PARDON ME , BOY ?

Tennessee , in the Southern USA , 1998 : following the shooting of two young black men by the racist Chattanooga City Police, a Coalition Against Police Brutality was hurriedly formed.

A march on City Hall was organized. At first, the protesters were given the impression that their representatives would be allowed to speak to the City Council. But at the last minute permission was withdrawn. Lorenzo Komboa Ervin went ahead and spoke anyway, supported by Damon McGee and Mikail Musa Muhammad. These three were grabbed roughly, punched, and taken
off to jail, charged with "disruption" .

When Lorenzo was growing up, the Ku Klux Klan ran Chattanooga. Nowadays, judge and jury may not wear white sheets and pointy hats ; but "justice" is loaded against black defendants nevertheless. Also, Lorenzo and Damon are anarchists. The prosecution used their political views as "proof" that they are "prone to violence". But the only violence was that used
by the police against handcuffed prisoners.

Lorenzo, Damon, and Mik were finally found guilty by a biased court a few weeks ago.
They appear in court for sentencing next week. Merely for exercising the right of free speech, they are facing substantial jail sentences. Even if the sentences should be comparatively short, Lorenzo is not a young man; he is not in the best of health ; and , as a well-known black anarchist, he is likely to be targeted by racist prison guards. There is a distinct possibility
he might never leave prison alive.

Some of us know Lorenzo personally, from when he visited Scotland and spoke at public
meetings in Edinburgh , Dundee , and Glasgow . To us, this friendly man facing such
brutality just for speaking out against brutality is a national disgrace on the USA.

Similar laws against "disruption" to that of Tennessee exist in most other states.
This case could mark the beginning of a crackdown on dissent throughout the USA.

Tennessee is a beautiful land "where every prospect pleases and only man
is vile". Tourism and other service industries are important to the local economy. Chattanooga is a city which tries to keep the cozy image projected in the song
" Chattanooga Choo Choo " . That is why international protest can actually
make a difference to the treatment of the Chattanooga 3 . Add your voice
to the protest. Check the web site at  http://sf.indymedia.org/lke.php for
news and details of what you can do. E-mail us at  heather@teknopunx.co.uk ,
or  ace@autonomous.org.uk . Or contact "Solidarity With The Chattanooga 3" ,
c/o ACE , 17 West Montgomery Place, Edinburgh , EH7 5HA. (Phone number 0131-557-6242)
 http://www.autonomous.org.uk
 http://teknopunx.co.uk/actionscot.html