Urgent call to action: Protesters brutalized in Mami

[G_j]

from www.ftaaimc.org

Urgent Call to Action: FTAA Protesters Brutalized in Miami!
This week thousands of protestors came to Miami to oppose the FTAA.

 The Free Trade Agreement of the Americas is an international trade agreement that aims to extend corporate control throughout the Western Hemisphere.

Prior to the mass action there was a calculated campaign on the part of the police to intimidate and harass protestors.  One officer characterized this campaign by saying "You can beat the rap, but not the ride".

As we feared, our protests were met by a massive show of state repression, backed by $8.5 million in US Government funding.  Miami Police Commissioner John Timoney oversaw a massive, paramilitary assault on our constitutional and human rights  
Protestors were attacked by police wielding batons, tear gas, pepper spray, rubber, wooden, and plastic bullets and other chemical agents. Over 100 protestors were treated for injuries; 12 were hospitalized.

 Police dispersed large groups of peaceful protestors with tear gas, pepper spray and open fire.  Small groups leaving the protests were harassed, arrested and beaten. This campaign of fear and intimidation culminated in the closure and militarization of downtown Miami. There were confirmed reports of military tanks patrolling the streets after dark on Thursday night.

Our legal team estimates more than 250 arrests.  People have become political prisoners and are being held in jail.  More than 50 of them were arrested while holding a peaceful vigil outside the jail in solidarity with those inside.  They were surrounded by riot police and ordered to disperse.  As they did, police opened fire and blocked the streets preventing many from leaving.

We are now receiving reports from people being released or calling from jail that there is excessive brutality, sexual assault and torture going on inside.  People of color, Queer and transgender prisoners are particularly being targeted.  There is a confirmed report of one Latino man arrested along with 62 others outside Miami-Dade County Jail Friday, who is currently hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit for an injury he received after being beaten in the head with night stick by an arresting officer.

People have also been denied access to attorneys, visitation rights, vegetarian or vegan food, and access to essential medication and medical attention.

We call on people from around the globe to take action immediately to support our sisters and brothers who are being unfairly arrested and brutalized.    We are calling for three immediate actions:

1) Call, fax, email elected officials with the demands listed below.  Contact information below.

2)  Money is urgently needed to get people out of jail.   They are making everyone post between $100 - $5000 I in bail.  We are working with bail bondsmen, but this is not enough.

 Send money to cover legal and jail-support expenses including: bail, getting people rides back home and other legal costs.  Please send money to:  United for Peace and Justice.  Online donations are possible at www.unitedforpeace.org/ftaadonate

 You can also mail a check or money order to:  United for Peace and Justice/FTAA Fund P.O. Box 607, Times Square Station, New York, NY  10108. Please specify Legal Fund in the memo field:

3) Global Day of Action on Monday at any time and any appropriate location.  This could be US Embassies, Departments of Justice or FBI offices

THESE ARE OUR DEMANDS:
*    
Drop all charges.
*    
Release all political prisoners.
*    
Meet basic human needs: no more brutality, provide appropriate food, access to medicine and medical attention, warm clothing.
*    
Provide access to attorneys and visitation rights.
*    
Provide equitable treatment to all prisoners.
*    
Do not share information collected with the INS.
*    
Fire Chief Timoney

Many thanks for your support. It is urgently needed. In solidarity,
Direct Action Contingency, Miami
To send a free fax:
http://www.citizen.org/fax/background.cfm?ID=245&source=19

PLEASE CALL AND WRITE:

MANUEL A. DIAZ, Mayor, City of Miami
305.250.5300
305.375.5071
[e-mail] OR [e-mail]

ALEX PENELAS,  Mayor, Miami-Dade County
305.829.9336 home
305.375.5071 office
Chief of Staff:   Francois Illas    [e-mail]

KATHERINE FERNANDEZ RUNDLE
State Attorney
305.547.0100

JOHN TIMONEY
Chief of Police
305-673-7925
305-579-6565

OTHER NUMBERS

Local media has been grossly biased in their coverage. While this is somewhat to be expected, the following are numbers that people can call to voice frustration.
CBS4: 305-639-4551, 305-639-4601, 305-639-4426
WPLG channel 10: 305-576-6397
WSUN Fox: 954-524-0388 (Rosh Lowe)

Miami Jail Information:  To track people in the system try: www.miami-dadeclerk.com

Miami-Dade Jail (felonies)
Facility Supervisor: Captain E. Cambridge Address: 1320 NW 13 Street Miami, FL. 33125 Facility Phone: [phone]

Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center (misdemeanors) Facility Supervisor: Captain M. Fernandez Address: 7000 NW 41 Street Miami, Fl. 33166 Facility Phone:[phone]

Carlos Alvarez,
Director of Metropolitan Sheriff Department Miami-Dade Police Department
9105 Northwest 25th Street
Miami, FL 33172-1500 USA
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

OTHER CONTACT NUMBERS OF CITY OFFICIALS
ALEJANDRO VILARELLO
City Attorney
305-416-1800

JOHNNY WINTON,  Miami City Commissioner
305.858.7344 home
305.250.5333 office

Commissioner Johnny L. Winton
E-mail: [e-mail]

KATY SORENSON, Miami Dade County Commissioner 305.375.5218
305.378.6677

Commissioner Angel Gonzalez
E-mail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]

Commissioner Joe M. Sanchez
District 3
E-mail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]

Commissioner Tomas P. Regalado
District 4
E-mail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]

Commissioner Arthur Teele, Jr.
District 5
E-mail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]

City Manager Joe Arriola E-mail: [e-mail] Telephone: [phone] City Attorney Alejandro Vilarello
E-mail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]

City Attorney's Office
444 SW 2nd Avenue, Suite 945
Miami, Florida 33130

[nofurylike]

1. outrage

thank you for the work giving us the information, contacts.

doing now.

peace

[slaveplanet]

2. John Time money

Timoney was police commissioner in Philadelphia during the 2000 Republican National Convention, when more than 400 demonstrators were arrested.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/6292035.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

[G_j]

3. National Lawyers Guild: Open letter to Mayor Diaz

http://www.nlg.org/news/statements/ftaa_letter.htm

November 20, 2003

Mayor Manuel A. Diaz
City Hall
Miami, FL 33133

Dear Mayor Diaz:

The actions of the Miami Police Department this week have violated the fundamental due process and First Amendment rights of thousands of peaceful protesters gathering to voice their opposition to the Free Trade Area of the Americas summit. We call on you and City Attorney Alejandro Vilarello to respect the Constitutional rights of these defendants. We also demand a full-scale, independent investigation into the police officers’ alarming behavior, with the results to be made public.

The National Lawyers Guild is on site observing numerous illegal practices that Miami City leadership has referred to as a “blueprint for Homeland Security,” including:

Indiscriminate, excessive force against hundreds of nonviolent protesters with weapons including pepper spray, tear gas and concussion grenades, and rubber bullets;
Singling out of NLG Legal Observers wearing highly visible neon green caps. We have confirmed reports that five Legal Observers were arrested, and four of those assaulted by police officers;
Police stopping and snatching protesters, seemingly at random, into unmarked vehicles;
Police shooting protestors with rubber bullets and trapping them by police lines, resulting in major injuries. Police repeatedly refused to allow Medics into these areas to treat the injured.
Such paramilitary tactics are ill-conceived and self-defeating and have no place in a democratic society. Such tactics are not only in direct violation of the constitutional rights of protesters, but also make young and inexperienced police officers more nervous, increasing the likelihood of serious bodily injury to many.

The National Lawyers Guild, founded in 1937, comprises over 6,000 members and activists committed to fighting social injustice in this country and the rest of the world. We are dedicated to defending the First Amendment.

We urge you to immediately put an end to unconstitutional police practices and policies.

Sincerely,

Michael Avery
President

cc: Chief of Police John F. Timoney
City Attorney Alejandro Vilarello

[Stone_Spirits]

4. kick

:kick::kick:

[NicRic]

5. Surprising action in a state ....

that has a bush for governor ! You know how compassionate the bushes are ,Jeb must be investigating this matter as we speak ! OK ,sarcasim off. While bush is in another country speaking about how he loves visiting a country where people have the freedom to protest,the police in the state his brother governs are beating up protesters .I bet someone could make a reallly cool video with bushes speech in the background, while the visions of the police beating the crap out of Americans,on the screen !
Take Care,NicRic

[Mika]

6. Very funny

All but three of the names of commissioners, mayors, PD chief you posted are extremist right wingnut Cuban-American "exiles" who sponsored and marched in the pro war rally in Miami on March 15 (on the same day the whole world protested Bush's wave of war).

They marched behind two GIANT pro war banners that read,

HITLER = SADDAM = CASTRO = CHAVEZ

&

President Bush, IRAQ TODAY - CUBA AND VENEZUELA TOMORROW



Get the picture? Miami isn't like any other city in the USA.

Appealing to these Miami based cretins for 'justice' just gives them personal reasons for more retribution against 'commies' who came to Miami.

[name not needed]

7. i would expect this

during an actual riot, where it would be more acceptable.