community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
Tradition of War Resistance Continues @ Kent State this weekend
by patrick, cleveland imc volunteer
Friday, May. 02, 2003 at 6:08 AM
patraig@hotmail.com
A representative of Kent State University in Ohio has revoked permits for a peaceful rally and an anti-war conference planned for the May 3-4 weekend on the KSU campus. Organizers of the events vow that they will continue as scheduled.
The Kent State Anti-War Committee (KSAWC) has been planning an anti-war rally tentatively scheduled for this Sunday, May 4 at 3:00 PM following the annual May 4 commemoration which begins at noon. However, the Kent State University (KSU) administration has felt it necessary to revoke the permit it had originally granted to KSAWC allowing the rally to take place on Manchester Field. The university cites extremely vague concerns of disturbance they believe will occur on May 4.
KSAWC will hold a press conference on the steps of the Memorial Athletic Convention Center (MACC) Friday, May 2 at 11 AM to discuss the recent events regarding the May 4 anti-war rally.
May 4 is a National Day of Action called by Not in Our Name, (http://www.notinourname.net) an anti-war group dedicated to resisting the so-called "U.S. War on Terror." Kent State is the Midwest Regional Convergence Point, but is not alone in encountering difficulties securing permission to rally. New York City anti-war activists have similarly been denied a permit to peacefully assemble by city officials.
KSAWC finds inspiration in the determination of the anti-war movement of the 1970's following the tragic shootings in Kent and Jackson State. In a statement the group said, "We stand in solidarity with those that have protested immoral and unjust wars throughout history and around the world and we vow to not let our dissent be silenced!"
A anti-war conference that was being planned for May 3 on the KSU campus has also run into trouble. In a meeting with students a KSU representative said they are revoking permission to use KSU rooms that were reserved. The "Throwing a Wrench in the Warmachine" conference, which was being iniated by the Federation of Radical Anarchist Collectives (FRAC), will include workshops, discussions, debates, and movie showings.
The organizers have stated they intend to hold all events in spite of recent developments. The conference and rally will go on as scheduled.
A former KSU student has called for a boycott of KSU and strike by current and potential students in response to the university revoking of permission for the scheduled events.
The events should not interfere with The 33rd Annual May 4, 1970 Commemoration which will also take place on the KSU campus this weekend. The commemoration honors the memory of the four students killed at Kent State when a unit of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a demonstration against the US war in Vietnam and the invasion of Cambodia, killing the four and wounding 9 others. The annual event also recognizes those killed at Jackson State the same year.
More information about...
the rally go to www.ksawc.org
the conference "Throwing a Wrench in the Warmachine" go to www.burningriver.org
the annual commemoration go to dept.kent.edu/may4/33rd/33.htm
follow through
by ben t.
Saturday, May. 03, 2003 at 1:40 PM
Again, do the follow through.Do the protracted legal
challenges to KSU's abuse of its conduct system that should have been decades ago.We can turn this into a chance to free up the physical and political space on campus again, or we can stumble ahead with no strategy.
It's possible to do a legal and politcal challenge to the conduct code which has been used selectively against the left-but it will take focus and persistent work.
12 arrests during march
by Rebecca
Monday, May. 05, 2003 at 9:35 AM
Here's what happened Sunday (see below from the Kent State d-list). We were at the 3 pm rally. The atmosphere was celebrative, with everyone from black blocers to people in their 70s+ and a lot of children hanging out together, drumming on a "drum machine" someone had made... We left before the downtown march since we had 2 small kids with us and were warned that things could get nasty when the march went downtown. On leaving we saw state troopers at the end of every single road exit off route 59, the main route for the march, which was totally blocked off to traffic long before the march would have reached it (how to make townspeople hate protesters, lesson 1). There were police cars all over this small town - way out of proportion.
Here's the report from the d-list:
The action was attacked in what i would call the most
aggresive and ferocious attack on a demo I've seen in
a a long long time. For a march of only a couple
hundred tops, the Kent cops had a helicopter, at least
a hundred riot gear clad cops, and at least one
undercover who fucked up real bad and made his
presence real obvious. They just did not want kent
state or the city of kent to be a place where dissent
could be heard. So here's the word as I understand it
now. 12 arrests who are being charged with 4th degree
misdemeanors (at least that's what people at the
police station were told) 5 arrestees are already out
as i write this. So money will be a need to help
offset the bail costs etc. 2 out-of-State arrestees
are being charged an assinine amount of money $2500
just to get out.
If you can help, MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO MOLLY GENA.
