20 arrested at guvs' meeting
Fourteen death-penalty opponents chained themselves
together and blocked the road leading to the Penn State
Conference Center, site of the National Governors Association
meeting in State College, Pa., July 9.
The activists demanded to speak with the 38 state
governors at the conference. According to Pennsylvania
Abolitionists, which organized the action, they wanted to
tell the governors to enact moratoriums on the death penalty
in each state.
One hundred supporters chanted "They say death row, we say
hell no" while dozens of Pennsylvania State Troopers arrested
the 14 activists and dragged them away. Later another
protester was arrested.
All 15 were charged with blocking a highway--a
misdemeanor.
"We came out here to demand a moratorium against the death
penalty," said Jamie Graham. "This treatment is
unconstitutional. We have a right to freedom of speech."
(Centre Daily Times, July 10)
Earlier that day over 150 people, including supporters of
political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, joined a multi-issue
march through State College. The group Redirection 2000
organized the march.
On July 10, five Penn State University students from
Redirection 2000 were arrested. They refused police orders to
stop protesting outside the "Taste of Pennsylvania" program
put on for the governors by their host, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom
Ridge.
Ridge has signed 205 death warrants since becoming
governor, including two for Abu-Jamal. He's executed three
people so far. --Greg Butterfield
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