Power to the People

Federal Judge Clears the way for the Power to the People Parade

A federal judge on Monday questioned the validity of the city of Long Beach's permitting process for public demonstrations, saying some parts of the municipal code may be unconstitutional and violate First Amendment rights. John Donaldson, a protester, said, "All I can say is, hurray. It's about time that Long Beach had to follow the Constitution." U.S. District Judge Robert Takasugi ordered the city to defend its practice of requiring demonstrators to give 30 days advance notice of their plans, and requiring them to pay insurance and the cost of police protection.

People for Community Empowerment will be hosting a “Festival of Interdependence” and “Power to the People” Parade on July 4th in Long Beach. People will start gathering at 11am in El Dorado Park West near the Duck Pond off of Studebaker just south of Willow.

The Festival will feature educational material on alternatives forms of energy, and information tables from many of the organizations endorsing the event. It will be a festive atmosphere with fun for people of all ages. The event will also include music and speakers on a solar powered stage.

At 2pm there will be a Parade down Studebaker Rd. to the Alamitos Power Plant where the people will advocate taking their power back. At the Plant the solar power stage will provide sound for more music and speakers. AES the “Global Power Company” will be served with a notice of seizure by eminent domain. The grounds for the seizure include their participation in manipulating energy prices by intentionally lowering their production.

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Program/endorsers

MC- Don May California Earth Corps

Speakers in Alphabetical order:

Medea Benjamin Global Exchange

Susannah Churchill Cal PIRG

John Donaldson Long BeachCitizens for Utility Reform

Ralph Fertig Southern California Americans for Democratic Action

Ray Grabinski 7th District City Council Member-Long Beach

Lucius Martin Long Beach Area Peace Network

Nancy Pearlman, Los Angeles Community College Board

Dena Predisik, Long Beach Photovolotaic Cooperative

Tonia Reyes-Uranga,

Dr. Gene Ruyle, Professor of Anthropology Cal State Long Beach

Jon Sherman, People for Community Empowerment

Whitney Tays, Green Anarchist



MUSIC BY Benedict Arnold and the Traders, Billionaires for Bush and More, Dan and the Band, Fifth Wheel, Jon Sherman, John Samos



Endorsers at the time of this release: Action Resource Center, California Earth Corp, California Interfaith Power and Light, Center for the Advancement of Non-Violence, CISPES, Coastal Convergence Society, Countercoup, Crack The CIA Coalition, Global Exchange, Grey Panthers of Long Beach, International Socialists Organization, Long Beach Food Not Bombs, Los Angeles Federation of Labor/AFL-CIO, Long Beach Area Citizens Involved, Long Beach Area Peace Network, Long Beach Greens, Los Cerritos Wetlands Task Force, Orange County Central Labor Council/AFL_CIO, Office of the Americas, Peter Carr Peace Center, Southern California Americans for Democratic Action, Southern California Fair Trade Network, Throop Memorial Church Social Justice Committee, United Methodist, US-Mexico Border Action Project