Mayor Bloomberg’s administration in New York (and the Bush administration standing behind the Republican city boss) has shown their true ‘democratic’ colours by banning the right to march and protest against the war on Iraq. It emerged today (14 February) that permission has been denied to march to the UN buildings tomorrow, as part of the international day of protest against war. 

Mayor Bloomberg bans NY anti-war march

Despite three legal challenges no ‘lawful’ demonstration will be allowed. The reason given by US District Court Judge, Barbara Jones, was "The court finds that the heightened security concerns posed by unorganised large-scale march threatens the city’s interest in maintaining public safety."

An open-air meeting of up to 10,000 will be allowed. Anybody arriving once the 10,000 limit is reached will be "put in pens" – streets blocked off and surrounded by police. Organisers of the protest have announced 54 "feeder marches" which will assemble on pavements at named localities and marchers will walk along the pavements carrying banners to get around the legal ban.

Dennis Rivera, leader of the Health Workers local 1199 has warned that he will march with 10,000 members of his union.

Socialist Alternative members (CWI in the US) have been building for the march and have produced 3,000 copies of a New York supplement to sell with ‘Justice’, the Socialist Alternative paper in the USA.

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