The Fellowship of Reconciliation, the oldest interfaith peace and justice group in North America, strongly condemns the violence perpetrated against peaceful anti-austerity protesters in San Juan, Puerto Rico on May Day 2018.

In addition to our support for free speech and the right to protest, we also stand in solidarity with Puerto Rican struggles for economic justice and decolonization in their country.

During our recent March 2018 “Human Rights, Recovery, and Decolonization” delegation of U.S.-based and international human rights organizations, we learned of the intensification of austerity efforts in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

Therefore, we pledge our support for, and will continue to monitor the work of, our siblings in Puerto Rican social justice movements.