Friday, September 07, 2007

Freedom of Speech - is the end in sight?

from ImpeachBush.org :-

BUSH'S POLICE BREAK UP ANTI-WAR MEETING IN WASHINGTON

Youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EAfPgX7gs0

National Park Service Police turned a September 15 Press Conference, held in front of the White House, into a chaotic scene. On the pretext that there was no permit for a three foot long folding table that the media placed their microphones on, the police intervened in the middle of the press conference to announce that it was an unpermitted activity.

Mounted police charged in to break up the outdoor press conference and demonstration against the Iraq war in Washington on Thursday, and arrested three organizers, Adam Kokesh, an Iraq war veteran; Tina Richards of Grassroots America; and Ian Thompson an ANSWER Coalition organizer who are being held in jail.

An AFP reporter said:

"The police suppressed the press conference. In the middle of the speeches, they grabbed the podium erected in a park in front of the White House for the small gathering. Then, mounted police charged the media present to disperse them" said Brian Becker, national organizer of the ANSWER anti-war coalition.

"The charge caused a peaceful crowd of some 20 journalists and four or five protestors to scatter in terror," said an AFP correspondent at the event in Lafayette Square.

The ANSWER coalition is trying to rally support for an anti-war demonstration in Washington that is due to take place on September 15. Washington city authorities have said the posters had to come down because they were stuck on with adhesive that did not meet city regulations.
"At our demonstration today we were showing the media that the paste we use conforms to the rules," Becker said. "This strategy of suppression has not worked. We expect many tens of thousands of people in Washington for the September 15 anti-war demonstration, he said.

The march has been timed to coincide with the release of a report by the US military commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, and will be part of a week of protests led by veterans of the Iraq war.

A petition calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush, allegedly carrying one million signatures and endorsed by former US attorney general Ramsey Clark, will also be submitted to officials during the week's activities.


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Hell, our mounted police in the U.K. are used to break up riots, not disperse a small handful of peaceful protesters and reporters.

::cough::choke::splutter::wheeze::huh?!::

Over-reaction much!
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