I: Protests at RNC Gain Momentum

["nello peacelink" <n.margiotta at peacelink.it>]

----- Original Message -----
From: ANSWER at InternationalANSWER.org
To: nellomargiotta55 at virgilio.it
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 7:46 AM
Subject: Protests at RNC Gain Momentum


A.N.S.W.E.R Coalition's Position
on Activities in the
Great Lawn of Central Park
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
August 29:
A.N.S.W.E.R. Dispatch Area
(where to meet if you want to volunteer, get signs or flyers)



A.N.S.W.E.R Coalition's Position
on Activities in the
Great Lawn of Central Park

August 26, 2004: Following is a press release distributed at a news
confernece attended by many national, international and local media in New
York City today.
Downloadable flyers:     half page     full page
The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition is announcing today plans to distribute tens of
thousands of leaflets at New York City subway stops today and tomorrow
morning informing people of their basic rights regarding the use of the
Great Lawn and Central Park. The leaflet states "tens of thousands of New
Yorkers use the Great Lawn of Central Park every weekend. You do not need a
permit to come to the Park." The Parks Department does not require a permit
for "casual park use by visitors." The denial of the permit prevents the NCA
and A.N.S.W.E.R. from having a rally with a stage and sound, but it is
obvious that many individuals who were planning to attend will go to Central
Park on Saturday, and on other days through the next week.
The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition and the National Council of Arab Americans
applied for a permit to be in the Great Lawn for a mass rally in defense of
the civil rights and civil liberties of the Arab and Muslim community. The
permit, which was applied for in January 2004, was denied in mid-June. This
week, U.S. federal court judge William Pauley III refused to grant a
preliminary injunction against the city, which would have directed the
issuance of the permit. The judge's decision did not state that the Great
Lawn and Central Park were off-limits, and indeed, the court suggested that
the city and the permit applicant could still work out an agreement for the
use of the Great Lawn. A.N.S.W.E.R. and the NCA addressed every specific
problem that had been raised by the city, and yet the city refused to
discuss use of the Great Lawn.
"Thousands of people intended to come to the rally. They believe they have
the right to be in Central Park. We have been denied the right to sponsor a
rally on August 28 on the Great Lawn. The fact is that people are coming to
Central Park on August 28 and on other days in the following week, and it is
their constitutional right to do so," stated Brian Becker, National
Coordinator of the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition. Becker continued, "we are handing
out thousands of leaflets to inform everyone that the park does not require
a permit for casual park use by visitors, and we are telling them that if
they are bringing signs or drums, or other musical instruments, what the
specific regulations state. Individuals have the right, for instance, to
bring anti-war or anti-Bush signs to the Great Lawn if they are no more than
2 feet in height and 3 feet in length. They can also bring a drum, but they
cannot use the drum in parklands between the night-time hours of 10 PM and 8
AM."
"The litigation we filed was based on the fact that the Mayor and the city
have provided access to the Great Lawn for those who have corporate or
government sponsorship, while they denied permits to people who are
protesting Bush's domestic and foreign policy. The denial of free speech
assembly is content-based, it is not neutral. Some are favored, and others
are disfavored," stated Mara Verheyden-Hilliard of the Partnership for Civil
Justice and the National Lawyers Guild. Verheyden-Hilliard was the lead
attorney in the litigation filed in federal court.
"What was revealed by the litigation, the statements of the defendants in
court filings, and in open court and in the communication between the NCA
and ANSWER with the city, was that the Mayor and the city were determined to
obstruct the granting of a permit for the Great Lawn to these applicants
no-matter what," stated Verheyden-Hilliard. "We know for a fact now, as a
consequence of the legal and political challenge that was initiated with the
filing of our lawsuit on August 13, 2004, that the Mayor is determined to
historically alter the use of the Great Lawn and Central Park. Traditionally
understood as the heart of New York City and a democratic tradition, the
Mayor is determined to make the Great Lawn a preserve for corporate
sponsors. Using the renovation of the Lawn as a pretext, the use of Central
Park is in fact becoming privatized. It is essential to continue the fight
to preserve the essence of free speech rights, including the right for mass
assembly protests in New York City."
Downloadable flyers:     half page     full page



August 29
A.N.S.W.E.R. Dispatch Area



If you want to volunteer with the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition on August 29 - or
just pick up a sign to carry in the march or get a flyer about upcoming
activities - come to our dispatch area at 13th St. and 7th Ave. from 8 am -
12 noon. Please note: Call 212-533-0417 if you cannot find us at this
location.
On Sunday, August 29
Gather from 10 am - 12 noon
7th Ave. and 14th St.
with a march past Madison Square Garden (the site of the RNC)



If you would like to help by making a much needed financial contribution you
can do so by making an online donation using the secure server by clicking
here. If you wish to make a tax-deductible contribution of $50 or more, mail
a check payable to A.N.S.W.E.R./AGJ to: A.N.S.W.E.R., 1247 E St. SE
Washington DC 20003. You can also make a tax-deductible credit card donation
of $50 or more by calling 202-544-3389.
To get involved in the local activities, contact the A.N.S.W.E.R. office in
New York City at 212-533-0417 (please take note of this number for all
inquiries).
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
Act Now to Stop War & End Racism
www.ANSWERcoalition.org
info at internationalanswer.org
National Office in Washington DC: 202-544-3389
New York City: 212-533-0417
Los Angeles: 323-464-1636
San Francisco: 415-821-6545
For media inquiries, call 212-533-0417.
Click here to join the A.N.S.W.E.R. email list





- - - - - - - - -
To Unsubscribe
If you wish to be permanently removed from the A.N.S.W.E.R. list and to not
receive any e-communications at all from the campaign,Click here to
unsubscribe.
or (if you have any problems with the unsubscribe link, above)
2. Send an e-mail to unsubscribe_ans at InternationalAnswer.org
with the following in the subject line:
unsubscribe-000006Mjk0OTAA
This will uniquely identify you to our mail server, and remove you from our
list.