Long Beach State police engaged with members of the Revolutionary Communists Club, also known as Revcoms, and threatened to arrest them during their demonstration at the free speech lawn Thursday afternoon.
The Revolutionary Communists Club advocates for organizing a full-scale revolution to topple the U.S. government system as they believe that reform has no true impact on social change.
University Police were contacted after several CSULB faculty and staff members made attempts to interfere with the speakers at the beginning of the event.
After two hours, the organizers were told by campus officers to move their belongings to make space for other organizations who had requested the space in front of the University Bookstore.
Despite the warnings, the Revcoms continued speaking to students and verbalized how the officers actions were infringing the members’ first amendment free speech rights by shutting them down.
“We want you to come on in because these police are going to cut off our sound and are threatening us with arrest, but we are here to talk to you,” Revcom speaker Lucha Bright said.
Campus police turned off the Revcoms’ speaker as a last resort before arrest due to the disruption of the college environment.
The Revcoms’ ideology is based on the principles of the USA Revolutionary Communist Party’s leader Bob Avakian.
The demonstration was to promote Avakian’s three-part interview, “Heart and Soul & Hard-Core for Revolution,” and was a response to La F.U.E.R.Z.A.‘s Instagram story post made Tuesday afternoon.
Their post informed students not to interact with the group because of tension between both groups after La F.U.E.R.Z.A. had questioned the Revcoms and their leadership figure last year.
“We are proud followers of Bob Avakian because he has actually brought forward a way to understand the problem,” Revcom member Michelle Xai said. “We have a constitution that Bob Avakian has written about how we would actually reorganize society once we overthrow this system, but people need to engage.”
Members of the organization made attempts to engage with students by hosting general discourse events throughout the semester to talk about their principles and to debate with others who are opposed.
Oftentimes, passersby yell “cult” and “brainwashed” during the events without further elaboration of their opposing arguments.
“What are those people so scared of? All they can do is scream cult and run away,” Xai said.”We’re here to debate, and that’s actually the point. We have a scientific leadership which is the opposite of a cult.”
The Revcoms plan to continue holding demonstrations and general discourse events to spread Avakian’s message.