Lack of Permit Won't Stop Anti-War Protest

No to War and Occupation! Bring the Troops HOME NOW!

March and Rally for Civil Liberties at Home and Self-Determination Abroad, On the 2nd Anniversary of the Iraq War.

Saturday, March 19

Noon: Oak St. & Michigan Ave., Chicago [There is not a permit for this assembly point and march]

2PM: Federal Plaza, Adams & Dearborn [There is a permit for this rally]

While the government applauds public protest in cities from Kiev to Beruit, our own city authorities have denied us a permit to march down one of the city's most prominent public corriders -- even though both street and sidewalk marches have been allowed here before, and commercial interests and the police march down the same route each year. On Friday, a federal judge agreed with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley that only his office can decide where and when people can publicly voice their opposition to this war. The police can still change their minds and allow us to march down Michigan Avenue, but we need to pressure our alderman to ask the mayor to do the right thing. This war has already cost Chicago taxpayers more than $2 billion, and both Iraqis and U.S families thousands of lives. We cannot afford to be silent while the war drags on abroad and attacks on our civil liberties at home grow more fierce.

Contact your alderman and tell him/her we want the right to march down Michigan Ave., just as business groups and the police do each year! Go to http://www.cityofchicago.org/ and click on the link named "Your Ward and Alderman" in the center section called "Your Government" to find your alderman -- and call, email and fax to say this is OUR city and we have the right to publicly express our opposition to this war.

And download a double-sided flyer here

Bring as many copies as you can to hand out to passersby on the streets -- so we can get out the anti-war message our government is trying to suppress.

The U.S. government uses our tax dollars to bankroll occupations in Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan, threaten military intervention against Iran and Syria, support right-wing regimes in countries that include Colombia and Haiti, and overthrow the governments of Venezuela and Cuba. The hundreds of billions of dollars our government spends on war and occupation could instead fund affordable health care, housing, education, social security, public transportation and a host of other social and economic needs at right here at home. Send the government a message on this global day of action, along with people marching and rallying across the planet. Join us on March 19.

Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney will head a list of speakers that includes high school students who have organized against the military takeover at Senn High School; a Marine who refused orders to go to Iraq; and a Vietnam Veteran, the father of a GI killed in Afghanistan. People should note that it IS possible that police will arrest people assembling at Oak and Michigan if the cops give an order to disperse and people do not leave. For those who, due to family, work or other commitments, cannot risk arrest, protest organizers note that the 2 pm rally at Federal Plaza was granted a permit months ago by the federal government.

For more information, email chicagoactions@ameritech.net or call 773-209-1187