After being assaulted by police during Tuesday’s non-violent protest at the UN and then jailed overnight, Episcopal Minister Father Luis Barrios of NYC has been charged with felony assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct. Disabled Iraq war veteran Geoffrey Millard was also held overnight and charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Both were released Wednesday morning.
“President Bush has launched illegal wars, tortured, and now
threatens new wars, yet he is given an international platform, said
protest organizer Clark Kissinger of the Bush Crimes Commission.
“Meanwhile non-violent protestors delivering detailed findings showing
Bush guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity are assaulted,
arrested and charged with crimes. This is an outrageous attempt to
suppress evidence of Bush’s crimes and the rising tide of anti-Bush
protest. We demand all charges be dropped.”
The
two were part of a group of 16 arrested during a non-violent civil
disobedience protest directly in front of the UN while Bush was
speaking. They diverse group included held signs and chanted, “Bush is
a war criminal. Bush Step Down.” They stated:
“We have come to the United Nations today to engage in non-violent
civil disobedience. We demand the war on Iraq end immediately. We
oppose any attack on Iran. We declare to the world that President
George W. Bush has been found guilty of war crimes and crimes against
humanity. He does not speak for us.”
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Press coverage of the civil disobedience: |
Those arrested and available for interviews include:
*
Fr. Barrios, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, leader of immigrant rights
movement, and a national leader of World Can’t Wait-Drive Out the Bush
Regime (www.worldcantwait.org)
* Ann Wright, State Department official who publicly resigned in protest of Iraq war
* Elaine Brower, mother of U.S. Marine stationed in Fallujah and a spokesperson for World Can’t Wait
* C. Clark Kissinger, convener of Bush Crimes Commission
* Geoffrey Millard, Iraq Veterans Against the War
* Beth Lamont, the American Humanist Association’s UN representative
Also
arrested were members of Granny Peace Brigade, Peace Action of NY
State, Not In Our Name Project, Jewish Students & Youth Against the
War, and “We Will Not Be Silent” campaign.
Their
action follows the September 13 delivery to the White House of the
Verdict from the Bush Crimes Commission. The Commission found the Bush
administration guilty of crimes against humanity on five counts.
Many
of the participants are also calling for national protests across the
country on October 5, which is the subject of a full-page ad sponsored
by World Can’t Wait – Drive Out the Bush Regime Wait in the September
20 issue of USA Today.
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Demand the Charges be Dropped by calling or emailing:
Mayor Bloomberg: PHONE 311 (or 212-NEW-YORK outside NYC)/FAX (212) 788-2460; E-MAIL: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html
Robert Morgenthau, Manhattan District Attorney: (212) 335-9000
Bush Crimes Commission www.bushcommission.org