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.