ACTIVISTS JAILED AFTER TAKING DIRECT ACTION AT STATE REPUBLICAN HEADQUARTERS AGAINST THE EXECUTION OF GARY GRAHAM -- MASSIVE ANTI-DEATH PENALTY DEMONSTRATION FILLS STREETS OUTSIDE
NEXT STEP in NYC: DEMONSTRATION, MARCH AND MORE: WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 5 PM at the Roosevelt Hotel, 45th St. and Madison Ave.
June 20, 2000, NY
A group of seven activists from the International Action Center was arrested yesterday at the offices of the Republican State Committee at 355 Lexington Avenue while over 1,000 protesters demanding the release of Texas death row prisoner Gary Graham (Shaka Sankofa) filled the streets outside.
The group occupied the offices demanding a response to a letter that was sent to several prominent New York Republicans last week, including Governor George Pataki, Mayor Rudi Giuliani, and Republican State Committee Chairman William D. Powers, asking them to prevail upon Governor George Bush to halt the execution of Gary Graham (Shaka Sankofa). When state committee officials would not contact higher officials, the group refused to leave and was arrested.
The arrestees included Qausu Thwaites, Brad Lawton and Deirdre Sinnott of the International Action Center, Elijah Crane of Rainbow Flags for Mumia, Larry Holmes of Millions for Mumia, and Hillel Cohen of local 1199, Service International Union. They were charged with criminal trespass, and will be arraigned today at 100 Center St. An unidentified man who was arrested during the demonstration outside for allegedly slashing a tire on a police vehicle is being charged and arraigned separately.
More than a thousand demonstrators filled the rush hour streets outside, carrying placards and banners and chanting "No justice, no peace/ 'til Shaka's released" and "Hey Bush, what do you say/ how many people have you killed today?" The rally included members of Amnesty International, Black Radical Congress, the Direct Action Network, Refuse and Resist, Campaign Against the Death Penalty, Hunter College Student Liberation Action Movement, and featured speeches by Kevin McGredar of Gay Men of African Descent and writer Minnie Bruce Pratt. The mood among the crowd was militant and passionate as they marched up and down the block, keeping police on their toes and forcing them to halt traffic and erect barricades.
"The voices of an outraged public are the only thing that can save Gary Graham and end the racist death penalty," said Sarah Sloan of the International Action Center. "What is happening here demonstrates that the people will not stand for George Bush's murders."
Similar actions have been taking place all across the country. On June 18, demonstrators in Palo Alto, California, interrupted Bush's high- profile fundraising dinner there. In Detroit a group of religious, labor and community leaders is in the middle of a five-day hunger strike that will last until Graham's scheduled day of execution on June 23. Demonstrations have also taken place in Austin and Houston, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Boston and more.
Today in Huntsville, Texas, Bianca Jagger and the Reverend Jesse Jackson are meeting with Graham. They will hold a press conference there at 5 pm Eastern Time. Jackson has vowed that if the execution is not staid, he will be there to witness what he called "the legal lynching of an innocent man."
In New York, another demonstration will begin outside the headquarters of the Republican County Committee, located the Roosevelt Hotel at 45th St. and Madison Avenue, on Wednesday June 21 at 5 pm. Demonstrators have vowed to maintain a twenty-four hour vigil until Graham's scheduled time of execution at 7 pm Eastern Time on Thursday June 23.
Further actions are scheduled for around the country. For an updated list of activities, see http://www.iacenter.org/juneteenth.htm#nyc . This list is being updated constantly, so keep checking it for demonstrations near you.
Phone, fax and email
Bush and the Texas Board of Pardons:
Email Bush at bushnews@georgewbush.com
Or go to http://www.georgewbush.com/contact/contact.html
Bush in Texas: 512-463-2000; FAX: 512-463-1849, 512-637-8800
NY Republican Party: 212-599-1200
Chairman Texas Board of Pardon and Paroles, Gerald Garrett: 512-463-
1679, Fax 512-463-8120
Executive Clemency Board 512-406-5250
International Action Center
39 West 14th Street, Room 206
New York, NY 10011
email: iacenter@iacenter.org
web: www.iacenter.org
CHECK OUT THE NEW SITE www.mumia2000.org
phone: 212 633-6646
fax: 212 633-2889
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