2007 ENCAMPMENT AT THE NATIONAL MALL
DC ABC Affiliate Report of Capitol Arrests
Encampment to Stop the War
3rd. St., btw.Constitution & Independence Ave
Washington DC
Thursday, March 15
9 AM in front of Rayburn House Office Building
on Independence Avenue
The House Appropriations Committee will be meeting in the Rayburn Building on Thursday, March 15, at 9:00 AM to “mark up” the legislation approving $100 billion more for the Iraq war.
The Troops Out Now Coalition will be demonstrating in front of the Rayburn Building at 9:00 AM to demand that Congress cut off all funding for the war and bring the troops home immediately. Activists with the Coalition and other organizations participating in the Encampment to Stop the War plan to engage in what they call “creative actions of protest” in front of the Rayburn Building.
Sharon Black, a spokesperson for the Troops Out Now Coalition, said, “It is a crime to spend another penny on this criminal colonial war and occupation in Iraq. If Congress votes for more war funds, then they are voting to continue the war.”
“Sugar-coating the war funding with calls for ‘phased withdrawal’ is no more than a ploy to appease antiwar anger,” continued Black. “A 12 or 18-month withdrawal plan means thousands more dying and being maimed. Congress must cut off the funds and this nightmare now–or the blood of more Iraqis and GIs will be on their hands.”
Text, video and audio updates available online at http://encampmenttostopthewar.blogspot.com
Media Contact: Dustin Langley 646-354-8056
Namwiinga Simwiinga-Khumalo (BG): 646-894-1133
ENCAMPMENT DAY TWO: MARCH 13, 2007:
Podcast: LeiLani Dowell interviews Brian Barraza of Justice for Labor, March 13, 2007
Click here to listen . (Running time is 03:04, filesize is 1.0MB)
LeiLani Dowell interviews AIDS activist Mel Stevens, March 13, 2007
Click here to listen . (Running time is 02:00, filesize is 0.6MB)
ENCAMPMENT DAY ONE: MARCH 12, 2007:
Antiwar Activists Begin Occupation of National Mall; Demand that Congress Cut Off All War Funding
March 13, 2007–(Washington DC)
Yesterday, activists from Wisconsin, Arizona, Missouri, Louisiana, North Carolina, Virginia, New York, Boston, Maine, California, and the Washington DC area gathered on the National Mall to begin the “Encampment to Stop the War.” Organizers with the Encampment are demanding the immediate cut off of all funding for the war in Iraq.
Activists erected a dozen tents on the mall, directly across the reflecting pool from the U.S. Capitol Building. They set up scaffolding to carry 20 foot long banners facing 3rd street on one side and the Capital on the other, both declaring: “Congress: the Whole World is Watching! Cut off War Funds. End the War – Bring the Troops Home!”
Some of the activist workers who helped build the encampment stand in front of the banner. (Axis of Logic Photo)
At a 4pm kick off meeting, Larry Holmes, Vietnam War Veteran and spokesperson for the Troops Out Now Coalition took questions from the press and addressed the Democrats’ “solution” to the 4 year slaughter in Iraq. Holmes said, “Bringing the troops home in 2008 after another 18 months of death and misery is not an anti-war vote. It is in every respect a vote for more war. Their claim to support the troops by funding more war is ludicrous on its face and everyone in this country an around the world knows it. Their claim that they must continue the war to save Iraqis from themselves is an ultimate insult against the people of Iraq and against the intelligence of any thinking, honest person. The claim that their hands are tied, leaving them powerless to end the war now is a lie. If congress were truly against the war, they have the power to shut the government down if necessary to stop the bloodshed. People are camped out on the Washington Mall tonight to declare that we will not tolerate any more obfuscation, deceit and rhetoric. The genocide being visited upon the people of Iraq must stop – not in 2008 – but now.”
Other participants in the opening of the Encampment included: Brenda Stokely of New York City Labor Against the War and the Katrina/Rita Solidarity Network; Dustin Langley, a Navy Veteran; Theresa el-Amin of the Southern Anti-Racism Network; Steve Gillis, Vice President of USWA Local 8751 Boston School Bus Drivers’ Union; Sharon Black of the May 1 Immigrant Rights Coalition; Brian Baraza of the Association of Mexican American Workers, and representatives from Code Pink and the DC Statehood Greens.
After opening remarks, participants gathered for a performance by labor activist and folk singer Anne Feeney.
Singer–Songwriter Anne Feeney entertained the organizers with a lively rendition of “Let Their Heads Roll” (Axis of Logic Photo)
Activists plan to maintain the Encampment at least throughout the coming week, 24 hours a day. John Parker, from the March 25 Coalition for Immigrant Rights, said, “I came in from Los Angeles to participate in the national press conference calling for a May 1st boycott for immigrant rights. However, I decided to come early to participate in the Encampment, because it’s the same pro-war policies that not only kill workers of all nationalities abroad, but also kill and devastate working people, both documented and undocumented here in this country.”
Participants in the Encampment are planning a series of protests and actions throughout the week, including: a delegation of women who will present a petition to the Iraqi embassy demanding the release of 3 women scheduled to be executed; a veterans and military families car caravan to Walter Reed; intervention in House and Senate hearings; and more.
For updates, photos, and more see: http://encampmenttostopthewar.blogspot.com
MEDIA UPDATE
Encampment to Stop the War 3rd. St.,btw.Constitution & Independence Ave Washington DC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 13, 2007
Media Contact: Dustin Langley 646-354-8056
Namwiinga Simwiinga-Khumalo (BG) 646-894-1133
Occupation of the National Mall Begins!
Join the Encampment to Stop the War
March 13, 2007–On Monday, March 12 anti-war activists from around the country converged on Washington DC to setup and participate in the “Encampment to Stop the War”. Activists from Wisconsin, Arizona, Missouri, Louisiana, North Carolina, Virginia, New York, Boston, Maine, California, and the Washington DC area are all participating in the encampment to demand that Congress immediately defund the war in Iraq and withdraw all US troops Now. The money being used for the war and occupation of Iraq is money that belongs to our communities and is needed for AIDS, jobs, housing, health care & education. The war in Iraq must stop Now!
On March 17 those participating in the encampment will join with tens of thousands for the March on the Pentagon organized by the Answer Coalition. The Troops Out Now Coalition is organizing transportation from over 20 cities for this important demonstration. If you haven’t gotten your bus ticket yet, contact a local organizing center http://troopsoutnow.org/feb17mar1707orgcents.shtml , or call 212.633.6646
Podcast: Encampment to Stop the War, Day One
Podcast: WBAI radio (wbai.org) interviews Larry Holmes of Troops Out Now Coalition, Monday, March 12 (Running Time 03:10)
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