PHA-Exch> PPEHRC: U.S. Poor March at Republical Nnational Convention for Health Care and Housing

[Claudio Schuftan]

   From:    jenkwru at yahoo.com

**

*ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE; ANOTHER U.S. IS NECCESARY!!* **

*PPEHRC **LEADS "MARCH FOR OUR LIVES" DURING THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL
CONVENTION IN THE USA*

   On Sept 2nd, the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC)
led a massive *March for Our Lives: Money for Health Care and Housing, Not
for War!* to the seat of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul,
Minnesota, in the United States.




The *PPEHRC's March for Our Lives*, one of the largest marches at the RNC,
followed a month-long series of events by poor and homeless families from
the PPEHRC to ensure that the voices, stories and demands of the poor of the
US be heard during the US elections.



Last week's march took place in a city heavy militarized - just days before
more than 100 riot police, sharpshooters and others had evicted 20 PPEHRC
families with children in the middle of night as we attempted to set up our
Bushville encampment. In the preceding days, press attampting to
cover PPEHRC's activities had been shoved into elevators and out of the
State Capitol, our lawyer had been denied entry to the State Capitol to meet
with us, members of the press had had their notes and footage and cameras
confiscated, hundreds more press and protestors were unlawfully and
violently arrested, and tear gas and rubber bullets had been used on
peaceful protestors. (See reports on PPEHRC website)



PPEHRC's September 2nd *March for Our Lives* was surrounded by riot police
with tear gas and rubber bullets, military in fatigues, sharpshooters,
police and military in armored vehicles, helicopters, unmarked cars, on
horses and bicycles who repeatedly attempted to sabotage our march and our
message by instilling fear in families attempting to march and by diverting
attention from our activities.





In the midst of heavy militarization and police violence against protesters
and the press, the PPEHRC led thousands of people - poor and homeless
families from across the US, public housing residents, residents of
impoverished Indigenous reservations, leaders of the American Indian
Movement, veterans, the disabled, immigrants from all over the world,
families who lost children in Iraq, students, religious people, artists,
poor youth, labor organizers, truckers who have gone bankrupt because of
high gas prices, people without medical care, and many others suffering in
the current economy - in a massive march for "Economic Human Rights.



*The march, one of the largest of the week, ended with the delivery of
a Citizens Arrest of members of the Bush Administration for "Crimes for
Humanity."*



The March for Our Lives was preceded by a statewide caravan by PPEHRC across
the state of Minnesota to meet with fellow poor families, a
*Bushville*encampent of poor and homeless families from across the US;
a
*National Truth Commission* on economic human rights violatoions in the US,
and a sit-in by members of the PPEHRC at the Minnesota State Capitol to
ensure that the stories and demands poor be seen and heard during the RNC,
despite heavy repression against both the media and protestors before and
during the RNC.



 *See www.economichumanrights.org for more coverage.** *



*Later this month, PPEHRC leaders involved in these events will speak
at European
Parliament in Brussels (September 16th), and also at the European Social
Forum in Malmo, Sweden (September 18-21). Please join us!*

*  *
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