspect.
These are Nazi Brown Shirt thugs ganging up on a fucking PhD student.
This country is nosediving HARD. Arm yourselves. I would never allow plain-clothed thugs to push me into an unmarked van and take me to a secondary location. You are fighting for your life at that point for all you know.
Nazi? You, sir, are ridiculous and have no sense of nationalism. Hamas, who would not have your back or mine, is quite obviously the problem in Palestine, and this PhD student (as if that makes a difference) is supporting the wrong side. The US is revoking visas of Hamas supporters. Hence, she’s being detained to ultimately have her visa revoked. What part of that aren’t you following?
Nazism isn’t nationalism. Loving your country doesn’t mean you silence those that disagree with you and “detain” anyone that doesn’t look like you.
Except that’s not what’s going on here.
Radical Islam groups are designated terrorists. It just so happens that this administration is buckling down and following through with their word on revoking visas to those who support such groups. This is what America wants; the numbers don’t lie. You guys are just not used to the follow through.
Smoresrock is a Russian Bot
More people voted for someone besides Trump. If no one was an option, they would have won in a landslide. Where is the proof she is a terrorist? What if the next president labels maga hats terrorists? You’re deported and no one will ever know.
Supporting the end of genocide?? She is a terrorist by the looks of it
For many years I was against punching nazis. It was time for debate. I am still against punching peaceful protestors.
But secret police deserve more than a punch.
Nazis want to murder people for simply existing. We should always be for punching Nazis
Okay, please think about what happens next… Do you want to bring your fists to a gun fight? Do you think Nazis dont know how to use guns? Have you ever been in a fight? I havent.
But there is some fantasy that you knock this guy out in one punch, you are surrounded by cheering crowds, they hoist you on their shoulders and take you away to a bar.
In reality, a bunch of other Nazis, with actual weapons, immediately step in and take you and your friends to a black site.
