Urgent! Defend the Right to Dissent at the DNC

Defend the right to freedom of speech and assembly!

Protesting is not a crime!

Denver Police Department & DNC: Stop violence against protesters

Drop all charges against arrestees

Police OUT of Civic Center Park

Hands Off the march today!

Sign the online petition to send a message to the Denver Police, the DNC, the Denver City Council, Congressional Leaders and the media to end the police violence against DNC protesters IMMEDIATELY! http://www.troopsoutnow.org/dnc08protestrights.shtml

In the past week, thousands of people from around the country have gathered in Denver to protest during the Democratic National Convention.

In the past few days, Denver police have engaged in deliberate provocations and violence against activists. On Monday night, they began beating and pepper spraying protesters and engaging in illegal mass arrests. On Tuesday, they clubbed and arrested Denver activist Carlo Garcia and Code Pink member Alicia Forrest.

Despite misrepresentations by the media and the Denver Police Department, the only acts of violence taking place in Denver are being committed by police trying to silence dissent. See the report on the Recreate 68 Alliance Press conference and other reports and videos on the Troops Out Now Coalition DNC-RNC at http://dncrnc.wordpress.com/ for details of police attacks on protesters.

It is shocking, with tomorrow being the 40^th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic 'I Have a Dream' speech, that the Democratic Party and the Denver Police are engaging in acts of violence against non-violent protesters. The true spirit of Dr. King is one of dissent and of speaking out against war, injustice and racism, and that is what the protestors in Denver are doing. They should not be criminalized by the city of Denver and the DNC.

We must take a stand against these attempts by the Denver Police to silence dissent. This has an impact beyond the protests in Denver: This is part of the ongoing struggle against the attempt by all levels of government--and both major parties--to criminalize dissent.

As we write, the Denver Police are surrounding Civic Center Park, dressed in riot gear and armed with automatic rifles, pepper spray, and clubs. The Recreate 68 has a legal permit for protest activity in the Park, and all of us have the right to voice our dissent without being criminalized. Today, Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) will march to the Pepsi Center, followed by thousands of supporters - they have a right to march, and we stand in solidarity with them and demand "Denver Police - hands off the Veterans March!"

We demand that the police and the Democratic Party stop attacks on protesters. We demand that all of the false charges against arrestees be dropped. We demand that Denver police end their violent occupation of Civic Center Park.

Here's how you can help:

** Sign the online petition to send a message to the Denver Police, the DNC, the Denver City Council, Congressional Leaders and the media to end the police violence against DNC protesters IMMEDIATELY! http://www.troopsoutnow.org/dnc08protestrights.shtml

** Call the Mayor and Governor - demand that they stop attacking protesters:

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper

Phone: 720-865-9000

Ask for the Mayor's Office

Colorado Governor Bill Ritter

Phone: (303) 866-2471

** Forward this message widely - send it to your list serves, post it on your blog or social networking site, print it out and pass it on.

SEE VIDEOS, more photos, and press reports of the police attack on demonstrators, as well as video of the Monday March and Rally for Political Prisoners and the Sunday March and Rally to end imperialist wars and occupations at TONC's DNC/RNC BLOG at dncrnc.wordpress.com

• visit TroopsOutNow.org
• DONATE to keep us in the streets! Troopsoutnow.org/donate.shtml
• visit our DNC/RNC BLOG at dncrnc.wordpress.com
• JOIN US @ DNC 8/24-28 & @ RNC 9/1-9/4!
  DNC: Recreate68.org RNC: MarchonRNC.org
• StopWarOnIran.org - Sept 27 Actions in 100 Cities

Troops Out Now Coalition
c/o Solidarity Center
55 W 17th St - 5C
New York, NY 10011
212-633-6646
www.troopsoutnow.org
info@troopsoutnow.org