Activists in Georgia, Boston and New York are facing unparalled obstacles to organizing against the G-8, the DNC and the RNC. In the same week that U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that "al-Qaida plans to attempt an attack on the United States in the next few months," we have witnessed:

• Permits denied in New York City [ 1 | 2 ] for public assembly and protest at the Republican National Convention;
• Restriction of public assembly and movement through the closure of up to 40 miles of roads in and around Boston during the Democratic Convention;
• The declaration by Georgia Governor Purdue of a State of Emergency, effectively legalizing all efforts used to suppress protests against the G8 Summit.

The GA state of emergency went into affect on Monday, May 24 and runs through June 20, 2004. Though a few permits were recently issued for G-8 demonstrations they could be revoked under the state of emergency, thus creating a situation where all assemblies are declared unlawful. In addition, the state of emergency could allow for:

• Martial rule to be declared
• Curfews to be imposed
• Military units to "guard" the streets
• Detention and arrest of demonstrators until the "emergency" is over
• Escalation of use of force with limited accountability

United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) condemns an executive order issued by Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue declaring a “state of emergency” throughout six coastal counties in Georgia.  Perdue issued the highly unusual declaration to spread fear and interfere with fundamental constitutional rights to protest at an upcoming summit of international leaders. 

Six coastal Georgia counties affected by the G-8 summit on Sea Island next month will be under a state of emergency order beginning Monday.

The Miami Model is blowing into Georgia and must be stopped.

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) -- The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit Monday on behalf of people planning to demonstrate at the G-8 economic summit, saying local ordinances requiring permits for groups of six or more illegally restrict free speech.

Preparing for the unknown and potentially a worst case, Glynn County Superior Court has canceled trials during the Group of 8 Sea Island Summit to free judges and lawyers to handle as many as 500 summit-related arrests a day.

WASHINGTON -- Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge warned yesterday that the country is entering a period that will be ripe with potential targets for a high-profile terrorist attack and announced that he is forming a federal task force to coordinate security for them.

The next eight months be a "season that is rich with symbolic opportunities for the terrorists to try to shake our will," including the Democratic and Republican national conventions, the summer Olympics, several meetings of international organizations inside the United States, and traditional holiday periods, he said.

SAVANNAH — Coastal Georgia communities that passed new laws to regulate protests during the G-8 summit are being challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union, which says the laws go too far in restricting free-speech rights.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) -- Robert Randall never knew free speech could cost so much - in dollars and in compromises - until he tried to organize a large-scale, peaceful demonstration for this summer's G-8 summit.

The coastal city of Brunswick, where Randall hopes to gather up to 10,000 people to protest the world leaders' summit, passed a law last month that places conditions on public demonstrations.