- Statement

We are gathered here today in solemn and silent protest at the incarceration of pro-democracy demonstrators in the barbwire cage known as the DNC "Free Speech Zone."

The extremist crackdown by the US government on civil and political freedoms in the wake of 911 and the war on terror ushers in the age of a "Guantanamo Bay/Camp X-Ray" approach to marginalizing grassroots movements. It is the
latest in a series of harsh actions taken to constrain the world of ideas and alternatives by fences, walls and wire.

What does it mean when Boston, a city built on the history of revolutionary dissent, builds a barbaric confine for people who want to express their freedom?

Why do the Democrats remain mute while this assault on democracy occurs in the shadow of the Fleet Center itself?

From Abu-Ghraib to Camp X-Ray, Guantanamo Bay to the streets of Boston: Is this what democracy looks like?

- An account of today's action

At 9:30 am, nearly thirty activists arrived to the gate of the free speech pen. They were greeted by large amounts of corporate media whores,, about as many cops as demonstrators, the military police standing on the catwalks, and two aggessive 'DNC Free Speech Pen Officers.'..wearing the bright red DNC 2004 t-shirts and all.

As the demonstrators filed into the pen, the larger of the two officers greeted everyone with a boisterous yell, "Welcome to the DNC Free Speech Camp, line up!" He also said that all of the demonstrators would have their heads covered and the hands bound. This officer of the peace proceeded to hand out the hoods and the bindings and the demonstrators bound themselves.

Then the other officer led the bound and hooded demonstrators in lines of 6 or 7 around the protest pen and lined them up halfway across the pen. They did this to form four lines deep and once all the "detainees" made it into their ranks, the more aggressive officer instructed them to kneel on the ground and lean forward. The two officers walked around and made sure that people had their heads down and didnt speak.

This went on for about ten minutes when the more aggressive officer read aloud a statement. After the statement the detainees were told to stand back up and marched in their ranks back to the original starting point by the entrance. They were lined up there and stood for a little while. The backdrop for this was the fleet center with a large "America for John Kerry" banner in the background or something of the sort.

After standing for a bit, the more aggressive officer instructed the detainees to stand on one foot and hop. He did this a few times with different feet. Then the detainees were marched back across the yard to where they were kneeling before and were lined up and forced to kneel again. The aggressive officer recited the statement again in english and spanish.

Shortly after this the detainees were stood up again, marched back to the entrance and de masked and unbound and then were allowed to disperse.

This action highlighted the repression that activists will face this week in Boston, especially with the over arching free speech pen as a "gift" from the city. This is the erosion of first amendment rights in action and these people made a large statment that will hopefully bring the message into more homes and really help people to realize that this is not what democracy looks like.