Fwd: Occupy DC got Raided Today

[Matthew Baker]

-m

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Ralph Wittenberg" <r.e.wit...@gmail.com>
Date: Feb 4, 2012 7:49 PM
Subject: Fwd: Occupy DC got Raided Today
To: Dr. Amy Price" <dr.am...@gmail.com>, "AngelaSchroeder" <aschro...@gmail.com>, "Alex Sugurel" <alex...@gmail.com>, "Adan Ayala" <adan....@mac.com>, "Debbie Brady" <dbr...@heartcapc.com>, "Lance Breger" <lance...@gmail.com>, "David Black" <dlbla...@aol.com>, "Bernard Wittenberg" <bswi...@gmail.com>, "Sean O&apos;Brien" <sob...@mintconditionyourself.com>, "Barbara Johnson" <barbaraj...@gmail.com>, "Marcy Beildeck" <mbei...@gmail.com>, "Nucchi Currier" <nuc...@gmail.com>, "Kendall Dorman" <x...@wdarchitects.us>, "Jessica Dibb" <jes...@inspirationcommunity.org>, "Emilie Silvestri" <emilie.s...@gmail.com>, "Ragnar Overby" <EcoM...@rcn.com>, "Willie Farrell" <PW...@aol.com>, "Greggory Hammond" <gr...@dcguitarlessons.com>, "Will" <guiller...@yahoo.com>, "Sue Hilyard" <suehi...@hotmail.com>, "Zachary Hindin" <zhi...@gmail.com>, "Justin Zorn" <jmz...@gmail.com>, "Jaume Vidal" <jau...@gmail.com>, "Lise Van Susteren" <lvs...@verizon.net>, "Laetitia Lemoine" <laetitia...@gmail.com>, "Meredy Throop" <meredy...@gmail.com>, "Mary McGloin" <mary.m...@gmail.com>, <matt...@gmail.com>, "Ralph Wittenberg" <r.e.wit...@gmail.com>, "William Carter" <wj...@msn.com>, "Jancis Long" <jan...@hotmail.com>, "Brigitte Ladisch" <brigl...@aol.com>, "Brenda Willetts" <wil...@swbell.net>, "Ginny Stucke" <ginnys...@gmail.com>, "Betsy Clark" <epsc...@rcn.com>, "Jordan Perry" <perr...@gmail.com>, "Sam Wolfe" <sam....@splcenter.org>, "AndrewMayerson" <and...@mayersohn.com>, "Kate Fehlenberg" <katefeh...@gmail.com>, "Suzanne Nash" <mom_...@yahoo.com>, "“Lacy MacAuley" <la...@ips-dc.org>, "Matt Johnson" <mwjoh...@gmail.com>, "Jenn Polish" <jenn....@gmail.com>, "Marie Carlisle" <mariec...@gmail.com>, "Catherine and Gordon Edward" <gu...@verizon.net>, "Kelly (Info)" <planes...@hotmail.com>, "Joseph Ouatarra" <oua...@yahoo.com>, "Brian Merriitt" <brianm...@mac.com>, "John Zangas" <johnz...@hotmail.com>, "Amanda Johnson" <ama...@boldprogressives.org>, "George Chang" <gxc...@gmail.com>, "Chris" <yogi....@gmail.com>, "Maniza Naqvi" <mna...@worldbank.org>

Moe to follow

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: OccupyDC <in...@occupydc.org>
Date: Sat, Feb 4, 2012 at 8:54 PM
Subject: Occupy DC got Raided Today
To: r.e.wit...@gmail.com

Occupy DC At around 5:40 am, the peaceful demonstrators of Occupy D.C., were greeted by helmeted, swarms of U.S. Park Police, dressed in full riot gear--despite the very apparent lack of any riot-- some on horseback, others wearing unnecessary hazmat suits.  Members of the U.S. Park Police immediately began erecting metal barricades around the perimeter and cordoning off sections of McPherson Square (mcpherson square). A member of the Park Police announced that they would commence inspecting the occupation for compliance with park regulations. Despite Occupy DC members’ compliance with the Park Service’s regulations, the uniformed officers of the Park Police, have seized and ransacked demonstrators’ private property. Park Police have exceeded the scope of the enforcement of camping regulations 36 C.F.R. §. 7.96(g)(5)(v)(i), seizing empty tents, and tents with non-camping related materials. What was initially described as being a compliance inspection has revealed itself to be a slow-motion eviction, a 99% eviction. The Park Police maintain that members of Occupy DC have sixty days to obtain property seized during this slow-motion eviction. The following statement was approved by the Occupy DC (McPherson Square) General Assembly on January 21, 2012, to be read at hearing addressing McPherson Square this Tuesday in the Subcommittee on Health Care, District of Columbia, Census and the National Archives, part of the Oversight Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives: Citizens of a free country should not have to ask for permission to occupy public spaces. Our occupation of McPherson Square is an expression of our right to free speech and peaceful assembly. We are maintaining a site of protest -- a physical presence that gives visibility and voice to our dissent. We are creating a space in which free speech flourishes -- not only the speech of occupiers, but that of the general public, the empowered and the disenfranchised alike. It is a sad day in American history when the small act of occupying public space warrants the heavy-handed response of the Federal Government. For live updates follow #OccupyDC @OccupyKSt, @Occupy_DC, @Hoosteen, @kleinjos, @luddofthefuture, @sarah_jeans Press Inquires: 202-540-0155 Me...@occupydc.org UPDATE: 6:14pm Horse-mounted Park Police officers forcibly moved members of Occupy DC out of the last section of McPherson Square. The peaceful demonstrators are currently occupying K Street to hold a General Assembly. View Larger Map Click here to unsubscribe

--
Ralph Wittenberg, MD
1822 Florida Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 758-2865
President
Family Mental Health Institute

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