ANSWER Coalition cited for putting up posters

[roody]

Source: ANSWER Coalition

Stop Government Attacks
Against the Anti-War Movement!
Take Action to Defend Free Speech 

In an unprecedented action, the ANSWER Coalition today received citations fining the organization $10,000 for the placement of posters announcing the September 15 March on Washington DC. The fines come after a campaign led by FOX news calling for the DC government to take action against those putting up posters for the September 15 demonstration.

They have told us that we have 72 hours to remove every poster, or the fines will go into effect. Tens of thousands of dollars in additional fines are expected in the coming days. Bush’s Interior Department is threatening similar actions against ANSWER. The September 15 posters are legal and conform to city regulations. We will not allow the government's intimidation tactics to slow our outreach or silence the antiwar movement.

----- snip ----

This is part of a systematic effort to disrupt the organizing for the September 15 Mass March that is timed to coincide with the report of General Petraeus and the debate in Congress on the Iraq war. Iraq war veterans and their families will lead this dramatic march from the White House to the Congress on September 15. The last thing the government wants is to see the streets of Washington DC fill up with throngs of anti-war protesters right in the middle of the debate. But we will not be stopped. Organizing for this demonstration is taking place in cities and towns throughout the country. Buses and car caravans are coming from 90 cities and towns.

Please send a letter today to Washington DC Mayor (Adrian M. Fenty) and to the Director of DC Department of Public Works (William O. Howland, Jr.) demanding an end to the fines, harassment and repression of the anti-war movement. We have a right to publicize the September 15 March. Fining the anti-war movement tens of thousands of dollars for putting up Free Speech-protected literature makes a mockery out of the First Amendment.

The best way to take action is to call the Director of Department of Public Works, William O. Howland, Jr. at 202-673-6833, and the Mayor of DC, Adrian Fenty, at 202-724-8876. You can also send a letter or fax by clicking this link. We'd suggest saying something along the lines of: "I am writing to protest the fines levied against the ANSWER Coalition for putting up posters for the September 15th March on Washington. The government does not fine politicians who put up campaign posters, or commercial and business interests that plaster Washington, DC with posters. It is outrageous that the city, in concert with FOXNews, are attempting to suppress the antiwar movement. Stop the harassment. Stop the fines."

Let us know how your phone conversations go by emailing us.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


Download the 8.5x11 Black-and-White flyer
and the 11x17 Yellow and Black poster

Saturday, September 15
March on Washington
END THE WAR NOW!
Check out Sept15.org


Read more: http://answer.pephost.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ANS_homepage

[fooj]

1. WTF?

Report the NEWS (FOX) or get the f*ck out! They have no right to lead a campaign such as this.

[roody]

3. I am going to DC to protest on Sep. 15.

My first time to DC for this purpose.

[rodeodance]

8. Good for you.

[ohio2007]

16. don't forget to post pics of the event

last anti war protest was supposed to draw over 1 million. I don't think they will be trying to make predictions like that again.

[dickbearton]

14. Answer and...

Like minded organizations should get together and work to have
Fox News license revoked for violating the public trust. When
they broadcast lies, disinformation, and propaganda (many
examples could be found), they have broken the law. They are
in constant violation of the law concerning public airways.

[Shoedogg]

15. Fox actually won that issue

A couple years back, Fox won in court on that very issue. The decision essentially said that there's no obligation that the "news" be true.

[NuttyFluffers]

21. they can still contest individual station licenses

these are often reissued de facto because no one contests at the FCC. but one complaint or contest and the FCC must investigate it, which can be a huge tie up and expense. if people really want to throw a monkey wrench into the works... all you have to do is just get involved with the system already there.
;)

[IndianaGreen]

19. Unfortunately we are not in Venezuela, and Faux is not RCTV

In Venezuela the public airwaves do belong to the public, not to a highly concentrated corporate media. RCTV was involved in an American funded coup to overthrow a democratically elected government. RCTV lost its license, and lost Channel 2 in the process (RCTV is still broadcasting on cable and satellite). Faux has been part of a conspiracy to establish a rightwing dictatorship in America.

[atreides1]

2. Three Questions

1. What are the citations for, specifically?
2. Does D.C. require permits to place posters?
3. If permits were required, why didn't the organizers get them?

I read the story and to me there are some facts not in evidence. If I'm going to call Mayor Fenty, I want to make sure that the city's requirements were met before I do!

[tbyg52]

18. Here's the email I got in response

My question--anybody have any info on the truth of the below?


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

DPW STATEMENT REGARDING FINES LEVIED FOR IMPROPERLY POSTED ANTI-WAR
POSTERS


* DC regulations (DCMR Title 24, Section 108) provide guidelines
for posting signs in public space. The regulations balance free speech
with keeping the city neat by: 1. supporting the right to free speech
by giving people access to public space to express themselves; and 2.
keeping the public space from appearing cluttered by limiting the number
of signs per block. The District hosts marches and protests all the
time and we never weigh in on the merits of the issues, rather our role
is to keep the city neat.



