Quixote Friends:
here’s the final call to action for this weekend, in case any of you
want to make last minute plans or pass this along to folks who might be
able to come at this late hour.
thanks and peace
kristen
p.s. there is still space at the Quixote Center for those who would like
to stay here on both Saturday and Sunday evenings. Please contact me
ASAP if you need space at 301-699-3443 x114 until 7:30 p.m. ET tonight.
 
p.p.s. for those of you who are local, fliering is needed at the large
action tomorrow. To help flier, please meet at 9:30 a.m. at the corner
of 15th and Pennsylvania Ave.
 
ACTION INFORMATION
NONVIOLENT ACTION CAMPAIGN
RECLAIM THE CAPITOL & STOP THE WAR NOW
MARCH 17-24
 
WHY
The Congress of the United States is the only branch of government that
has the constitutional authority to authorize war. Last October, they
gave that authority away to an Administration that is clearly willing to
defy the will of the American people and the world.
Despite months of calls, letter, emails, faxes and demonstrations, the
Congress remains silent. There is legislation that calls for more
information, more time for inspections and a repeal of the
authorization. Yet none of it is moving. AND, despite the fact that our
government is on the brink of slaughtering hundreds of thousands of
people, Congress is even taking recesses.
On Monday, March 17 and everyday next week we will go to the Capitol and
other related sites across the country to take back our democracy and
use our constitutional right to petition our government and
Congressional leaders to act immediately.
We Demand that Congress REPRESENT the will of the People, REPEAL the
authorization for war and RE-ALLOCATE money to human needs.
 
WHAT
On Monday March 17 in Washington DC, we will form a strong and visible
procession on Capitol Hill and march to the Capitol to engage in acts of
nonviolent civil disobedience, witness and lobbying. Some groups may
want to go to their legislator’s offices, some may want to visit
congressional leaders offices, some may want to go to the Rotunda, some
may want to simply walk up stairs on the West side of the Capitol.
(which is an arrestable offense these days!)
On Tuesday, Wed, Thurs and Friday, we will continue to keep the pressure
on Congress each morning with acts of nonviolent civil disobedience,
witness and lobbying.
 
 
SCHEDULE
Sunday, March 16, 3:30 pm - 6:30 pm ACTION SPOKESCOUNCIL & MASS ACTION
PREPARATION MEETING, this is a very important meeting for anyone or any
groups that are planning to participate in the week of action.
St. Aloysius Church basement, 900 N Capitol St. NW, Red Line Union
Station - walk 3-4 blocks North on North Capitol St.
Monday, March 17
8:00 am Assemble at the Church of the Brethren, 337 North Carolina St.
SE
Metro: Either Capitol South at 1st and C st. or Eastern Market at 7th
and Penn. Ave. SE
9:00 am Procession to the Capitol to Reclaim Our Democracy
2:00 pm Regroup at the Church of the Brethren, or as soon as the actions
are over
 
Tuesday - Friday, March 18-21
St. Aloysius Church - basement
900 N Capitol St. NW
Metro: Red Line Union Station - walk 3-4 blocks North on North Capitol
St.
 
SUNDAY, March 16: NONVIOLENT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE TRAININGS,
- 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Local 82, 1220 13th St. NW, Red Line Metro Center -
exit 12 & G - walk 5 blocks North and one block East.
• 1:00 - 3:00 pm St. Aloysius Church - basement, 900 N Capitol St. NW,
Red Line Union Station - walk 3-4 blocks North on North Capitol St.
 
Points of Unity
All participants in this action are asked to agree to the points of
unity outlined below. Having this basic agreement will allow people from
different backgrounds, movements and beliefs to work together for this
action. They are not philosophical or political judgments about the
validity of some tactics over others. They are simply an agreement to
create a basis for trust so that we may work together for this action
and know what we can expect from each other.
• we will use no violence, physical or verbal, toward any person. We
consider racist, sexist and homophobic comments to be violent.
• we will not destroy property
• we will maintain a commitment to a democratic process
 
 
PLEASE POST LOCAL ACTIVITIES TO: to www.unitedforpeace.org as well as
notify the Iraq Pledge of Resistance of any planned nonviolent civil
disobedience actions at: pledgecoordinator@starpower.net or call
301-589-2355.
 
 
RESOURCES AND SUPPORT
Legal:
The DC Justice and Solidarity legal collective has a GREAT manual on
their webpage at www.justiceandsolidarity.org go to resources and
download the September 2002 Justice & Solidarity Demonstration Manual
You can also download a “Know Your Rights” sheet,
There are also legal resources at www.nlg.org.
To volunteer for legal support contact: elliot@riseup.net
More legal information follows at the end of this email
 
For Housing contact: kristena@mail.quixote-center.org or check for
housing resources at www.unitedforpeace.org
To help document this event: Bring a video camera or regular camera
For Civil Disobedience Resources
www.rantcollective.org (see resource section)
www.actagainstwar.org
www.peacepledge.org/resist for groups in your area who are organizing
civil disobedience
 