She is the woman who is frontin' a ton of money right
now and will cash the checks. The money will then go
into a legal fund, from which she will be paid back
eventually by the Legal Group which has started and
maintains the fund. Unfortunatley making checks out
to "Cash" will no longer work.
Mail donations to:
Legal Fund
P.O. Box 27376
Cleveland, OH 44127
Feel free to forward this.
K,
Legal Team
and
Burning River Anarchist Collective.
Justin
by Justin Justin Justin Justin
Monday, May. 05, 2003 at 10:41 AM
You kids from Ohio fucking rule! I heard the final tally on donations was $1,000.00. My brother called me @ 1AM to tell me he was let loose. You guys forever have a place to stay in PGH - just email me.
Kent State
by b.
Friday, May. 09, 2003 at 4:24 PM
I went to Kent last weekend for the Burning River (http://www.burningriver.org) anarchist collective's conference, Throwing a Wrench in the Warmachine. It was very well organized and informative.
The next day, Sunday the 4th, we went to Kent State's campus for the annual memorial march. The rally and march that were planned for the day were permitted, until at the last minute, the University decided to revoke both permits. Debate followed and they finally allowed us to gather for a rally, but with no stage and no sound system. So, the speakers had to climb on top of the "Drum Machine," a sort of 6' tall rectangular metal frame on wheels with drums on it. The speakers were good, including Jello Biafra, but it drag on just a little too long. Luckily, Food Not Bombs was there, but I didn't catch where they were from.
Through out the speeches, everyone was being photographed bby different crews of people. Some were undercovers, others were wearing what appeared to be press passes, but were in fact private security ID tags.
Then the march started. We went around to where the four kids had been shot by National Guard troops 33 years ago. A poem was read at each memorial, while the undercovers stood to the side, taking pictures and laughing it up. Serioulsy, one of the most tasteless things I have ever seen.
After the poems were read, about 300 of us marched through the campus, towards the street running past campus, an empty four lane road, with a high concrete divider. A man in the parking lot next to the road ordered us to do something (I can't imagine what) from a PA system on a van. I tried to listen to what he said, but I couldn't hear him. Maybe it was from all of the sound coming from the helicopter that was followng the march...
So we walked for about five blocks, towards downtown, even though we heard that there were riot cops all over the place. We received cheers from the people standing in front of the buildings on this particular suburban strip. The crowd was diverse: children, teenagers, parents, grandparents. There were two unmarked cars ahead of us, blocking our side of the street. Before we could get too close, they'd pull away, drive up a few more blocks, and park again.
Then, the wall of riot cops came out. I was surprised at their speed. Then, there was another wall to our right, on the side street. So we decided to hop over the three foot tall concrete divide (I'm still not sure how the drum machine got over that).
When most of us had gotten onto the sidewalk, the cops charged. They grabbed at least one person who was on the street. Another person was dragged of off the sidewalk, into the street and cuffed. It was at this point when the crowd kind of lost their cool. The cops took advantage of this and started grabbing people who were alone. Then they grabbed some people that they thought were in charge. The cops were roughing up a kid pretty bad behind a wall of riot cops. Another kid with a video camera got too close and was nabbed, five feet in front of the banner we were holding. And behind the row of cops was a cop recording all of us.
We managed to get back to the memorial. A few cops showed up and told us we had ten minutes to disperse. After the cops left, the helicopter started buzzing us. It was too close to the ground to be safe. So, most of us left, not wanting to be arrested.
We went over to the Kent Police Department to wait for those arrested to get out. We were told that 12 people were arrested. Some more people showed up with chalk amnd the sidewalk was decorated. At this point, the chief of police and his crew came out and yelled at us for destroying public property. One of the cops said that his taxes paid for that sidewalk. So, we invited him to draw on it too. Then the chief started ranting about 'accountability.' So I asked him, 'Where's the accountability for police brutality?' I was ignored.
Someone else got some posterboard and made signs. Then, someone started asking people stopped at the red light at the corner for cash for bail. I wasn't sure if it would work. But, the $400+ she got convinced me.
A few hours passed before the first person came out. Then , a little while later, another person. As the people trickled out, so did the stories. It seems that hte only woman arrested had not sat down quickly enough in her bus seat, so the cops shoved her down into her seat. But, they pushed her so hard, that when she fell back, her head ht the bus window and cracked it. Instead of giving her medical attention, they gave her a charge of felony vandalism.
After it looked like we did all we could, a few of us drove back to Pittsburgh, hoping to see something about one of the most aggravated police actions I have ever seen. But, I saw nothing. No big surprise.
![[masthead]](/images/masthead_140.png)