From: Morris, Susan
Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2010 12:48 PM
To: ALAA MEMBERS; 1199 Members
Subject: RE: [nycmassdefense] LO Req. Today! Thurs. 5/27 – 5pm – 42nd & 3rd – Free Gaza Flotilla
Here are the details on the march (the news release attached to my first post was really difficult to read.)
URGENT – Demonstrate to Support Free Gaza Flotilla – Thursday, May 27 5 pm until 7:30 pm
COME THURSDAY, MAY 27 5 PM-7:30 PM TO DEMONSTRATE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE FREE GAZA FLOTILLA. TELL THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT HANDS OFF HUMANITARIAN AID TO GAZA.
Meet at 5 pm on 42nd Street and 2nd Avenue. We will have a moving procession to the Israeli Consulate, The Daily News, and The New York Times. The procession will end at The New York Times at 41st Street and 8th Avenue.
Update: The Free Gaza flotilla of eight ships is underway, with the boats from northern Europe heading into the Mediterranean to join up with the boats from Turkey and Greece. Amazing things are happening! “… A 2000 ton cargo ship and fifty-person passenger ship owned by the European Campaign Against the Siege of Gaza, and Swedish/Greek Ship to Gaza campaigns left Athens to meet the Freedom Flotilla in international waters.
They follow hot on the trail of the cargo ships of Insani Yardim Vakafi (IHH’s) and Free Gaza’s MV Rachel Corrie. IHH’s remaining 1100 capacity passenger ship and cargo ship are to sail shortly from Turkey.
In Crete, the Free Gaza Movement is readying its two passenger boats for their imminent departure. ‘Al Samoud’ (The Steadfast’) and ‘Al Haya’ (The Ship of Life) were named by children from schools in occupied Gaza and Jerusalem… ” (From Free Gaza’s latest press release. Click here for more)
Israel has vowed to stop the ships “at any price” according to an Israeli security spokesperson. Israel has reportedly constructed a special prison camp to hold flotilla passengers. Meanwhile, the Turkish Prime Minister has warned Israel to keep its hands off the boats.
This will come to a head as soon as this weekend. The Free Gaza flotilla needs our support. News of the flotilla and Israel’s threats has been — surprise — blacked out by US media. You can read about it or hear about it in The Jerusalem Post, Ha’aretz, Al-Jazeera, The Guardian, BBC, AFP, etc. etc. but NOT in the US. Guess it looks bad for Israel to use American military aid to attack unarmed civilians, including Americans.
We need to break the story, and hold our own government accountable for what Israel is doing with US support and military aid. We need your support and presence.
COME THURSDAY, MAY 27 5 PM-7:30 PM TO DEMONSTRATE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE FREE GAZA FLOTILLA. TELL THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT HANDS OFF HUMANITARIAN AID TO GAZA.
Meet at 5 pm on 42nd Street and 2nd Avenue. We will have a moving procession to the Israeli Consulate, The Daily News, and The New York Times. The procession will end at The New York Times at 41st Street and 8th Avenue.
The organizers of the demonstration — at this point a coalition of people from Adalah NY, Al Awda, ART, Brooklyn for Peace, Gaza Freedom March, Jews Say No, Middle East Crisis Response, Wespac, Women in Black Union Square — will have signs and leaflets. If you bring your own signs, please focus on the Free Gaza flotilla and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Contact Felice Gelman for more information at this email or 917-912-2597
Further information on Free Gaza flotilla and Emergency Response plans:
http://gazafreedommarch.org/cms/en/flotilla.aspx (Emergency Response Plan and more including email government officials and Israeli embassies worldwide)
http://witnessgaza.com/ (Real time progress of the flotilla)
http://www.freegaza.org/ (Free Gaza website)
From: Morris, Susan
Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2010 11:28 AM
To: ALAA MEMBERS; 1199 Members
Subject: FW: [nycmassdefense] LO Req. Today! Thurs. 5/27 – 5pm – 42nd & 3rd – Free Gaza Flotilla
They need Legal Observers (as well as participants).
From: nycmassdefense-owner@lists.riseup.net [mailto:nycmassdefense-owner@lists.riseup.net] On Behalf Of nlgnyc
Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2010 11:16 AM
To: nycmassdefense@lists.riseup.net
Subject: [nycmassdefense] LO Req. Today! Thurs. 5/27 – 5pm – 42nd & 3rd – Free Gaza Flotilla
If you can LO for this event, please contact the Chapter office (212) 679-6018
They are also requesting an attorney for the event.
Who: Free Gaza Movement
What: Rally and March
Where: Gather at Daily News (42nd & 3rd Ave.) march to NY Times (41st & 8th Ave.)
When: 5:00pm – 7:30pm
Contact person: Felice
Contact number: 917-912-2597
Details:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Hearklin, Crete, Tuesday, May 25, 2010) As Israel continues to insist it will stop the seven-ship international Freedom Flotilla, two more ships departed from Greece to Gaza today.
A 2000 ton cargo ship and fifty-person passenger ship owned by the European Campaign Against the Siege of Gaza, and Swedish/Greek Ship to Gaza campaigns left Athens to meet the Freedom Flotilla in international waters.
They follow hot on the trail of the cargo ships of Insani Yardim Vakafi (IHH’s) and Free Gaza’s MV Rachel Corrie. IHH’s remaining 1100 capacity passenger ship and cargo ship are to sail shortly from Turkey.
In Crete, the Free Gaza Movement is readying its two passenger boats for their imminent departure. ‘Al Samoud’ (The Steadfast’) and ‘Al Haya’ (The Ship of Life) were named by children from schools in occupied Gaza and Jerusalem.
Reports coming from the Israeli Navy say they will jam the flotilla’s signals and communications, isolating those on board the ships, and barring the world from witnessing what could become a confrontation or prolonged naval stand-off.
The strategy of the Freedom Flotilla, however, is to resist any attempts by the Israeli Navy to hijack its ships or to divide cargo ships from passenger vessels.
“The message from Israel is clear: ‘We will stop you. And no-one can prevent us from stopping you.’ said Free Gaza chair, Huwaida Arraf.
“However, we will non-violently resist Israeli attempts to seize our boats. Thousands of people have contributed to making this flotilla a reality, and the people of Gaza are expecting us.
“We will not allow our flotilla to be divided. We will stay with our cargo ships – they are the core of the flotilla carrying essential construction materials denied entry into Gaza – cement, steel, and houses. This action is not a symbolic gesture but a concrete intervention to allow the people of Gaza to rebuild their lives with dignity’, emphasized passenger, Aengus O’Snodaigh, TD Sinn Féin party, Ireland
Ewa Jasiewicz added, “We are not breaking the law, we are upholding it. We are acting out of necessity to prevent a greater crime from taking place – the collective punishment of 1.5 million people imprisoned in Gaza. The international community is complicit in this collective punishment and must break its silence. Respect for international law is not optional, it is obligatory.’
Contacts
Crete Free Gaza Movement 0030 698 377 6683
Cyprus Free Gaza Movement 00 357 99 18 72 78 or 00 357 96 48 98 05
Best regards,
Susan Howard
Chapter Coordinator
NYC Chapter
National Lawyers Guild
(212) 679-6018
nlgnyc@igc.org
From: Alan Levine
ALAA Roots -- An Unofficial Site 