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Dear all:
I imagine you have all heard about what happened
here a few weeks ago: massive protests that shut down the WTO and stopped the
so-called "millenial round". This is great news for all of us who are
hoping to make this world a liveable place, and we should celebrate this event
as the victory that it is.
Nonetheless, this victory did not come without its
costs. About 580 protesters, myself included, were arrested and sent to
jail in an attempt by the authorities to quelch our actions and our expression
of dissent against corporate and capitalist domination. Though all
but four have been released, many of us are still facing serious charges that
could land us right back in prison. The Seattle City Attorney, Mark
Sidrane -- who is a real asshole -- is refusing to drop the charges
against us. Our strategy is to all ask for an individual jury trial and to
refuse all plea-bargains that do not affect us all equally. In this way we
are hoping to overwhelm the justice system.
However, it is becoming clear that this
legal strategy will work only if accompanied by a political strategy.
Only if a great deal of pressure is applied on local politicians will they give
in to our demands.
I am writing to all of you to ask for your
participation in applying that needed pressure by e-mailing the city attorney
Mark Sidran (at marksidran@ci.seattle.wa.us) and
the Mayor, Paul Schell (mayors.office@ci.seattle.wa.us),
to demand that all charges be dropped against all WTO protesters
immediately. It is obvious that what we are being charged with, under all
the legal jargon, are political crimes. Even those who have been charged
with felonies (property destruction, mostly) are being framed: they were all
arrested on a day when there was neither property destruction nor violence on
the part of the protesters.
Given the critical nature of this situation I
am also asking that you pass this message on to as many people and organisations
as you think will be sympathetic to our cause and ask them to put pressure by
whatever means at their disposal on the city of Seattle.
That said, I hope you are all doing well and in a
fighting spirit. On behalf of the Seattle
580,
Nic Veroli.
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