Five activists protesting the injustice of the “Cuban Five” case, on Sept. 12, 2008, were arrested, around noon today, outside the White House. When the police ordered them not to cross a “police line,” set up arbitrarily on the sidewalk, they refused to comply in an act of civil disobedience. Prior to the arrests, a rally was held on the street, (just north of the White House). It was sponsored by the “National Committee to Free the Cuban Five.” When the rally ended, the demonstrators walked over to the White House gate and attempted to deliver Petitions containing over 102,000 signatures, from 78 countries, to President George W. Bush. The Petitions demanded freedom for the “Cuban Five.” The Right to Petition the government for redress of grievances is enshrined in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. For background on the case of the “Cuban Five,” and for up dates on the specifics of the five activists arrested at the White House protest and the exact charges lodged against them by police authorities, please see:
freethefive.org and
http://answer. To learn more about Civil Resistance in the Age of Bush and Cheney, go to:
baltimore.indymedia.org and also check out Professor Francis A. Boyle’s insightful book, “Protesting Power: War, Resistance and Law.”
