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Bush Administration Seeks to Squelch State of the Union Protest at Capitol on January 31

by Open-Publishing - Monday 23 January 2006
14 comments

Demos-Actions Governments USA

Bush Administration Seeks to Squelch State of the Union Protest at Capitol on January 31
January 22, 2006

World Can’t Wait
Capitol Hill Office: 511 ‘C’ St. NE Washington DC 20002, Stanton Square
DC PRESS CONTACT: Don Spark, 202-536-4310, donspark@worldcantwait.org

Press Conference:
Monday, January 23, 9:30 a.m.
National Press Club, Edward R. Murrow Room
529 14th Street, NW Washington DC

The Bush administration has expanded the special security zone around the Capitol, effectively denying a meaningful public space for a protest called by World Can’t Wait-Drive Out the Bush Regime during the State of the Union address on January 31, 2006. This action, one of many held simultaneously that night at 8pm EST in cities and towns across the country, calls for symbolically “drowning out Bush’s lies” and demands “BUSH STEP DOWN.”

At a meeting on January 10 with the National Park Service Police, Capitol Police, and National Parks Department, the World Can’t Wait was offered the area surrounding the Capitol Reflecting Pool for the January 31st gathering. This was accepted by World Can’t Wait. However, on January 19, the organization received word that this area had been reclassified as part of a “secure perimeter” for that day.

In addition, the grass areas of the National Mall have been closed for “turf renovation” up to 7th Street. Thus, the proposed demonstration area is restricted to the “gravel and concrete walkways of the national Mall between 3rd and 4th Streets.”

Travis Morales of World Can’t Wait-Drive Out the Bush Regime responded: “This so-called permit would have the effect of dispersing and disrupting this First Amendment protest by preventing a large, cohesive gathering anywhere near the Capitol. We’d have to go a mile away to 7th Street to even have a stage. We’re mobilizing people to challenge this outrageous prohibition, and we’re pursuing legal action.”

World Can’t Wait has already received a permit for a national demonstration at the Ellipse on Saturday, February 4.

Both the January 31 and February 4 actions were announced in a full-page ad in the New York Times published January 20, signed by Edward Asner, Harry Belafonte, Michael Eric Dyson, Niles Eldredge, Eve Ensler, Jane Fonda, Martin Garbus, Paul Haggis, Jonathan Kozol, Jessica Lange, Lewis Lapham, Tom Morello, U.S. Rep. Major Owens, Sean Penn, Harold Pinter, Susan Sarandon, John Sayles, Richard Serra, Rev. Al Sharpton, Cindy Sheehan, Serj Tankian, Studs Terkel, Kurt Vonnegut, U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, Cornel West, and Howard Zinn.

World Can’t Wait-Drive Out the Bush Regime

www.worldcantwait.org

Forum posts

  • Beware turf renovation. I attended the Washington demonstration this past Oct. as an artist recording Bush lies in my art. The areas along the walk way from the Lincoln memorial to the Washington monument had fresh green manure spread and the sprinklers kept it wet. You do not spread green manure on a lawn because it is ’hot’ and counterproductive for seed germination. It was very effective in corralling wandering demonstraters from staying off the lawn but it also harbours bacteria that can be spread when people track it into buildings and it dries and becomes airborne. Not a big danger but enough to be detected and certainly a discomfort when you step in it.

    • Wear rubber boots. Can’t smell any worse that what will be coming out of Bush. If it’s below 35 degrees, you can’t smell it at all. It doesn’t stink when it’s frozen. You don’t throw manure this time of year anyways, this is blatantly obvious.

  • I’m surprised Bush hasn’t just defined them as being "disruptors" so that he can arrest them all.

  • "World Can’t Wait has already received a permit for a national demonstration at the Ellipse on Saturday, February 4."

    Is Congress going to be in session on Saturday the 4th?
    Will Bush stay in town to see the protest?

    If no to the above - what’s the point of showing up on a Saturday?

  • FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT for your and our rights.....The nation is watching and those of us that can...will be there! Glenn Wisconsin

  • great website on the execution of the Romanovs

  • We are already being watched or heard.
    http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/blackmail.html

  • half of the world knows that the "attacks" of september 11 2001 was an inside job
    if you know something about it .....why you don’t inform the people?
    adding this to the illegal wiretapping this man (bush) deserves to be in jail.
    along with his neo-cons.

  • America a police state!

  • Chris Chandler and David Roe were there doing their song about the media blackout on protests against the war....

    see their video here and download the song "Something’s In the Air/But It’s Not on the Airwaves"

    http://chrisvids.org

  • Good stuff , y’all . Please stop by the website www.iava.org and find out
    more. T.R.A.

  • Great video of hollywood world cant wait -Bush step down protest january 31st 2006

    http://www.alexxthompson.com/film.html