<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.19222">
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=dbarnes333@gmail.com href="mailto:dbarnes333@gmail.com">Doug Barnes</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=dbarnes333@gmail.com
href="mailto:dbarnes333@gmail.com">Doug Barnes</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, May 22, 2012 10:21 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Presidential candidate Stephen Durham denounces
police-state tactics against free speech in Chicago Test 1</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><BR><BR>
<DIV class=gmail_quote>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<P><FONT size=+0><A href="http://www.socialism.com/drupal-6.8/?q=node/1831"
target=_blank><IMG style="MIN-HEIGHT: 152px; WIDTH: 230px" border=0 hspace=0
alt="" src="cid:A33ABC8914AB4D7694FFD64DA550E881@owneryr3fp4mcb" width=230
height=152></A> <BR>________________________________________________________________________<BR><B>Freedom
Socialist 2012 Presidential Campaign, <A href="mailto:VoteSocialism@gmail.com"
target=_blank>VoteSocialism@gmail.com</A></B> </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<BR>May 21, 2012 </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>Contacts: Doug Barnes, Campaign Manager, <A
href="tel:206-326-9771" target=_blank value="+12063269771">206-326-9771</A>
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT color=#800000 size=4><B>Presidential candidate Stephen Durham denounces
<BR>police-state tactics against free speech in Chicago</B> </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>A massive concentration of police forces in Chicago culminated
yesterday <BR>in a brutal attack on non-violent anti-NATO protesters. It was
nationally <BR>coordinated, orchestrated by Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel, and
designed <BR>to manufacture a climate of fear and intimidation. But it failed to
suppress <BR>political dissent. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>I arrived in Chicago last Thursday, May 17th with a team of
supporters to <BR>get the word out about the Freedom Socialist Party
presidential campaign. <BR>My running mate, Christina López and I were certain
that demonstrators in <BR>Chicago would be highly interested in our un-million
dollar campaign to get <BR>out the vote for the greater good, not the lesser
evil. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>In all my years of activism, I've never seen so many cops. They
were <BR>everywhere downtown - surrounding public buildings, on every street
<BR>corner, in subways stations and on platforms. Even our hotel housed a
<BR>multi-state conglomeration of police and K-9 units. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>It amounted to a police-occupied Chicago. In a preemptive
police raid <BR>Wednesday evening authorities arrested three activists on
charges of <BR>terrorism. It was quickly learned that they had been set up by
police <BR>infiltrators. Unlawful and random questioning, searching and
detaining <BR>NATO protesters before activities began also took place. As the
National <BR>Lawyers Guild and the People's Law Office declared, "Preemptive
raids <BR>like this are a hallmark of National Special Security Events. Clearly
the <BR>hand of the Obama administration and Homeland Security was present
<BR>in Chicago." </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>This entire police operation was designed to stop free speech
before it <BR>started. First, the mayor refused to issue permits for the
demonstrations. <BR>The NATO/G8 protest coalition then took the city to court -
and won. At <BR>that point President Obama decided to move the G8 summit to Camp
David. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>I consider the brutish, bully clubs used by the police
yesterday a direct <BR>response to this earlier court victory by protest
organizers. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>None of these tactics prevented thousands of people from
showing up for <BR>three days of spirited demonstrations. I was inspired by the
message of the <BR>May 18th National Nurses United rally and its call for taxing
the rich and <BR>diverting military spending to pay for healthcare. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>Another march on Saturday, May 19th had a similar message as
they <BR>denounced the closure of mental health clinics in Chicago by marching
to <BR>the mayor's residence. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>The week's anti-NATO activities peaked on Sunday, May 20th with
a <BR>massive rally and march against NATO. Peaceful protesters steadfastly
<BR>marched past phalanxes of city, state and federal police. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>During this closing rally, at the corner of Michigan and 22nd,
veterans who <BR>had served in Iraq and Afghanistan gave heart-felt statements
about the <BR>crimes that they had witnessed by U.S. and NATO forces. They then
