Joe R. Golowka joegolowka at earthlink.net Anarchist FAQ - http://www.infoshop.org/faq
"Freedom without socialism is privilege and injustice, and socialism without freedom is slavery and brutality." -- Mikhail Bakunin ----- Original Message ----- From: <MWMorrill at aol.com> To: <a-infos-en at tao.ca> Sent: Monday, July 31, 2000 2:28 PM Subject: (en)US, 25,000 Say "No More Business as Usual" in Philly
> ________________________________________________
> A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
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> The first two days of actions in Philadelphia are over and they have been
> great! Five thousand people gathered on Saturday for the Universal Health
> Care Rally. Yesterday, 20,000-25,000 marched at Unity 2000, according to
a
> spokesperson for the Fairmount Park Commission. The rest of the week
should
> be just as exciting, as people participate in numerous actions. Today's
> biggest event is the March for Economic Human Rights beginning at 11:00 AM
at
> City Hall.
>
> The main assembly of Unity 2000 began amassing on JFK Boulevard at 9:00
AM.
> Various groups gathered at different places along the Boulevard to
assemble
> their contingents. There was a sense of excitement in the air as more and
> more people filled the streets and sidewalks. By the time the march
kicked
> off at 10:30, JFK was filled for blocks.
>
> Meanwhile, "feeder marches" formed streams that merged into the main march
to
> form a mighty river. The Camden, NJ march walked over the Franklin Bridge
> and met up with the Chinatown march. The Million Billionaire March began
at
> 29th and JFK, accompanied by the Corpazilla float. SOA Watch/War No More
> joined the main march from 15th and Market St. and the Peace contingent
began
> at the Friends Center.
>
> At one point, people stretched over 7 diagonal blocks, filling a six-lane
> wide parkway. The march was festive and loud with scores of chants and
> music competing for attention.
>
> While the marchers were peaceful, as promised, the police continued their
> intimidation tactics. As the march arrived at Logan Circle, the
> demonstrators were met by cordons of police lining both sides of the
Parkway,
> standing at attention. Unity 2000 organizers immediately contacted the
ACLU
> attorneys who sprung into action. Stefan Presser called Police
Commissioner
> Timoney and demanded their removal. Within minutes, the police
disappeared,
> but the message had already been sent.
>
> Hundreds of people were already on the Parkway when the march arrived.
Folk
> singers had already begun performing to the hundreds of people who chose
not
> to march. The march arrived later than scheduled because of the volume of
> marchers, putting the program behind schedule for most of the day.
>
> The program featured great music and incredible speeches from a variety of
> organizations and issues. The variety of messages spoke to the wide range
of
> concerns that are still unaddressed in our society. The first part of the
> program featured chants by Tibetan monks and issues such as labor rights,
the
> diminishing number of African-American farmers and the attempt to destroy
> Chinatown by placing a baseball stadium in its heart.
>
> At the same time as the program at the main stage, there was great street
> theater going on, as well as impromptu drum circles, dancing and chanting.
> Peace Action brought at 50' inflated missile on a flatbed truck to
emphasize
> the folly of the renewed arms race. The Alliance for Democracy had a 30'
> high Liberty Bell calling for full public financing of elections, the
> Teamsters brought a bus. The hit of the day was Corpazilla, a float
created
> by the Washington Action Group that featured Gore and Bush engaged in mud
> wrestling.
>
> The day was a huge success, bringing together hundreds of organizations to
> emphaize the emptiness of the corporate-dominated economy and poliitcal
> system in the U.S. Despite weeks of police intimidation, and
corporate-media
> sensationalism, 20,000-25,000 people turned out to say "No" to business as
> usual. This bodes well for the rest of the week in Philadelphia and the
> action at the Democratic Convention in Los Angeles in two weeks. It also
> gives hope to the growing movement that despite the opposition of the two
old
> parties and their wealthy benefactors, the people will not be fooled.
>
> Unity 2000
> 315 N. 12th St., #308
> Philadelphia, PA 19107
> 1-215-627-5007-tel
> 1-215-627-5009-fax
> unity2000 at pcan.org
> www.unity2000.com
> Email list: philly2000-subscribe at listbot.com
>
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