Local
The jury in the #BlackPride4 trial deliberated until 7pm on Friday, February 9. They broke for the weekend. Their deliberation will continue on Monday, February 12.
Saturday, February 10, 2018, 6:30-11pm
1021 E. Broad St. Columbus
East side door
Parking in side lot, on street or in back parking lot
Free, no RSVP needed
Join progressive friends for food, drink, and great music. Presentation on the Year of Cannabis.
colsfreepress@gmail.com or 614-253-2571.
Day Five - #BlackPride4 Trial
Once again, the #BlackPride4 trial courtroom was packed. All seats were filled inside courtroom 13-A and there were another 20 or so community supporters in the hall.
In the finest tradition of mutual aid, the supporters were providing lunch for each other to the point that the judge had to admonish them after break that while it was a “public forum” she didn’t want the courtroom trashed.
The supporters immediately went to work tidying up the place.
Early in the trial, the Columbus Police Officer in charge, Hasan, said the orders of the day were for the police to use verbal commands first if someone was blocking the Parade, followed by escorting them out of the street, and finally using mace if they didn’t comply.
One of the witnesses’ testimony indicated that the police disregarded the first two stages and proceeded to macing and the forcible take-downs and arrests of the demonstrators.
Saturday, February 10, 2018, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
All are welcome to attend. We will be discussing the strategy going forward on how to gain Medicare for All in Ohio. SPAN Ohio supports Healthcare as a Human Right! All are welcome to attend. Location: First UU Church of Columbus, 93 W Weisheimer Rd, Columbus, OH. More information about SPAN Ohio: www.spanohio.org and Facebook.
The courtroom was again full of #BlackPride4 supporters.
City Prosecutor Isaac Rinsky called the Chair of the Stonewall Board of Trustees, Dr. Tom McCartney, to the witness stand. McCartney testified that he carried a banner at the front of the Pride Parade and went into detail on how it is the largest Pride Parade in the Midwest.
McCartney sated that people who want to march in the Parade must sign up for the Parade in advance. He stated that Stonewall does not accept hate groups, and groups that march must have non-discrimination policies. McCartney, who admitted that he didn’t witness the #BlackPride4 protest, said that he thought the protestors stopped the Parade.
Video shown after the event last July had revealed that the Parade continued around the protestors.
The fact that the protestors were invited to march in the Pride Parade with the International Socialist Organization and the Green Party has thus far been left out of the trial. The Green-Socialist alliance had been marching near the end of the Parade.
Thursday, February 8, 7-8:45pm
St Stephen's Episcopal Church, 30 W Woodruff
Wednesday, February 7, from 7-9pm
Columbus Mennonite Church, 35 Oakland Park Ave.
Join Cesar and other activists/allies across OH to help champion a Clean Dream Act and fight for justice for the 11 million undocumented immigrants.
Cesar Vargas will share his story followed by a short training.
Event is open to everyone and free of charge.
Invite your friends and family!
Cesar Vargas, was the first openly undocumented lawyer in the state of NY. He is a nationally recognized leader for immigration reform, DREAMers, and has political experience from working on Bernie Sanders' campaign.
Opening arguments happened today, February 6, in Franklin County Municipal Court. The courtroom was packed with #BlackPride4 supporters.
In their opening argument, the City prosecution emphasized that the protestors did not have a permit to have their silent demonstration during last year’s Pride Parade.
The defense argued that the state could not establish the elements of an actual crime committed and that their clients were not guilty on the facts. Attorney Constance Gadell-Newton, defending Wriply Bennet argued that “there are constitutional issues involved” and notified the jury that they would be asked to uphold the law and Constitution.
The defendants’ attorneys argued that their nonviolent political protest was reasonable and lawful. The police had approached the #BlackPride4 abruptly and immediately got physical with them. No one had asked the police to come in and rough up the demonstrators. Any injury to the police officers, the defense argued came from the police falling over themselves and their bikes as they gave contradictory commands.
Gubernatorial candidate Dennis Kucinich addressed the first town hall forum of the Progressive Democrats of America Central Ohio chapter on February 5. Kucinich emphasized that he is for universal health care and when in Congress had written HR 676 a Health Care for All bill, co-sponsored by Representative John Conyers. While pitching universal health care, he also put in a plug for veganism, saying that his switch to a vegan diet in 1995 allowed him to get off of six of seven pharmaceutical medications. He told the crowd that he fights to keep community hospitals open but he warned them that closing hospitals is often a tactic to break health care unions.
Kucinich explained that his approach to politics is based on the fact that “I’m an activist at heart.” He claimed that his ultimate agenda is to “empower the people of this state to make their own decisions.” He supports the Community Bill of Rights.