Coalition protesting Democratic Convention
'The streets belong to the people'
Organizers from the Coalition to Protest the
Democratic National Convention held a July 19 media conference
to keep up the pressure on city authorities. The coalition is
demanding a permit for acti vists to march on Causeway Street
in order to bring the demand "Bring the troops home now" right
up to the limousines and bigwigs at the Fleet Center--named for
Fleet Bank--where the DNC will take place.
Thousands are expected to protest in Boston, starting July
25 at noon on historic Boston Common.
Coalition speakers at the well-attended media conference
included Yves Alcindor, New England Human Rights Organi zation
for Haiti; Steve Gillis (shown speaking), president of the
Boston School Bus Drivers Union, USWA Local 8751; Sue Kelly,
secretary-treasurer of OPEIU Local 334, representing the
Women's Fight Back Network; Dustin Langley, Act Now to Stop War
& End Racism and an armed services veteran; and Gerry
Scoppettuolo from Stonewall Warriors.
The coalition's legal team, represented by John Reinstein,
executive director of the Massachusetts American Civil Liber
ties Union, and Jonathan Shapiro of the National Lawyers Guild,
filed for injunctive relief from authorities to let the march
go forward as planned. In the words of co-counsel, attorney
John Pavlos: "They are trying to repress political speech and
the political content of that speech, namely that we want the
troops to be brought home now."
Reprinted from the July 29, 2004, issue of
Workers World newspaper
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