Statement by Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization for Progress, on the student protest at Howard University. Sunday, October 31, 2021. 

The People’s Organization For Progress (POP) expresses its support for students at Howard University in Washington, DC that have held a sit-in for more than two weeks to protest living conditions in the dormitories there. The whole world is watching the protest at Howard University.

First and foremost POP asks the Howard University administration not to engage in any further retaliatory action against students that have participated in or supported the sit-in and student protests, and to rescind any disciplinary actions or sanctions that have been taken against students thus far. 

We call upon the Howard University not to engage in any legal or administrative action against students, faculty, and staff for participation in or support of the sit-in and protests. POP demands complete and total amnesty for the sit-in participants and all student protestors at Howard University. 

The demands of the student protestors to improve living conditions in the dormitories are not unreasonable. As the students have said “the demands are not demanding.” POP calls upon the Howard University administration to de-escalate the situation by meeting directly with the sit-in participants and implementing their demands. 

Howard University is located near the national monument to Dr Martin Luther King. The university administration should not punish its students when they uphold the Civil Rights Movement traditions of speaking truth to power and protesting injustice.