Activists to resubmit permit applications, demand immediate approval: Tens of thousands will march on the RNC to protest the War

For Immediate release: April 19, 2007
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Activists to resubmit permit applications, demand immediate approval: Tens of thousands will march on the RNC to protest the War in Iraq!

Friday, April 20, at 12 noon at the St. Paul Police Community Services Unit, 1169 Rice Street, St. Paul, anti-war organizers will resubmit permit applications for protests at the RNC and issue a statement to the media. Since the announcement that the 2008 Republican Convention would take place in St. Paul, Twin Cities anti-war organizations and others have been making plans to hold protests against the U.S. war on Iraq. Permit applications and payments were submitted in October 2006, and returned by St. Paul police in March. Activists say it is more important than ever for St. Paul police to take immediate action granting permits to local groups organizing large, legal protests.

On Wednesday, April 4, the city council voted unanimously for a resolution that directs city personnel to “ensure the right to political speech and civic debate” during the 2008 Republican National Convention. Protest organizers say the spirit of this resolution can be put in concrete terms by taking immediate action on protest permit applications.

Activists are angered by a recent announcement of Ramsey County Sheriff Fletcher. Fletcher calculated that he will need a budget of $4.4 million to handle the detention of as many as 3000 protesters during the RNC. “If Fletcher wants to spend $4.4 million to jail us, his colleagues should spend 4.4 seconds signing these applications so we can move ahead with our plans for a large, legal protest against the war in Iraq,” said Jess Sundin of the Anti-War Committee.

She continued, “Bush is waging a terrible war on the Iraqi people. Failing to approve our permits in a timely manner, only serves to suppress organizing efforts against the war. City government is immense resources to hosting the RNC. They should put their efforts into accommodating protesters, not just jailing us. We want permits to demonstrate at the RNC in 2008. But permits or not, we will speak out against the war in Iraq, when we take to the streets of St Paul September 1-4, 2008.”

Earlier this week, St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington said, "You plan for worst-case scenarios and then you do everything in your power to make sure that doesn't happen." Instead of focusing on worst-case scenarios, the city can deal with the things it knows are going to happen. They know there will be protests in St. Paul, including a huge march demanding an end to the war in Iraq. The city should stop waiting, stop deliberating, and immediately grant these permit applications.

Local organizations that have signed on to the protests include the Anti-War Committee, Iraq Peace Action Coalition, Students for a Democratic Society (U of M), Twin Cities Peace Campaign–Focus on Iraq, Women Against Military Madness, the Welfare Rights Committee and AFSCME Local 3800.

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