< < < Date > > > | < < < Thread > > >

Fwd: seattle 99

by Auguste Blanqui

13 December 1999 15:19 UTC



Note: forwarded message attached.

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Thousands of Stores.  Millions of Products.  All in one place.
Yahoo! Shopping: http://shopping.yahoo.com


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.
 



< < < Date > > > | < < < Thread > > > | Home