ASHEVILLE ACTIVISTS TAKE TO THE STREETS

ASHEVILLE-About 50-60 environmental and social justice activists rallied at the Democratic Headquarters in downtown asheville Monday night. In solidarity with the thousand of protesters in Los Angeles at the DNC, activists held a press conference to expose illegal police tactics, and corporate control over our government and environment. The rally was also used to mobilize people to the Presidental Debates in Winston-Salem, NC this coming October.

"There is pretty much a unanimous disaffection with corporations and their influence on politicians," said Eamon Martin, editor of the Asheville Global Report, as he described himself and demonstrators gathered in front of the Democratic Headquarters.

Speakers covered topics, such as, corporate greed, environmental destruction, corrupt electoral politics, workers rights, alternatives to the two party system, the plight of the U'wa, police brutality, and the systematic crackdown on people's constitutionally endowed civil liberties.

As the press conference and rally came to an end, people took to the streets in a colorful display of banners and signs to educate the public with their voices and and information sheets. People cheered and honked their horns as the activists marched by. A few onlookers even joined in. The majority of the public who witnessed the march supported the demonstrators on the issues presented to them.

"Big Business and the Politicians excluded our voice from the convention floors, but they cannot exclude it from the streets," said Olivia Lim, Earth First! activist.