Defending Dissent Foundation Calls on Bloomberg to Respect First Amendment
September 13, 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: Sue Udry 301-325-1201 or info@defendingdissent.org
Washington, DC | www.defendingdissent.org | October 13, 2011 –The Defending Dissent Foundation (DDF) called on New York City Mayor Bloomberg to allow the peaceful "Occupy Wall Street" protesters to stay in Zucotti Park with their tarps and sleeping bags.
In a clear attempt to shut the protest down, the Mayor has ordered the NYPD to "clean" the park at 7 a.m. Friday morning. Although he says protesters will be allowed back into the park after the clean-up, they won't be allowed to bring their sleeping bags and tarps back, and lying down will be prohibited.
"The Occupy Wall Street movement proves that dissent is alive and well in the U.S. With protests in cities and towns all over the country, the movement is also giving us a pretty good picture of where freedom rings in the U.S. .... and where officials are trying to snuff it out. Sadly, Mayor Bloomberg has put New York City into the latter category," said DDF executive director Sue Udry.
The Defending Dissent Foundation has alerted its members about the situation and asked them to call the Mayor to demand that he respect the First Amendment rights of the peaceful protesters.
The Defending Dissent Foundation is a fifty year old civil liberties advocacy organization, founded in 1960 as the National Committee to Abolish the House Un-American Activities Committee. More information can be found at: www.defendingdissent.org