> > WW News Service Digest #148 > > 1) Demand release of hundreds of prisoners still in jail in Philadelphia > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >EMERGENCY DEMONSTRATIONS TO DEMAND THE >IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF HUNDREDS OF >PRISONERS STILL IN JAIL IN PHILADELPHIA > >When: 5 p.m. >Date: August 9 >Where: Times Square in NYC (42nd St. and 7th Avenue) > >An emergency demonstration will take place Wednesday, Aug. 9, at Times >Square in New York City to demand the release of hundreds of jailed >protesters who have been brutalized and held on exorbitant bails in >Philadelphia following the Aug. 1 demonstration against the >Prison-Industrial Complex and in support of a new trial for Mumia >Abu-Jamal. > >The protest, organized by the International Action Center, starts at 5 >p.m. An estimated 155 activists out of the more than 425 arrested >protesters are still in jail because they are unable to post their bail >ranging from $10,000 to $500,000. > >"These prisoners have acted courageously in the face of brutal >treatment, heavy charges and outrageously high bails," stated Larry >Holmes, co-director of the International Action Center. "Their continued >incarceration not only flagrantly violates the rights of these >individuals it also serves as a test case for a new illegal police >strategy that aims at smashing the new anti-capitalist and anti-racist >youth movement that is sweeping the country." Holmes was also arrested >at the demonstrtions coinciding with the Republican National Convention >. > >"The prisoners are engaging in a hunger strike against their >mistreatment. All those who believe in the right to protest free from >government sponsored repression and preventive detention must now >demonstrate our solidarity with these sisters and brothers. Maximum >pressure must be placed on the authorities and bright a spotlight must >be put on this miscarriage of justice," Holmes said. > >The government started the strategy of preventive detention with sweep >arrests at April 15-17 demonstrations in Washington, D.C. More than >1,200 were arrested including a large number of people who were not >engaged in any civil disobedience. A Class Action lawsuit has been filed >by a coalition of progressive lawyers in Washington DC charging that the >government and police engaged in a far-reaching conspiracy to violate >the First and Fourth Amendment rights of protesters. > >In addition to the Aug. 9 demonstration in New York City there will be >similar solidarity actions in cities throughout the United States on the >same day. >---------------------------------------- >International Action Center >39 W. 14th St., Suite 206, New York, New York 10011 * Tel: (212) >633-6646. www.iacenter.org > > > __________________________________ 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] ___________________________________
