Savannah, December 9--
WSAV TV (NBC) runs attack story on
G8 organizing in Savannah

Please help!
http://www.repealnow.com/g8.htm

repealnow (at) lycos.com / 866.237.7563 /
22 West Bryan St. (172) Savannah, GA 31401

[We are going to file a lawsuit on Monday, Dec 15 to get an injunction against the Savannah PD.]

Savannah, December 9--
WSAV TV (NBC) runs attack story on
G8 organizing in Savannah

Text of news report:
G-8 Summit Protesters Looking for Place to Protest

Steve Ference, WSAV News 3 Tuesday, December 9, 2003 http://www.wsav.com

It's only six months away. The G-8 summit is coming to Sea Island in June. It's a meeting of the leaders of some of the most powerful countries in the world - and coming with the summit could be hundreds of thousands of protestors. Savannah could be the center of most of the protests, especially since the national media will be based here. I met with one of the groups that plans to protest right here in Savannah -- the National Coalition to Repeal the USA Patriot Act. They're just one of the many protest groups that want their views heard when the world focuses on Southeast Georgia during the G- 8 summit. The problem is, they're having trouble finding a venue to host their activities, when the G-8 comes to Sea Island. Chris Miller of Savannah, said, "protesters will come. They will be heard." But at a downtown coffee shop, there's frustration for some protesters. Kellie Gasink, National Coordinator for the National Coalition to Repeal the USA Patriot Act, said, "we've been told the federal government won't allow us to protest at the stadium in Brunswick."

That would be closer to the actual site of the G-8 meeting. That has led them here to Savannah, hoping they can hold a protest concert at the Civic Center. But Marty Johnston, the Director of the Savannah Civic Center, said, "for two weeks in June, we have rented out meeting room space for protective services, and the arena to Chatham Co. Savannah Police." Gasink said, "we've been trying to rent the Civic Center but we were told yesterday - a new development - that the Savannah Police are using it. We don't believe those plans are real." But they are according to Johnston, and protesters are now forced to look elsewhere in Savannah.

I asked Gasink why Savannah was so desirable for protests. After all, the summit is over an hour away. She answered, "well, the media will be here." Other cities that have hosted similar summits found themselves the center of anarchy.

So while local protesters figure out where to stage their activities, some in Savannah simply hope the city will be ready. Chris Miller, who sipped coffee with a friend while across the room the protesters meeting took place said, "we can be the first city to come out with a better image then went in with."

That's the hope anyway. Those at the meeting said they hope to give most of the protesters something to do like a concert - rather than causing anarchy. The Director of the Savannah Civic Center said it's cheaper for taxpayers if police use the Civic Center because police will use it free -- rather than having to rent a place to base their operations out of.

Chito Lapena Responds

The news stations here in Savannah came knocking around and managed to put together a ridiculous and ignorant caricature of "drunk and stoned protestors will break the storefront at your starbucks and laugh about it." These morons need to understand that we are not impressed with their lack of insight, investigative and critical skills. I have invited them to the Macon meeting as well since we are having press there anyway. They showed footage of a meeting of a small group at a cafe then a cutaway to a bunch of unidentified fools standing around in some unidentified place, breaking the storefront on a Starbucks and laughing about it. ---------------------

Letter to WSAV TV

Your coverage of the activities being organized by grass roots groups around the g8 summit left much to be desired. We are working dilligently to avoid being associated with exactly the ignorant and reactionary imagery you portrayed of people breaking glass. We are trying to educate people while you are trying to instill fear in them. Fear is what leads to violence. Ignorance is what leads to violence. We had always been pleased with WSAV's responsiveness to coverage of local activism where attention needed to be drawn to certain issues and we thank you for doing that more than any of the other local stations. But tonight was a profound disappointment for a badly covered and ham-fisted production. If you are truly interested in covering stories about the g8carnival organization, which is comprised of leaders from numerous groups in Atlanta, Augusta, Brunswick, Savannah, Athens and the Northwest region, as well as other groups with memberships in the thousands in the Carolinas, you might consider attending our meeting this Saturday in Macon. Contact me if you are interested. There will be other journalists there.

--Chito Lapena

Please help!
http://www.repealnow.com/g8.htm
See also:
http://repealnow.com
http://freesavannah.com/g8