Help get permits for the RNC in NYC!

Help get permits for the RNC in NYC!

Dear Friends and Members of Freedom Now,
I have some great news and an urgent plea for your support.

On June 7, 2004 our Free Assembly Resolution was introduced to the City
Council and assigned to the Gov. Ops. Committee as reso 389-2004 but the
final wording was being negotiated until just recently so we had nothing to
show you. Below is the latest version which could be refined more but not
likely to be as we seem to be gaining more and more support on the council
for what is already there.

Tuesday night I went to a Staten Island Democratic Assoc. meeting and
apprised them of this resolution and they unanimously voted to endorse reso
389-2004 right there and then.

Yesterday I appeared and testified in favor before the Gov. Ops.. Committee
of the City Council at a public hearing on reso 389-2004 Freedom of Assembly
Resolution. They held a surprise vote on it and it passed by a vote of 6-0-1
so it is now before the entire council for a vote at a general meeting. We
were, and are, hoping to get that reso 389-2004 on the agenda of the city
council to vote sometime in June because after that it might be too late to
make it in time for the RNC coming to NYC. It seems it might happen -
perhaps sooner - and that puts a lot of pressure on us to mobilize public
support more. We need individuals and groups to write and call their council
members, and even Speaker Miller if possible (he is one of the original
sponsors of it) and ask for their support in getting it passed. This will be
a ground breaking accomplishment because although this problem is happening
all over the country NYC is the first to, or will be the first, to get such
a resolution passed. Maybe the only one. It is difficult to keep track as
things change as we speak but we have ³officially² about 21 co-sponsors on
the city council and we anticipate more have not been officially recorded
yet. But we can¹t take anything for granted so we need to gain all the
support we can - also we want this to be another overwhelming vote like reso
60-2004 was (about the Patriot Act) which emphasizes how important and
accepted it is to and by the people of NYC.

We are asking you all to write your council member and ask for his/her
support on reso 389-2004. And to ask your groups to endorse resolution
389-2004 and as a group write to as many council members as you can to
further ask for their support and to vote for reso 389-2004.

The verbiage of reso 389-2004 follows and below that is a copy of my
testimony before the Gov. Ops Committee. (Note: not included from my
testimony was a response to Chairman Perkins who impromptu on the record
acknowledged all the hard work we did, and thanked us for it, on reso
60-2004. I thanked him and all those on the council for their great
leadership in supporting and voting for that reso for the people of NYC: I
then expressed our deepest gratitude from us volunteers from the NYCBORDC to
the City Council for honoring us with a Proclamation on April 1, 2004 for
all our hard work and for being a great service to the city, the residents
and those that visit here because of our work on reso 60-2004.

=================
Reso 389-2004
-------
Before The City Council of The City of New York
Introduced on June 7, 2004



Res. No. 389-A - 2004

Resolution calling upon government officials to protect and uphold First
Amendment rights to freedom of speech, association and assembly.

By The Speaker (Council Member Miller) and Council Member Perkins

Whereas, The exercise of the First Amendment rights of speech, association
and assembly is essential to the well being of a democratic society; and

Whereas, New York City has a long tradition that celebrates robust public
discussion of public issues, including the unfettered expression of opinions
and
view points at public demonstrations, marches (or parades) and rallies; and

Whereas, Peaceful political expression is a fundamental right under the
United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the New York State
Constitution; and

Whereas, The forthcoming Republican National Convention will test New Yorkís
commitment to freedom of speech, association, and expression; and

Whereas, The members of the Council of the City of New York believe that
there is no inherent conflict between the Cityís duty to secure public
safety and protect lawful political activity; and

Whereas, The members of the Council of the City of New York want to ensure
that permit applications for public demonstrations related to the Republican
National Convention are acted upon in a timely manner and that such permits
are not unreasonably denied or, if granted, do not place unreasonable
constraints upon the location or route and the duration of such activities;
and

Whereas, The members of the Council of the City of New York want to ensure
that the Handschu decree is enforced in a manner that does not infringe upon
New Yorkersí participation in lawful political activity; now, therefore, be
it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon Mayor Michael
Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, and Parks Commissioner Adrian
Benepe to affirm and uphold the exercise of First Amendment rights in New
York City and, in particular, upon the occasion of the 2004 Republican
National Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York affirms its strong
support for First Amendment values and principles and therefore calls upon
City officials to:

Take affirmative measures to uphold and protect the rights of speech,
expression and association in New York City and, in particular, at the 2004
Republican National Convention, including the creation and implementation of
systems and procedures to ensure ñ that there is reasonable and prompt
action on permit applications for public demonstrations, marches and
rallies; that there is not an unreasonable denial of permit applications or
issuance of permits that place unreasonable constraints upon expressive
activity; and that written explanations are provided when permits are
denied, in whole or in part, and suitable alternatives are offered that to
the extent reasonably possible meet the requirements of permit applicants;

Refrain from the use of forceñ including the use of horses, pepper spray or
other instruments of forceñ in policing public demonstrations except to the
minimal extent required as necessitated by legitimate law-enforcement
purposes;

Allow demonstrations to take place in close proximity to and within sight
and sound of the object of the demonstrations, consistent with reasonable
security concerns;

Make every effort to facilitate access to as well as freedom of movement at
public demonstrations, marches and rallies through effective communication
in advance of and at the site of public demonstrations;

Minimize the use of barricades to confine the movement of people at public
demonstrations;

Refrain from the use of four-sided enclosures known as ìpensî to contain
people engaged in expressive activities except in limited circumstances
based on legitimate and reasonable security concerns, and in such
circumstances ensure that such enclosures have sufficient openings to allow
people to exit a pen, move freely around the demonstration site and return
to the pen if there is sufficient space;

Train City police officers and others involved in the administration and
policing of public demonstrations, marches and rallies about the First
Amendment rights of persons engaged in lawful expressive activities;

Refrain from engaging in a preliminary inquiry or investigation of
individuals or groups, as provided in the Handschu decree, based solely upon
their participation in activities protected by the First Amendment, such as
political advocacy or the practice of religion; and

Ensure that pursuant to the Handschu decree, all authorizations for a
preliminary inquiry or investigation of political activity are reduced to
written memoranda; and be it further

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York acknowledges the
responsibility of the police department and other City officials to protect
public safety and uphold the exercise of First Amendment rights; however, in
executing these responsibilities, the police department and City officials
must ensure that First Amendment activity is not prohibited, denied or
limited except when based upon legitimate public safety concerns.




- FreedomNow
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Freedom_Now