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Support the Struggle for Free speech in NYC! March on Central Park to Demand "Out Now!"

by Open-Publishing - Monday 20 December 2004
1 comment

Demos-Actions Wars and conflicts USA

During the weeks leading up to the Republican National Convention in
August of 2004, the Bloomberg Administration and the New York Police
Department demonstrated open contempt for freedeom of speech and
assembly by denying antiwar demonstrators their right to rally in
Central Park.

Despite the fact that Central Park has been the site of numerous large
events, including concerts that have drawn more than 100,000 listeners,
the Bloomberg Administration refused to allow a peaceful demonstration
in the Park, simply because it challenged the Bush-Bloomberg agenda of
war and repression. By denying activists access to the park, Bloomberg
is attempting to marginalize and criminalize dissent and silence the
antiwar movement.

We cannot allow this decision to stand; our First Amendment rights are
not negotiable. We must demand the right to march and assemble in
Central Park - our Park.

On March 20, the second anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, a
broad coalition of antiwar, community, international solidarity, and
labor organizations plan to march on Central Park to demand an
immediate, complete, and unconditional end to the illegal occupation of
Iraq. Demonstrations in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco,
Washington DC, Fayetteville and other cities throughout the U.S. will
occur on the weekend of March 19-20 in response to the call from the
global antiwar movement. In New York, many, many thousands of people
will rally and march under the slogan "Out Now!"

From Iraq to Haiti to Palestine, the people are resisting the empire
and colonial occupation. Resistance is also growing within the ranks of
the U.S. military. We must also be in the streets to oppose the
Bush-Bloomberg agenda. We must mobilize to oppose the Bush war budget,
which will spend an additional $80-100 billion on the war, while social
services, housing, education, and healthcare budgets are being slashed
and New Yorkers are facing yet another subway fare increase.

The events of the past year have shown us that we cannot place our trust
in corporate-owned political parties and we cannot negotiate away our
right to march and assemble. Only an independent peoples movement will
stop the war, and we must be back in the streets to build that movement.

We are currently in negotiations with the city and we fully expect to
exercise our right to march and assemble on March 20, but we need your help:

How you can help:

1) Call, fax, and email Bloomberg’s Office - demand the right to rally
in Central Park!
Phone (212)-639-9675
Fax (212) 788-2460
email: http://nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html

2) Forward this email widely

3) Help build a massive movement against war and occupation. Volunteer
meetings are every Tuesday night at the International Action Center, 39
W. 14th St. # 206 - between 5th & 6th Aves. in Manhattan. (Click here
http://iacenter.org/ for other meeting locations throughout the country )

4) Donate http://www.peoplesrightsfund.org/ to help with the expenses
for March 20. Make a donation online at:
http://peoplejudgebush.org/donate.shtml
or by check to IAC 39 W. 14 St. #206, New York, NY10011.

5) Endorse http://peoplejudgebush.org/endorse.shtml the Call for a
united march against the war and occupation on March 20.

*for the full text of the Call, go to http://www.PeopleJudgeBush.org

International Action Center
39 W. 14th St. #206
NY NY 10011
212-633-6646
www.iacenter.org

Forum posts

  • ok let’s make sure we don’t leave out all the facts here. the real reason they don’t want you to march on the great lawn is because you will trample the grass and it will cost thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars and weeks to repair. meanwhile the central park conservancy struggles every year to raise 90% of the $25 million needed to keep the park in shape, and this will only cost more money, time and effort. while, if you simply walk the streets you will cause little or no damage, and you will send the same message.

    you say it’s "our park" right? well that’s true only if you’re referring to people that donate to the conservancy, because the city only ponies up 10% of the total cost for keeping the park in shape, and that money is already appropriated to specific projects. the cost of repairing the great lawn will come out of the pockets of people like ME, people that donate to the conservancy. people that would most likely prefer if you don’t ruin our great lawn.

    go ahead and have your protest, but do it somewhere else ok? the only reason you want to do it in central park is because someone said you couldn’t.