The Bush Administration appears to be escalating assaults on anti-war free speech in advance of the coming antiwar protest on 9/15/07.
We know the First Amendment has been under siege since he slithered into office but this is almost like a new level.
Make the jump for links and video.
To Protect and Serve...who?
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Mounted police charged in to break up an outdoor press conference and demonstration against the Iraq war in Washington on Thursday, arresting three people, organizers and 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, Brian Becker, national organizer of the ANSWER anti-war coalition, told AFP.
"Then, mounted police charged the media present to disperse them," Becker said.
It was apparently not even a very large gathering but mounted police charged the crowd, scaring people, and arresting a couple member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. So they got to violate these people's freedom of assembly AND arrest American veterans who have already served in Iraq...and lived to tell about it.
That's protecting and serving, all right...
Three people -- Tina Richards, the mother of a marine who did two tours of duty in Iraq; Adam Kokesh, a leader of the Iraq Veterans Against the War group; and lawyer Ian Thompson, who is an organizer for ANSWER in Los Angeles -- were arrested, Becker said.
The ANSWER coalition is trying to rally support for an anti-war demonstration in Washington that is due to take place on September 15.
And Team Bush is trying desperately to squash dissent against their MASSIVE and UGLY war crime.
The Betray Us Petraeus Report is due out on the same day of the coming 9/15/07 Protest in Washington DC.
Well, maybe the fuzz had a reason to charge them: ANSWER, in it's gross irresponsibility and scofflaw attitude
Last month, the movement was threatened with a fine of at least 10,000 dollars unless it removed posters in the city announcing the September 15 march.
Washington city authorities have said the posters had to come down because they were stuck on with adhesive that did not meet city regulations.
Using the wrong adhesive IS a reason to trash the Constitution now. The press conference was telling people to use the right paste.
Can you believe this shit?
I am wondering how they are going to react to the 9/15 March a week from today.
Again, especially for those who want very much to do SOMETHING, the telephone protest is a very feasible replacement and additional tactic for protesting the Democratic inaction on ending the Iraq Occupation.
No Cops.
No Cameras.
No Guns.
No tear Gas.
No injuries.
No Arrests.
No travel expenses.
No time constraints.
Easy. Safe. Effective.
Apply liberally.
Update [2007-9-7 10:48:2 by xxdr zombiexx]: chesapeake has an excellent collection of links here in a comment. Those averse to ANSWER or the Phone PRotest can look among those to see if any of them speak to them.
Update [2007-9-7 12:22:48 by xxdr zombiexx]: I decided to add the following music video to remind people what is at stake.