>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >International Action Center >39 West 14th Street, #206 >New York, NY 10011 >212-633-6646 212-633-2889 fax >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >www.iacenter.org > >April 15, 2000 > >Immediate Release Press Contact: Deirdre >Sinnott >Attention: Assignment Editor > >500+ ARRESTED AS POLICE SWEEP IAC MARCH >IN WASHINGTON AT IMF PROTESTS > >On April 15, the International Action Center held >the first big action of the convergence weekend in >Washington to protest repression in the United >States. And the Washington police showed that U.S. >repression was alive and well in the capital by >making sweeping arrests of 500+ demonstrators >without warning though the demonstrators were >breaking no laws. > >The protest was part of the attempt by what is >expected to be 10,000 young people to shut down >the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. >The two bodies that regulate the world�s economy >in the interest of the wealthiest and most >powerful nations are scheduled to meet April 16 >and 17 in Washington. > >The arrests came as over a thousand people marched >through downtown Washington from the Justice >Department to the White House. The IAC had wanted >to focus attention of the anti-IMF protests on the >prison-industrial complex, the death penalty, >rampant police brutality and the state�s attempt >to execute political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. > >Even at this early demonstration, it was obvious >that students and other young people had come in >massive numbers from all over the country. They >joined chants to �Free Mumia Abu-Jamal,� �Shut >down the IMF,� �Shut down racism, sexism and >homophobia,� and �Shut down capitalism.� > >Sarah Sloan, youth organizer for the IAC, said >that �the demonstration started with a few hundred >people in front of the injustice department, but >the longer we stayed, the bigger it grew. Then >when we marched toward the White House our drums >and chants attracted many more until we grew to >over a thousand people.� > >Sloan was caught in the police sweep that rounded >up the first 600 of what may turn out to be >thousands of arrests this weekend as the police >roll over the constitutional right to protest. > >Among the other IAC activists arrested were Monica >Moorehead, who is the coordinator of Millions for >Mumia�a group organizing a rally for Mumia Abu- >Jamal at the Theater of Madison Square Garden this >coming May 7. IAC national co-coordinator Brian >Becker was also arrested. > >The other IAC co-coordinator, Sara Flounders, said >following the arrests that �this blatant show of >repression will only make us redouble our efforts >to carry on the struggle�to shut down the IMF, to >fight U.S. military aggression against Iraq and >Yugoslavia, to fight for freedom for Mumia, for >all the activities that the IAC is known for.� > >The International Action Center, founded by former >U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, has been a >leader in the anti-war movement in the United >States since the early 1990s. >--30-- > > >------- End of forwarded message ------- __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
