For Immediate Release: July 1, 2008

St Paul officials face lawsuit, violated rights of anti-war organizer leafleting at Obama rally

Press Conference
July 2. 9am

In front of Federal Building,
300 S 4th St, Minneapolis

A lawsuit for damages totaling $75,000 will be filed in Federal Court, July 2, by attorneys representing Mick Kelly. Kelly, an organizer for the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War, was arrested outside the Xcel Center June 5 while passing out leaflets at the Obama rally. He was promoting the September 1 anti-war march at the Republican National Convention. Police placed him under arrest, then he was searched, put in a squad car and taken to the old police headquarters where he was cited for soliciting and peddling.

Mr. Kelly states, “The city of Saint Paul violated my right to speak out against the war and to encourage people to come to the march on the Republican National Convention. It is part of a larger pattern of the city attempting to suppress the right to dissent. For example, the city has refused to grant a workable permit for the September 1 protest. The blame needs to placed at the door of Mayor Coleman and the city administration as a whole.”

The suit names the City of St. Paul and the individual officers involved in the arrest. Kelly is represented by attorneys Ted Dooley, Gena Berglund and Peter Nickitas, all members of the National Lawyers Guild.

Attorney Ted Dooley states, “What happened to Mick Kelly was illegal. The mayor, the city and the police will have to explain it in Federal Court. This is a straight signal to St. Paul City officials: The people have the constitutional right to speak out against the war and injustice, even though the Republican National Convention happens to come to town.”

News Alert

For Release: Thursday, June 19, 2008
Contact: Jess Sundin 612.379.3584

Coalition planning anti-war protest at RNC to hold Open House at new office

The Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War will celebrate their new offices with an Open House this Friday, June 20. The group is planning a massive anti-war protest for the first day of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul in September.

The open house will be held at the just-opened office of the coalition on Friday from 4:30 to 6:00 pm in room 112C, 1313 5th Street S.E. in Minneapolis. The public is invited to the open house to get involved in building the September 1st protest. The office is located in the UTech Building in the Dinkytown neighborhood of Minneapolis.

"The opening of our public office is another step in building for the largest possible anti-war protest on September 1st, the opening day of the Republican National Convention," said Jess Sundin.

Sundin went on to say, "Volunteers will be using the office every day from now until September 1st to get out the word that if you are against the war and want U.S. troops brought home, the place to be on September 1st is on the streets of St. Paul. This office will be a hub of activity, with people coming in to make phone calls, make signs and banners and carry out the huge number of tasks needed to make a clear anti-war statement on the streets of St. Paul on September 1st."

Organizers say that the coalition organizing the September 1st protest is continuing efforts to get a permit for the march from the city of St. Paul.

Organizers of RNC anti-war protest set to respond to permit issued and permitting process

Monday, March 3 @ 4 pm
In front of St Paul City Hall (15 West Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul)

Organizers of the massive anti war march planned for September 1, the opening day of the Republican National Convention, and attorneys will respond to the permit issued by St Paul city authorities.

There are some real problems with the permit issued. The permit only affirms that we have the State Capitol grounds and it fails to define the route that the demonstration will use to march on the Xcel Center. Tens of thousands of people from around the country are coming here to do exactly that. We need to get this settled.

In addition, we will be responding to the series of disturbing reports over the past week that indicate that city intends to respond to the demonstrations at the RNC by curtailing our right to protest. This includes reports that all demonstrations will be confined to a single route and place to gather. This is unacceptable.

In the past city officials were talking about “the entire city of St Paul being a free speech zone.” Now they are talking about glorified protest pens. We also reject the framework that St Paul police have created to infiltrate and spy on groups that plan protests at the RNC. And we are opposed to the attempts by police officials to forbid any protests at the Xcel Center September 2-4.

On Saturday, March 1, the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War will rally at the State Capitol at 11 am and march to the Xcel Center. This will be the second in a series of recurring demonstrations to pressure the city of St. Paul to grant a permit for an anti-war march on September 1, the first day of the Republican National Convention (RNC).

A St. Paul city ordinance states that permits for a recurring event can be granted within 30 days of the request. As part of a new strategy first enacted in January, the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War applied for a recurring permit to rally in front of the State Capitol and march to the Xcel Center on the 1st of every other month culminating with the September 1st protest at the RNC. So far, city officials have granted permits for the January and March demonstrations but continue to withhold a permit for September 1st.

St. Paul police have given no indication that they will grant permits in a timely manner, instead focusing on their capacity to repress protest activities. Last week the Star Tribune revealed new guidelines for the St. Paul police to use when infiltrating activist groups. St. Paul police recently ordered 230 additional Taser weapons, enough for every officer on the force. They insist these policies are not related to the RNC.

"We're frustrated that the St. Paul police seem more concerned with spying on activists and intimidating protesters than with upholding our right to freedom of speech," said Katrina Plotz of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. "We applied for permits over a year ago. Having a permit is crucial for our ability to organize a national anti-war demonstration that will draw tens of thousands. We have the right to protest the war within site and sound of the Xcel Center during the RNC, and we expect a permit to guarantee that right."

"The protest on March 1 is important because it kicks off a month of protests against the war in Iraq," said Anh Pham, also a member of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. "This is the 5th anniversary and anti-war activists still say no to war. As long as the Iraqi people suffer under occupation, progressive people will come to St Paul to say, 'No to the Republican agenda, No to wars for profit, Money for human needs and not for war, Troops out now!'" Organizers expect a turnout of 200-300 people for the demonstration on March 1.

A press conference will be held in front of St. Paul City Hall on Monday, March 3 at 3:30 pm. There, activists will answer questions about the permit process and discuss their concerns about the St. Paul Police Department's approach to the RNC.

Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War

For Immediate Release: January 2, 2008

Activists unveil a new strategy for obtaining permits to march on the RNC

On Wednesday January 2, the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War will hold a press conference at 11:00 am at the state capitol and march to the Xcel Energy Center. This is part of a new strategy for obtaining permits for a large anti-war march on September 1, 2008 during the Republican National Convention. Speakers will include activists and attorneys from the National Lawyers Guild and or American Civil Liberties Union. Click here to continue reading...

Below is a letter sent today to the Minneapolis authorities considering a new ordinance to require permits for all demonstrations. Please feel free to contact your elected City representatives and express your opinion on this matter. The letter is from Bruce Nestor, Secretary of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild.

Click here to continue reading...