{"article":{"id":95342,"heading":"URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED IN MIAMI","author":"ANA D.","created":"2003-11-23 16:48:09","modified":"2003-11-26 04:22:14","last_modified":"Wed, 26 Nov 2003 11:22:14","article":"

URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED FOR ACTIVISTS PROTESTING THE FTAA



The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition calls on all those who have

been involved in the anti-war movement to show their

support for those in Miami protesting at the FTAA

negotiations who are being brutalized and incarcerated in

a coordinated police state action designed to stifle

dissent in the United States.



Police have attacked protestors with tear gas, pepper

spray, concussion grenades, stun guns and by shooting

activists with rubber bullets. Medics have not been

allowed in through the police lines to treat the injured.



Protestors have been grabbed, seemingly at random, and

taken off the street in snatch operations conducted by

police in unmarked vehicles. The police are also directly

targeting the legal support for the demonstrators,

including National Lawyers Guild Legal Observers. Many who

have been taken away have been beaten.



Your urgent help is needed now. The National Lawyers Guild

and the Miami Activist Defense are asking that you contact

the Mayors, the City Attorney, Police Chief Timoney and

the media. Below is contact information -- please call or

email now and let them know their actions will not be

tolerated.



The attack on the protestors gives lie to the claim that

the U.S. is fighting for democracy abroad -- when people

who participate in political dissent at home are subject

to brutal systematic police abuse and government

repression.



The U.S. government in pursuit of corporate globalization

uses all methods in its arsenal - from invasion and

bombing to economic sanctions and IMF imposed austerity

plans. The FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas) is

merely another mechanism to extend the exploitative reach

of corporate domination over the people of the Americas.



Show your solidarity with the people in the streets of

Miami. Miami Activist Defense asks that the following be

contacted:



ALEX PENELAS

Mayor, Miami-Dade County

305-829-9336 home

305-375-5071 office



MANUEL A. DIAZ

Mayor, City of Miami

305-250-5300

305-375-5071

mannydiaz@ci.miami.fl.us<\/a>



JOHN TIMONY

Chief of police

305-673-7925

305-579-6565



ALEJANDRO VILARELLO

City Attorney

305-416-1800

law@ci.miami.fl.us<\/a>



JOE ARRIOLA

City Manager

jarriola@ci.miami.fl.us<\/a>



JOHNNY WINTON

Miami City Commissioner

305-858-7344 home

305-250-5333 office



KATY SORENSON

Miami Dade County Commissioner

305-375-5218

305-378-6677



Local media has been grossly biased in their coverage.

While this is somewhat to be expected the following are

numbers that people could call.

CBS4: 305-639-4551, 305-639-4601, 305-639-4426

WPLG channel 10: 305-576-6397

WSUN Fox: 954-524-0388 (Rosh Lowe)



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