* DPW asks people to respect District of Columbia residents by
following the guidelines.



* These posters were improperly placed for the following reasons:



o More than three signs were posted on one side of a block the
guidelines limit the number to three. (108.10)

o The posters were placed on more than lampposts, which is the
only place where they are allowed. (100, which says if the site is not
mentioned, posters cannot be placed there.)

o The posters were fixed to lampposts and utility boxes using an
adhesive, which is not allowed. The larger posters are taking 20 to 30
minutes to remove. (108.9)

o The posters do not provide the date they were placed. (108.7)

o No one filed two copies of the materials with the Mayor's DC
government designee (Office of Surface Permits). The filing should be
made within 24 hours of posting each sign and include the name, address,
and telephone number of the posters' originator. (108.11)

[McCamy Taylor]

4. Spoke to someone in office of director of public works

He said that AWARE had not filed copies of poster with his office before they started posting them, was putting them places besides lamp posts (only place people are allowed to post in DC) applying more than the max. 3 per block allowed in DC, using adhesives (not allowed in DC).

He said that if AWARE will take down all the signs that are up now and submit two copies of the signs they are going to start putting up and then follow the above rules, the $10,000 fine will be rescinded.

That is what he said to me over the phone anyway.

[atreides1]

5. If True

Then all AWARE has to do is abide by the rules!

Thanks for answering my question.

[pschoeb]

20. Actually the Group is ANSWER, not Aware

And their point is that no one is ever fined, their poster are just taken down, these rules are violated all the time by political campaigns(and commercial entities), mostly because you have all kinds of people unassociated with the campaign directly putting up signs, this is the case with ANSWER, as the flyers are downloadable. If campaigns aren't fined for their violating posters, which they often aren't, then it becomes a question of a violation of rational-basis equal protection by selective enforcement with a desire to inhibit First Amendment freedoms. Usually the only time anyone is fined, is if an actual person is caught violating the rules, and then only that individual is fined. Also there is no reason that anyone needs to submit their posters to the government for approval, this particular ordinance is a clear violation of free speech.

The adhesive is usually wheat paste, and takes five seconds to remove, anyone claiming otherwise is clearly lying, this adhesive is allowed by the ordinance and is the same one used by campaign posters.

The fine is usually $35 a violation, that is all campaign posters are fined and a huge amount of leeway is given before fining, so it rarely happens, usually only if someone doesn't take down their posters 30 days after the election, supposedly there are 65 violating posters, which would still only come to $2275. The Washington Post is saying the fine is $150, but I believe this is the fine for commercial postering, which has much more restrictions on it, this is certainly not the fine given to campaign posters when it rarely happens.

[MsMagnificent]

26. Good

now try asking about ANSWER -- you know, the group in question?

[demnan]

6. I just got off the phone with Public Works

The mayor's office is not answering the phones and the voice mail is full over there! When you call Public Works a woman reads you five bullshit reasons why the signs were removed. I just laughed. They are so getting inendated with calls right now.

[rodeodance]

7. thanks.

[rodeodance]

10. k

[rodeodance]

9. REC # 4

[fjc]

11. I'm sorry, but every time I see the name Ramsey Clark...

I just turn away.

[Freddie Stubbs]

24. But Ramsey Clark stood up for Lyndon LaRouche

http://www.schillerinstitute.org/exon/ramseyclark_ltr_95.html

[nashville_brook]

12. they are going to silence ANSWER and no one will care, then, they'll come for you

[crikkett]

17. they're not going to silence ANSWER.

That org has money coming out of its ears. 10K is mad money.

[Freddie Stubbs]

25. Who are 'they?'

The DC government? Not too many Republicans there.

[MsMagnificent]

27. True,

and who ever heard of Dem's sucking up to King George?

[Freddie Stubbs]

28. Would a place that sucks up to Bush have license plates like this?

[mikelgb]

13. citizens should wallpaper the city with protest signs

[Laughing Mirror]

22. Wa Po article, from page B-1, Metro Section

ANSWER'S attorney, Mara Verheyden-Hilliard of the Partnership for Civil Justice, said such a government crackdown on political posters was unprecedented. If officials truly wanted to make the city clean, she said, they would fine politicians.

"During election season, there are thousands and thousands of posters hanging off every single inch of the city," she said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/15/AR2007081501245.html?hpid=artslot

[Mad_Dem_X]

23. Holy sh*t!

Now we can't advertise protests; next we won't even be able to HAVE protests. Jesus, is this the United States or fucking Nazi Germany???!!!

[atreides1]

29. "Jesus, is this the United States or fucking Nazi Germany???!!!"

At this point in time, it's somewhere between the two, slowly going to the Nazi Germany end!