FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 12, 2008
www.worldcantwait.org
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 12, 2008
www.worldcantwait.org
Press contact: Linda Rigas (714) 235-8213
National contact: Debra
Sweet, World Can’t Wait (718) 809 3803
PROTEST of POLITICAL SUPPRESSION AT THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
CONVENTION
WHAT: Press Conference and
Rally against suppression of protest at Democratic Natl Convention
WHEN: 12:00
pm Thursday, August 14
WHERE: Obama Headquarters in
Berkeley (3225
Adeline Street)
[Berkeley, CA]
– While U.S. politicians condemn China
for suppressing political dissent, the Democratic Party is supporting political
suppression at its upcoming August 25-28 National Convention in Denver.
On Thursday, August 14 at
noon, World Can’t Wait-Drive Out the Bush Regime and others will hold a
dramatic press conference at Barack Obama’s Berkeley Headquarters condemning
this suppression of dissent.
Spokespeople for World Can’t Wait will be available.
Last week a U.S. District Court ruled that protesters” free
speech rights must give way to “national security,” allowing the government to
force march permits to end 3 hours before the convention begins. Protesters will be kept away from the
convention center and allowed only into chain link fenced cages 700 feet from
the center’s door. These “freedom cages” are reminiscent of
Guanantamo and will be ringed by police and concrete barriers. Huge media tents are being erected between
the cages and the convention.
Protesters note that
Obama’s refusal to condemn this assault on dissent is consistent with his vote
to support the recent Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) bill legalizing and extending many of the
Bush administration’s secret and illegal eavesdropping activities.
Noted
historian Howard Zinn, actor Mark Ruffalo, Cindy Sheehan, anti-Vietnam war
veteran Ron Kovic, and World Can’t Wait are circulating an open letter, with
over 1000 signatures to date, calling on people to protest in Denver.
“The anti-war movement
must set a standard of resistance, not accommodate what is intolerable,” the
letter states. “Only the people-not the politicians-can force open debate over
why the U.S.
occupation must end now.” Letter available here.
“World Can’t Wait will be
joining thousands of people in the Denver
protests who want to send a different message to the world,” states World Can’t
Wait National Coordinator Debra Sweet. “Bring the whole Bush program of lying
to start illegitimate wars, and threatening other countries, spying on
citizens, justifying torture — to a HALT!”
Buses
will be leaving from Berkeley for Denver on August 20 and
22. Information: 415-864-5153
Media interviews on Denver protests available with Cindy Sheehan,
anti-Vietnam war veteran Ron Kovic, WCW Coordinator Debra Sweet, revolutionary
activist and journalist Sunsara Taylor, military mother Elaine Brower, and
author Larry Everest.