For lobbying resources go to: www.dawndc.org
What to Bring /Some Basic Action Tips
Bring Photo ID
Dress neatly and comfortably
Do not bring anything that could be construed as a weapon
Have at least $50 of cash on you if “post and forfeit� is an option
and you choose to take it.
If you need medication, bring it in a prescription bottle
Bring any props or visuals that you want to help communicate your
message
 
 
THE SYSTEM: D.C. JAIL & COURT
Getting arrested and being processed through the system can be
frightening, especially if you are not sure what happens next. This
section attempts to describe the arrest process from start to finish.
It’s important to familiarize yourself with each step - some people are
re-leased on citation which is a piece of paper that lists a return to
court date, but others are held overnight in the city jail. Some people
never see the inside of a courtroom, and others wish they never had.
It’s good to know how to take care of yourself, and what to expect once
you’re in their hands.
ARREST
The majority of arrests made in D.C. during demonstrations follow a
fairly simple timeline of events, including a large amount of time-spent
waiting. Remember, throughout the process, you ALWAYS have the right to
remain silent. To exercise this right say: “I am going to remain silent.
I want to speak to an attorney.” You may be asked, but are NOT REQUIRED,
to sign a rights card- called a PD 47. If you do sign a rights card,
always indicate that you DO NOT waive your rights and DO NOT wish to
speak without an attorney by checking those
boxes on the card. Signing a rights card in this way can actually be
helpful by documenting your refusal to speak without an attorney
present.
Once arrested, you will most likely be transported (in a car, van, or
bus) to a police station or processing center. Police officers have left
arrestees on buses or in transport for many hours. During the recent
protests during the World Economic Forum in New York in early 2002, some
of the arrestees sat on buses for more than 36 hours. Once at the police
station or processing station you will most likely be: 1) released on a
citation, 2) offered a post and forfeit or, 3) held.
1. Citation - Police may release some individuals who give an address
within 25 miles of D.C. and have I.D. if they sign a paper promising to
appear in court on a future date. Future court appearance is RE-QUIRED.
You cannot send in your lawyer to appear for you. You cannot deal with
it by merely sending in a fine. To increase the chance of being released
on citation you should carry I.D. Those who elect to not give their
names will not be released on citation. It is completely up to the
police whether or not to give you a citation release.
2. Post and Forfeit - Police sometimes offer the option to post and
forfeit, which means to post a collateral (usually $50.00-$100.00) and
to forfeit the right to a trial. You WILL NOT have a conviction on your
record, WILL NOT have to return to court, WILL NOT get a trial, and WILL
NOT get your money back. NOTE: You can ask to post but not forfeit if
you want to be released but also want a trial, but many police precincts
are unaware of this procedure, and will not allow it.
3. Held - If you are held, you may be transported to several different
police stations or processing centers. This can be confusing, and
exhausting. Singing, chanting, organizing solidarity, and talking with
the general population are all ways to help pass the time (but can also
result in delaying your release). You will be booked (fingerprinted,
photo-graphed, etc.), and later taken to be presented before the court.
In D.C., the law requires that police bring arrestees before the court
within 48 hours. Generally, arrestees who are held are presented before
the court the very next day. The court is open for presentments every
day except Sunday, and typically is open from 9 a.m- 5 p.m. However, if
there are mass arrests the court may hold presentments later in the
evening, or even on a Sunday. We usually do not know whether the court
will be open for arraignments on a Sunday until that day. Therefore, it
is possible that people who are arrested on a Saturday will not be
pre-sented to the court, and may not have access to a lawyer, until
Monday.
 
BOOKING
Booking is when the police take photographs, fingerprints and
information like names and addresses. Field booking happens at the scene
of the arrest, it may not be very thorough and is often followed by
citation release. By contrast, booking at a police station is pretty
complete; usually involving more questions and usually searches. The
police normally take all of your personal belongings and your shoelaces
(this is why it’s important to write the legal hotline number on your
body). They’ll usually issue you a receipt for your property. You do not
have to sign the receipts.
Giving false information is illegal and can result in extra charges.
However, the attorneys at the National Lawyers Guild have informed us
that refusing to give a name has never resulted in charges. If you wish
to remain anonymous say the Magic Words: “I am gong to remain silent. I
want to see a lawyer.” If you don’t want to give the police any
information, don’t bring your ID, library card, or anything else that
has your name on it to the protest. Also, remember that all telephone
calls from jail, or from the police station, may be monitored.
 
COURT
If you are arrested and held for presentment before the court, the
police are required to bring you to court for arraignment within 48
hours. D.C. courts are usually closed on Sundays, so getting arrested on
a Saturday may mean a long weekend in a holding cell. If, after your
arraignment, you are not being held in jail, your first court date may
be up to two months after arrest. You must appear before the court or
risk having an arrest warrant from the judge.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
--
Kristen Arant
Anti-War Organizer
Quixote Center
PO Box 5206
Hyattsville, MD 20782
301-699-3443 x114
fax: 301-864-2182