Statement from Protestors Facing Prosecution
On October 5th, 2006, a small contingent of Students
for a Democratic Society and anti-capitalists converged at the World Can't
Wait rally in Seattle, Washington at Cal Anderson Park. The group planned
to attend the rally then leave to hold workshops and skill shares with
their peers. While sitting in the park sharing a melon before the rally,
a cop on a bike approached the group and seized their red and black anarcho-syndicalist
flag. Matthew Hyra of the Seattle Police Departmend began to walk away
from the crowd telling the person who had been holding the flag that if
he wanted it back he would have to follow him, alone. At that time everyone
who was in the area stood up and followed Hyra, demanding to know why
he had taken the flag, abridging their right to free speech.
As this happened, Hyra targeted an individual
who was copwatching and arrested him and two of his comrades (Ryan Tompkins,
Jacob Erwin and Brendan Maslauskas-Dunn). The three were booked and processed
in the King County Jail. Two of the arrested were charged with obstruction
of (in)justice and resisting arrest. The third arrested was initially
charged with obstruction, which later evolved into an investigation of
assault of an officer. The first two were released on bail at 1:00am Friday
, October 6th and the third was released on bail at 10:00pm Friday after
an earlier appearance before a judge.
Comrades of the arrestees, the "Flag Three", already
spent hundreds of dollars in bail expenses. The Flag Three now need support
to not only reimburse their comrades but to secure counsel and future
legal expenses.
The Flag Three are all active members of Olympia
SDS and are also involved in media activism, Latin American solidarity,
the anti-war movement and labor organizing. They also helped organize
protests around the militarization of the Port of Olympia in May. Two
of them are still facing charges from those actions.
This CD was created in order to benefit these
local activists and their legal battles. This is an ongoing project and
more CDs will be released in the near future. Those involved in the creation
of this CD hope to eventually aid those arrested at the Port Protests
last May and ideally create a sustainable legal defense fund for Olympia
political activists. If you know of any local bands that would like to
be involved in this project please contact the email below.
Other Solidarity and support is needed! You can
help out by organizing a benefit concert, house party, fundraiser, or
by donating directly to The Flag 3 Legal Defense Fund. This case is a
serious violation of free speech and the First Amendment and has implications
far beyond the Flag Three.
To contact legal support, email: flag3legaldefense@yahoo.com
Or make checks payable to the Flag 3 Legal Defense
Fund and mail them to:
Flag 3 Legal Defense Fund
910 4th Ave East
Olympia, WA 98506 |