107 arrested at carlyle

audblog audio post

[update 2:00pm] info on today's demo available at m27coalition.org.

Call Police Comissioner Ray Kelly 646-610-5410 or Mayor Michael Bloomberg 212-788-9600 and demand the release of the Carlyle arrestees!

A protest was held this morning at the offices of the Carlyle Group, an investment fund that will profit from the war on Iraq. Protesters blocked the entrance to the building and were arrested in an organized civil disobedience.

But then police surrounded the legal protesters gathered across the street and refused to let them leave. There was no order to disperse, and those who tried to leave were stopped. The police then began arresting people whose only "crime" was to hold a sign protesting the war on Iraq! About 50 people, most of whom have had no CD training whatsoever, were arrested and are now being held at One Police Plaza.

Call and demand their release! 646-610-5410 or 212-788-9600 and ask why they are being held, when they committed no crime. Call any elected official you can think of and ask them to apply pressure.

We must support these people who have simply exercised their constitutional right of free speech and lawful assembly and are now in jail!

SPREAD THE WORD FAR AND WIDE! RELEASE THE CARLYLE ARRESTEES!

get details of the arrests from the plc.

there's little to no coverage of today's demo online. the only stuff i found was on ny1. look at how they spin this bullshit:

"Police made some arrests Monday at a demonstration outside the Midtown headquarters of a company that, according to protestors, is profiting from the war in Iraq."

yeah, ok, try 107 arrests, most of which were illegal arrests. then, as far as our profiteering allegations go, read this and this. how could the nation's 11th most powerful defense contractor possibly profit from a war? that would be an anathema. idiots.

it goes on to say, "Dozens of student, community, religious and labor activists protested outside the Carlyle Group. The demonstrators said the investment firm manages some $14 billion in assets, including stakes in a number of defense-related companies. The group's website claims former Secretary of State James Baker and former President George Bush have ties to the company."

maybe these bastards can start fact checking by looking at carlyle's own website which specifically states baker's connection to the organization, as well as several former reagan administration officials. as for bush, a simple google search would reveal his ties to the company as a senior advisor. carlyle also has no shame in revealing their assets on their own, which total over several billion dollars.

but no... we're just wingnut protesters. we fabicrate our facts. we protest cuz we don't have jobs and have nothing better to do (as we were oft accused today). fuckin' aol time warner bastards.

welp, we got rid of 400 pamphlets, met some great people, and encountered a lot of assholes. i think 5th ave. has to be the most shallow, wretched street in the world. i'm glad to be back in brooklyn.

[update 3:16pm] nbc video on today's decoy die-in | reuters chimes in at end of a piece on today's demo in oakland, ca | cnn coverage tows carlyle line

[update 5:58pm] EMERGENCY PROTEST TONIGHT (Mon., 4/7) AT 6 PM - ONE POLICE PLAZA (take 4,5, or 6 to Brooklyn Bridge). The M27 Coalition and United for Peace and Justice are calling for an emergency protest tonight to demand the release of these illegally arrested activists.

carlyle tells newsday we weren't even at their offices | photos c/o IMC