Students met with 'resentment' at pro-Iraq forum

An open forum off campus last night -- which included speeches against U.S. domestic and Middle East policies -- turned into a tense situation as about ten members from Operation Homefront, a student group supporting U.S. troops, attempted to get into the event while carrying an American flag. The forum, which about 50 people attended, was moved to the Tabernacle Church on 37th and Chestnut streets, because the original location, International House, had been threatened with an attack on an anti-war meetings earlier this week, forum hosts said. International House officials were unavailable for comment and a Philadelphia Police detective said he had no such knowledge of any threats. Homefront members sat silently throughout the session, but claimed that they were met with resentment and feelings of hostility when they entered the open forum. There was tight security to get into the session, with a member of the Uhuru Solidarity Committee -- which sponsored the event -- frisking all attendants. In addition, Homefront members were told that they could not bring their American flag into the meeting. Operation Homefront members said they listened to a pro-Iraq speech by Mohammed Latif and left after they sensed that their presence was resented. Mshindi Shabazz, local Uhuru chairperson said Homefront members "left on their own volition. They found the forum to be repulsive, the murder of the Iraqi people they found repulsive." African Solidarity Committee member and University alumna Sarah Goldfine said that while she was at the meeting, the Homefront members "were not disruptive." "When we left, we felt physically threatened," said Wharton junior and Homefront member David Gross. He added that other Homefront members asked not to be identified because they "fear retribution." Homefront members reported that throughout the evening the audience chanted, "Victory to Iraq" and the pro-Iraqi speaker had said, "We don't care how many coffins come back." Later in the evening, the keynote speaker, Omali Yeshitela called President Bush a "CIA president." He added that the administration conducts polls of Americans to determine how many Iraqis should be killed. University Police remained in their vehicle outside of the church for part of the evening, but University Police Sergeant Thomas Messner said that "there were no problems."

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