Communique from campaign: 500.000 - 600.000 Bcn demo

Another world is seriously possible

17.03.2002 08:27

Greetings to Barcelona from Turkey,

Yesterday when i was at an anti-capitalist and anti-war activity, someone asked me this question: "U r right but how many people in this world are saying no to the war as u?" I answered:" Hunders of thousands are marching in Barcelona now!" He was very inspired and his hope was raised as many others. Thanx to Barcelone activists for puring to showing us the moveming is gaining strength and another world is definitely possible! :)

Anti-capitalist activists from Turkey

Activists from Turkey
mail e-mail: bunyaminesen@yahoo.com

No Media coverage in mainsteam press

17.03.2002 09:58

Amazed to find almost all british sunday papers ignoring the mobilisation of half a million people that passed almost completely peacefully. Even the libral press such as the Guardian/Observer/Indipendent has little detail.

We are on to something huge and the powers that be know it. For every one person that attended there are scores more that support the movement.

Keep up the pressure, bring on May Day and lets get the message accross.

Support the World Social Forum for a democratic and peacefull future.

Rory Hodgson

To: Rory Hodgson about the media

17.03.2002 10:42

Hi, Rory (and everybody else of course!)

You said that you were "Amazed to find almost all british sunday papers ignoring the mobilisation of half a million people that passed almost completely peacefully". I just wanted to say:

IT WAS THE SAME IN SWEDEN! It's fucking unbeliveable that no "mainsteam-media" can give a true report about what REALLY happend yesterday in Barcelona! I think that it is the same kind thinking from the journalists i the whole Europe or EU! That don't what people to know that it actually was a very great an PEACEFULL demonstration! No, they want to the people all around Europe or EU to think that it is "terrorists" that have attacked the police all thou they KNOW that it was the opposite!!

Lucky as we are the indymedia exists! Thanks to them we now know what happend!

/Petter - Sweden

Petter
Homepage: http://www.se.indymedia.org

greetings from the U.S.

17.03.2002 10:59

You think the mainstream media is Europe is bad? You should hear what the U.S. media has said about the Barcelona Mobilization...NOTHING. I've been watching the news looking for any coverage at all, and so far there's been absolutely nothing.

CW

Pic

17.03.2002 11:41

Pic

pic

Douglas

Breaking News

17.03.2002 12:36

Hold the Front Page: "Anarchist cop 'Commander X' smoked pot with his gay lover."

And: "You too can have sex like the stars." ?????????????

And: "Another pretty girl dies from herion abuse."

No mention of half a million citizens, who oppose the rape and destruction of the World, being assaulted by riot police in Barcelona.

U. Burke

What matters..

17.03.2002 12:41

Hey, but solid progress has been made in selling off all the European energy companies to the World Bankers.

T.Blair (the Butcher of Britain)

In France

17.03.2002 13:00

To all: that's why Indymedia exists ! Hopefully !

Become the media !

Lord H2O
Homepage: http://securis.info

spanish media surprising

17.03.2002 13:30

of course, according to Spanish tv, it was the demonstrators who started the riots...but the media coverage still was surprisingly positive. they showed mainly images of the peaceful demonstration and stressed how tranquil it was and spoke of more than 300.000 participants, which isn´t bad for mainstream coverage... they say "a few radicals" started the violence, but hey, what would you expect them to say, the truth? Well, yes, in a way they´re right, there was a large number of undercover cops infiltrating the demonstration, so it wouldn´t surprise me if the first stones DID come from within the demonstration, but it was definitely not us... ;) However, all tv channels showed images of brutal police action, arrests, wounded people, cops beating up defenseless participants - so despite the voice-over, the image you got wasn´t really favourable to the police... especially as there was no footage whatsoever of violent demonstrators.
(well, the police made the mistake of beating up a few journalists in the district of Gracia on Friday, not the best of tactics... *g*)
I was there last night, it was a wonderful demonstration, and from what I saw, violence was entirely provoced by the cops. We were standing there rather peacefully when about 20 helmeted cops came running up, then some more. people were shouting at them but that was about it, and then they started firing rubber bullets and gas. People began to run, but the Ramblas were blocked in the other direction as well. A guy next to me tried to get through the police lines and was beaten up brutally by two cops. They chased us in one direction, trying to intercept us. People were just trying to get out, walking rather quietly up the street. It was impossible to get away from that street, as all the side streets were blocked. Then the police started charging once more, firing all the time. Some hundred people (I guess) got trapped against the wall of a hotel, the police shooting at shoulder level (that´s head level for some of us) from a distance of about 10 meters. People started crowding into the hotel hall, there were several wounded, everyone slightly on the edge of panic. The police outside went on firing, broke the windows of the hotel entrance, started coming in, forcing the people out... they also went into several bars and started beating up people (even innocent bystanders). It went on for quite a while, they had succeeded in dispersing us in the city centre, so there was a lot of punctual action going on, smaller groups of people being chased through the streets, beaten up, and all the time the damn bullets flying over our heads.
well, there´s a short eyewitness report for you :)
as I said, what surprises me, is that the media weren´t speaking merely of violent demonstrators but showed the police brutality - while of course maintaining how hte anti-riot-troups were only doing they´re job... well, but what would you expect...
But with half a million participants, what should they do? There were so many "normal" (normal as in "not young, radical and unconventional hairdo" *g*) citizens at the demonstration, so many grass-root activist groups consisting of "normal" housewives and ecologist groups,so much public support that they couldn´t just go and ignore the demonstration, nor condemn it totally...
Nobody (except for right-wing newspapers) seems to be questioning the legitimity of the demonstration, public opinion is quite in favour of it - but of course they all speak of "a few radicals" who go and spoil it for everyone.
Not that I´m surprised, that´s what they´ve got to say, isn´t it?
We are millions, and this world isn´t yours!
Solidarity with the people arrested in Barcelona!

another media is possible

we are winning!

17.03.2002 17:37

next weekend in Rome more than 1.500.000 people will march against Silvio Berlusconi neoliberal labour policies.

and it's only the beginning!

greetings from Italy.

autout

Do it yourself

17.03.2002 17:52

Well I was as stunned as the next person by the media coverage of the happenings in Barcelona. But I didn't expect more since the interests of the corporate world have stronghold in mainstream media.
So when I saw what was going on in Barcelona I didn't browse to CNN or BBC or whatever. I turned to the indy press on the wwweb. But I had difficulties finding anything. Midnight GMT and I couldn't get no confirmation on my suspicion that the police started the riots.
There is a need for indipendent newswire thar tells us what is happening, that is up to date with things. