The Surfrider Foundation’s Post

We stand against the unjust violence inflicted upon those who are exercising their civic rights. Social justice and environmental protection are inseparable. The violent harassment and recent killing of community members during federal immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota and around the country are deeply disturbing. They demand the full attention of the American public and Congress. The harassment and deaths require truth, accountability, and a sober reckoning on the abuse of power being exercised in our country. The Surfrider Foundation exists to protect our ocean, waves, and beaches — for all people — through civic engagement and advocacy. Critical to Surfrider’s mission are the constitutional guarantees of peaceful assembly, protest, and free speech. Communities that lack political power are the same communities that bear the greatest burden of pollution, climate change, and environmental harm. We cannot protect public resources, public access, or public health in a society where the government routinely violates constitutional rights, ignores due process requirements, lies to the people it should serve, and uses state violence without accountability. We must be able to speak out about the issues that are important to us, without fear for our lives. A society that fails to protect civil liberties cannot effectively protect the environment we all depend on. America is a nation born of immigrants, strengthened by its diversity. While imperfect, the ideal of America stands for liberty, freedom, and opportunity for all. Our democracy is strongest when it chooses transparency over secrecy, accountability over impunity, and compassion over cruelty. Surfrider will continue to stand in solidarity with communities demanding justice, defending civil liberties, and working toward a future where both people and the planet are protected with integrity and care — without fear, without violence, and without exception.