Legalizing BDS in Illinois, and Getting Back to NEUTRAL

Many members of the Illinois legislature have asserted that our state’s governing body should have a neutral position in international affairs. However, in 2015, Illinois legislators sought to silence supporters of Palestinian rights by passing SB 1761/ Public Act 099-0128, the Anti Boycott Divestment Sanctions Bill. This law makes Israel the ONLY nation that our state insulates from boycott, divestment, and sanctions – a legitimate and constitutionally-protected strategy of nonviolent protest. With this law, Illinois can punish companies that take a stand against human rights violations by Israel, and can forbid pension funds from making “human rights-based investment decisions.” 

Gather with us on February 15th from 3-4 pm at Lake Street Church in Evanston to learn more about Illinois’ anti-BDS measures, and the tangible actions you can take to overturn them and get Illinois back to neutral! Co-sponsored by: Chicago Area Peace Action, Evanston Ceasefire, Illinois Coalition for Human Rights (ICHR), and Lake Street Church Peace & Justice Committee. This event is free, invite a friend or neighbor — and we’ll have snacks!. Be sure to register! 

⏰WHEN: Saturday, February 15th, 2025 from 3-4 pm (Doors open at 2:45pm)

📍WHERE: Lake Street Church, MacLeish Hall, 1450 Chicago Ave., Evanston, IL 60201 (enter the door on the north side of the courtyard)

*FREE EVENT – REGISTRATION REQUIRED – light snacks provided – street parking available*

*NOTE: For maximum accessibility and safety options for all, in addition to our live event we have added a real-time Zoom option. Advance registration is still required in order to receive the Zoom link. Please register no later than 2 pm CST on February 15th for the 3 pm event. Please note: the Zoom option will not allow you to unmute or turn on your video, and the chat will be turned off for all participants.