ACTION ALERT:
PUBLIC MEETING
The Campaign to Demilitarize the Police is hosting a
public meeting on
Wednesday, March 17th, 2004, 7PM
377 East 10th
Street
(between Aves. B&C)
Agenda to include:
-
publically stated NYPD plans to "arrest a thousand
people a day" during the RNC
- NYPD plans
to use metal barracades during the upcoming March 20th
anti-war demonstration, and
- the announced possibility
of the deployment of 1-3,000 US Army troops here in
NYC during the RNC.
For Info Contact:
1.212.969.8045
|
|
Campaign to
DEMILITARIZE
the POLICE
|
Contact: 212.969.8045
Email us to let us know you want to be on the demilitarizethepolice listserve!
|
ZAP THE METAL PENS!
We, at the Campaign to Demilitarize the Police
wholeheartedly support the efforts of United for Peace
and Justice to ban the use of metal pens during
protests, and specifically during the upcoming March
20th anti-war rally and march in NYC. We believe that
the phone zap to Mayor Bloomberg and NYPD chief Ray
Kelly on this issue is appropriate and we urge you to
participate. Please read further...
===========================================
ACTION ALERT * UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
http://www.unitedforpeace.org| 212-868-5545
To subscribe, visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org/email
===========================================
MARCH 20TH ALERT:
IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED TO STOP PLANS TO USE BARRICADES AT NYC
DEMONSTRATION
|
As tens of thousands of people from around the Northeast prepare to
join us for the antiwar demonstration in New York City on March 20th,
we need to call your attention to some important information. We have
worked out an agreement with the NYC Police Department for the
assembly area and march route for our nonviolent protest. Recently,
however, the police told us they plan to have protesters assemble
inside barricades during the pre- and post-march rallies. In other
words, as people gather for the demonstration on Madison Avenue, the
police would direct everyone into barricaded areas within each block
and then do so again following our march.
Based on many experiences over the past ten years or so, we believe
this is not a good plan and raised our objections to it at our last
meeting with the police. The use of these barricades is part of the
national assault on everyone's civil liberties and ability to
dissent. Mounting a campaign to stop their use is directly connected
to the issues we are raising on March 20th. It is especially
important to protest their use now in NYC where police use of
barricades last year was criticized by a wide spectrum of people and
led to public and media scrutiny of police tactics. We must do
everything possible to make sure the police are not allowed to impede
peaceful protest this year.
What's wrong with the barricades?
- Requiring protesters to gather inside barricades undermines our
Constitutionally protected right to assemble. They break us into
small units, making it very hard for people to find one another as
they are assembling and for contingents to form.
- Because the police control when the barricades are opened (or
closed), they can be used to break up the flow of the march, making
us look smaller than we really are.
- The police say they use the barricades for safety reasons. We
agree on their need to maintain a lane on Madison Avenue for
emergency vehicles. We have no problem with that. That lane is set
aside precisely to help the police should emergency access be needed.
However, barricading blocks does not provide easier or quicker access
for the police. In fact, sometimes the barricades can lead to
tensions and in so doing make an otherwise safe situation less safe.
In addition, if entry or re-entry to a particular barricaded area is
refused, people who need to eat, go to the bathroom, or arrive late
are forced to abandon their friends, family, and associates for the
duration of the event.
We urge you to stand up for your right to unimpeded protest: Join us
in this effort to stop the use of police barricades at the March 20th
demonstration.
TAKE ACTION NOW
Here's what you can do:
- Contact both Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray
Kelly. Let them know you oppose the use of police barricades to
separate and contain protesters. They should publicly state that
protesters will not be required to assemble inside barricades. At a
minimum they should agree to meet immediately with demonstration
organizers to find ways to address these concerns. Call or fax them
TODAY!
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
phone: 212-788-3000
fax: 212-788-9711
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly
phone: 646-610-5410
fax: 646-610-5865
- Circulate this memo widely. It is important that we get the word
out quickly and to as many people as possible.
- Do everything you can to help build the March 20th demonstration.
Hand out leaflets, make phone calls, use your email address book,
make announcements at meetings or events you attend. Our strongest
tool is our numbers.
We do not know if we will be able to stop the police from using the
barricades on March 20th, but we do know that we must take a strong,
unified stand about their use! And whatever the outcome of this
effort is, whether the police use the barricades to separate
protesters or not, we are confident that March 20th will be a
powerful day as people from many diverse communities come together to
express our common concerns. Our strength is in both our diversity
and our numbers. Let's be on the streets of New York on March 20th in
tremendous numbers.
RESULTS OF CAMPAIGN TO DEMILITARIZE THE POLICE INTERACTIONS WITH MALONEY-DISTRICT COMMUNITY BOARDS
In addition to the Queens contingent, also on Tuesday evening, members of CDP attended a meeting of the Public Safety Committee of Community Board 3. Although we were on the agenda, the agenda itself was quite full and CDP/HR 3439 was close to the bottom of the list. After nearly 3 hours packed with various and sundry issues of concern to neighborhood residents--from police driving the wrong way down a one-way street, to construction projects that sap precious space, to the use of articulated buses (the official name for the ones with the accordion-like middle) on 14th Street-CDP was asked to present a summary of our findings and work so far. Maloney aide Philip Kraft was also present, and told of his office's response to CDP's concerns. After some brief discussion, members of the committee said they could not at this time endorse a general call for a public forum, particularly on an issue of such potential extreme consequences. Matters involving the CIA and FBI apparently do not often find their way to community board sub-committee meetings. While a suggestion was made by one member of the committee to ask Representative Maloney to speak to the full community board in the near future, this would be to address any issue of concern to the public, not just HR3439, and so the committee finally requested that CDP bring a specific proposal for co-sponsorship of a public forum-including further details, such as coalition partners--to another meeting.
