In February 2008, student and youth organizers met at the Coalition to March on the RNC and stop the War Organizers Conference to discuss plans for Day 1 of the RNC protests. Members of national organizations such as Students for a Democratic Society, Campus Antiwar Network, Fight Imperialism Stand Together, Youth Against War and Racism, as well as a number of local student groups, were present.

On September 1, there will be a mass march on the Republican National Convention. This march will go from the State Capitol directly to the Xcel center and will include tens of thousands of people, representing the struggles of the antiwar, immigrant's rights, poor people's, trade union, liberation and progressive movements of the Twin Cities and of the whole country. Each movement is organizing their presence and participation in this march. As youth and students, we also need to get organized and show our collective opposition to the Republican Party policies of war, oppression and exploitation.

The whole world will be watching as the Republicans meet to nominate their next candidate for president. We must take to the streets of St. Paul to raise our voices against the war and occupation of Iraq. The politicians – both Democrat and Republican - who brought us this war for oil and control of the Middle East represent an elite that will stop at nothing to build up U.S. empire. In 2008 it's up to us – students and youth committed to peace, justice and equality – to stand up and say no more! We are building this as a broad nationwide mobilization that will challenge the 2008 Republican Convention and put forward a different vision for this country. We are united by a progressive, pro-people agenda, and we demand that the U.S. leave Iraq now.

Many youth and students will be engaging in a diverse array of tactics to protest the RNC. We recognize that not all students are able or want to engage in the same tactics.We want to support all students in their struggle to protest the Republicans in St. Paul and we support a diversity of tactics, whether it involves blockades, breakaway marches, or civil disobedience.

We call on youth and students to work to create our own space during the day one march and rally. And to work to ensure that this will be a safe space and one with a low risk of arrest, as part of the Twin Cities organizations principles of unity. However, we want to keep in mind that there will be space available for direct action and civil disobedience, with a clear separation of time and space between these actions and those who do not want to be part of that type of tactics/actions.

Other actions are still in formation for Days 2, 3, and 4 of the convention.

We would like to get a sense of how many chapters or individuals will participate in this student and youth space, so please contact us when you know. We can then organize a conference call to discuss plans for this further.

For more information please contact: students@marchonrnc.org

Endorsed by:
Tracy Molm - Students for a Democratic Society @ University of Minnesota
Grace Kelley - Students for a Democratic Society @ University of Minnesota
Steph Taylor - Students for a Democratic Society @ University of Minnesota
Ian Chinich – Campus Anti-War Network
Eugene Puryear – Youth & Student ANSWER
Tyneisha Bowens – FIST
Kati Ketz – Students for a Democratic Society, UNC Asheville
Kosta Harlan – Students for a Democratic Society, UNC Chapel Hill
Dan DiMaggio – Socialist Alternative, MN & Youth Against War & Racism
Ty Moore - Socialist Alternative, MN & Youth Against War & Racism