[PEN-L:34250] The NYC authorities are refusing march permits for Feb. 15

["Ralph Johansen" <michele@xxxxxxxx>]

The following message has been circulated to many lists, reporting the
refusal of the police to issue a permit for United for Peace and Justice to
hold a massive march on February 15

We need addresses of relevant
police officials and the mayor
so that we can  send demands that the officials do their constitutional
duty and allow our march. Prominent supporters of our rights should be
mobilized to demand that
the mayor intervene to guarantee that the first amendment to the
constitution is operative in New York City on February15.

.A fight around this basic democratic rights issue, which involves the whole
drive to limit the rights to oppose U.S. wars and much else, can contribute
to building the march which is also directed against the Patriot Act,
Homeland Security, illegal detentions, racial profiling and the like.

We should also keep in mind that this is taking place as the British
authorities attempt to prevent the rally that day in Hyde Park. We should
not proceed on the assumption that this is a minor problem.  I think a
public fight is needed  to establish our position
in the  public eye before any court action is taken.
Fred Feldman

 Below is an urgent message relayed to us by Todd Chretien.

Please circulate this information far and wide.

From:   ChretienTodd@xxxxxxx    Date:   Thu, 30 Jan 2003 12:09:31 EST

Subject: Subject: NY march permit fight: Feb. 15 2003 March in NYC

NYC Police forbid marching, UFPJ coalition goes to court Thurs. AM!

by mark c (dc-imc) 12:21am Thu Jan 30 '03 (Modified on

10:35am Thu Jan 30, '03)

The NYC authorities are refusing march permits for Feb. 15.

Under no circumstances, they say, will there be a march bigger

than 10,000 people. Why? Because the police cannot contain it.

The following are *excerpts* of  notes from Co-chair Leslie

Cagan of the United For Peace and Justice Coalition (admin.

committee notes.)


a) The NYC Police Dept. informed our lawyers today that they will

NOT issue a parade permit for the demonstration. On the call

today we all agreed to challenge this decision in court. The New

York Civil Liberties Union is representing us and the papers will

be filed in the court tomorrow (Thursday).


The police said they would grant us permission to have a rally,

but for safety and security reasons they will not give us the permit

to march. Our lawyers believe we have a strong case, but

certainly there is no guarantee on what the judge will eventually

decide. [...]More details on the campaign will be forthcoming very

soon. In the meantime it is full steam ahead with the organizing!

This is a start:

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
(212) 788-9600
FAX (212) 788-2460
E-MAIL -- http://nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html