UPDATE:
Status Report on Efforts to Defeat
HR 3439 and Meeting with Rep. Maloney's
Deputy Chief of Staff
On January 20, 2004, the Campaign to Demilitarize the Police (CDP) held
a demonstration at the Manhattan office of US Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
to protest her sponsorship of a bill (HR 3439) which sought to station
CIA personnel within local law enforcement. Following the demonstration,
Maloney legislative aide, Deputy Chief of Staff Philip Craft, agreed to
meet to discuss our concerns about the proposed legislation.
Later that week (the 23rd), Campaign members engaged in a two-hour
dialogue with Mr. Craft, followed by a second meeting on February 6th,
at which time he advised us that Rep. Maloney was withdrawing her sponsorship
of the HR 3439 and introducing another bill in lieu of 3439.(According
to Mr.Craft, HR 3439 is not quite dead, and can potentially be picked up
by another Congressperson, though he felt that was unlikely).
We appreciate the willingness of Rep. Maloney and her staff to
promptly respond to the concerns of her constituency, and feel that the
dialogue that has occured thus far has been conducted in good faith. However,
we have major concerns with the newly revised bill, and believe that given
the gravity of this proposed legislation, a full airing of this matter
is required. Therefore we repeat our earlier demand for a public hearing
on this bill.
The rough draft of the revised bill which, at Mr. Craft’s request,
we are withholding from publication, addresses one of the Campaign’s principal
objections to the original bill: It does not attempt to “amend” the Central
Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 which prohibits the CIA to engage in "police,
law enforcement, or internal security functions." This is a good thing.
However, the new draft of the Maloney bill is still designed to
permit the detailing of CIA employees to Joint Terrorism Task Forces, further
intitutionalizing CIA domestic operations. These task forces combine Federal,
state, and local law enforcement officials under the supervisory leadership
of the FBI.They are a means of effecting federal control over local law
enforcement.
We, the members of the CDP, are deeply concerned by a growing
body of evidence that these joint task forces are conducting surveillance
of domestic protest groups and remain opposed to any formal insertion of
CIA agents into these joint task forces, a CIA which has a long history
of spying on domestic dissent.
An element common to both bills allows for the stationing of agents
from the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services within these so
called "anti-terrorist" task forces. To date, thousands of people of Middle
Eastern descent have been arrested, detained, and had their civil and human
rights violated. Not one has been convicted or even charged, with terrorism!
This is nothing but blatant racial profiling and targeting of immigrant
communities which could, if the revised bill becomes law, now be coordinated
by these JTTFs.
Finally, the CDP believes that the intent of these joint task
forces—and the role of Federal, state and local law enforcement within
them—merit a thoughtful and broad-based public conversation. Again, we
call for an open meeting about the "new" Maloney bill, with participation
by the Congresswoman and/or members of her staff; law enforcement representatives;
civil libertarians, immigrant rights groups, and ordinary citizens.
In addition, we urge all New Yorkers concerned about this legislation—whether
opposed or in favor—to make their voices heard at upcoming Community Board
meetings in February and March. (See the sidebar on this web page for a
schedule and details of these meetings.)
OPEN LETTER TO REP. CAROLYN MALONEY
Dear Congresswoman Maloney:
We are writing you this letter to express our extreme displeasure at your sponsorship of HR3439, a piece of legislation which to our mind poses great danger to our civil and human rights. We strongly urge you to withdraw this legislation immediately!
As constituents, citizens and residents of the United States we feel that it is your duty to inform the public as to the nature of this bill. To this end, we demand that you hold a public hearing on this legislation within a reasonable period of time during which you can explain your rationale for putting forth this bill. We would expect this hearing to occur before the bill advances further along the legislative route. Of course, we would be willing to assist you in organizing such an event.
In addition, we request much more specific information about the intent of this legislation and how you envision this bill (should it become law) would actually function here in NYC and nationally. We also request that all relevant information regarding this bill (along with the basic fact of your sponsorship) should immediately be posted on your website. Presently, it is not. Reference to this legislation should also be included within your constituents' mailings. We look forward to your timely response to our demands.
Sincerely,
THE CAMPAIGN TO DEMILITARIZE THE POLICE
January 22, 2004
Dozens Picket, Hold Press Conference to Stop Maloney's Unconstitutional Police-State Bill
NEW YORK, Jan.20th—The Campaign to Demilitarize the Police (CDP) held a succesful picket/press conference at the NYC office of Congresswomen Carolyn Maloney, exposing and protesting her sponsorship of HR 3439, the Joint Terrorist Task Force Act. (See below) The bill seeks to amend the 1949 CIA Charter and would embed CIA operatives within local law enforcement nationally. Dozens of spirited protesters picketed and leafleted in front of her office on 92nd street. Against a backdrop of drumming and a theatre piece presented by World War Three Arts-In-Action, speakers emphasized their opposition to this pending legislation demanding a public hearing on it. The protesters expressed their outrage as the bill does not even appear on the Congresswoman's website. Additionally, the bill itself offers no clue as to what it's designed to do. A representative from Congresswoman Maloney's office, Philip Craft, offered to initiate a dialogue with the Campaign upon our demand for the withdrawal of this bill and the Congresswoman's rationale for introducing it in the first place. The Campaign will report back soon on the progress of our efforts to hold a public hearing on this legislation and any addtional information about it.
|