<BR>hurled their military medals towards the site of the NATO Summit.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>While the vets were still speaking, I witnessed riot police
move in <BR>formation to block the main exit route from the demonstration. This
military <BR>maneuver created dangerous conditions, corralling a crowd of
thousands <BR>who had marched for over two hours in 90 degree heat into an area
with <BR>no clear exit. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>My campaign team and I managed to scramble over a raised
traffic island <BR>just as the police encircled the crowd. Those not able to
make it out were <BR>shoved and beaten by row upon row of police in riot gear. I
was appalled to <BR>see later on the news that the police brass justified their
brutality by <BR>claiming protesters refused orders to disperse. I heard no such
orders as <BR>police moved towards us in formation to block the main exit route.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>The Durham-Lopez campaign denounces this effort to smother free
speech <BR>and criminalize legal protest. It amounted to a military training
exercise for <BR>police forces. And, as a Chicago bystander told me, it was an
attempt to <BR>"train" the public into silence. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>Clearly, it was a failed attempt. Despite Chicago and federal
agencies <BR>police actions yesterday, public protest gained new ground in
Chicago. As <BR>yesterday shows, thousands were ready to come out against the
policies <BR>of war and poverty despite stepped-up efforts to harass, intimidate
and <BR>chill political dissent. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>The Durham-López presidential campaign stands committed to free
<BR>speech and the right of assembly along with every other right embodied
<BR>in the Bill of Rights. We condemn the attack on demonstrators in Chicago
<BR>and oppose encroaching police-state actions of state, local and federal
<BR>governments, the FBI and Homeland Security. Their goal is to <BR>undermine
the power of the public to organize and mobilize for change <BR>in every aspect
of our lives. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>Chicago, during the NATO Summit, shows how important it is for
us all <BR>to organize, protest and vote against every elected official - from
the <BR>president on down - who fails to condemn the suppression that took
<BR>place in Chicago over the past several days. <BR></FONT><FONT
size=+0>___________________________________________________________</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>For interviews, contact Doug Barnes, Campaign
Manager</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><B>Freedom Socialist 2012 Presidential Campaign Committee</B>
<BR>4710 University Way NE, Ste. 100<BR>Seattle, WA 98105<BR>Phone: <A
href="tel:206-985-4621" target=_blank value="+12069854621">206-985-4621</A>
<BR>Email: </FONT><A href="mailto:VoteSocialism@gmail.com" target=_blank><FONT
size=+0>VoteSocialism@gmail.com</FONT></A></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><B><U>NATIONAL CAMPAIGN OFFICES</U></B> </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0>Baltimore - Email: </FONT><A
href="mailto:fspbaltimore@hotmail.com" target=_blank><FONT
size=+0>fspbaltimore@hotmail.com</FONT></A><FONT size=+0> <BR></FONT><FONT
size=+0>Port Angeles, Wash. - Tel: <A href="tel:360-452-7534" target=_blank
value="+13604527534">360-452-7534</A> - Email: </FONT><A
href="mailto:lfdanks@yahoo.com" target=_blank><FONT size=+0></FONT></A><FONT
size=+0><A href="mailto:lfdanks@yahoo.comLos"
target=_blank>lfdanks@yahoo.com</A></FONT><FONT size=+0><BR>Los Angeles - Tel:
<A href="tel:323-732-6416" target=_blank value="+13237326416">323-732-6416</A> -
Email: </FONT><A href="mailto:fspla@earthlink.net" target=_blank><FONT
size=+0>fspla@earthlink.net</FONT></A><FONT size=+0> <BR></FONT><FONT
size=+0>Portland, Ore. - Tel: <A href="tel:503-240-4462" target=_blank
value="+15032404462">503-240-4462</A> - Email: </FONT><A
href="mailto:fsp@igc.org" target=_blank><FONT
size=+0>fsp@igc.org</FONT></A><FONT size=+0> <BR></FONT><FONT size=+0>Newark, NJ
- Tel: <A href="tel:973-643-0499" target=_blank
value="+19736430499">973-643-0499</A> <BR></FONT><FONT size=+0>San Francisco -
Tel: <A href="tel:415-864-1278" target=_blank
value="+14158641278">415-864-1278</A> - Email: </FONT><A
href="mailto:bafsp@earthlink.net" target=_blank><FONT
size=+0>bafsp@earthlink.net</FONT></A><FONT size=+0> <BR></FONT><FONT
size=+0>New York City - Tel: <A href="tel:212-222-0633" target=_blank
value="+12122220633">212-222-0633</A> - Email: </FONT><A
href="mailto:fsp@nyct.net" target=_blank><FONT
size=+0>fsp@nyct.net</FONT></A><FONT size=+0> <BR></FONT><FONT size=+0>Seattle -
Tel: <A href="tel:206-722-2453" target=_blank
value="+12067222453">206-722-2453</A> - Email: </FONT><A
href="mailto:FSPSeattle@mindspring.com" target=_blank><FONT
size=+0>FSPSeattle@mindspring.com</FONT></A><FONT size=+0> <BR></FONT><FONT
size=+0>___________________________________________________________<BR></FONT></P></DIV></DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>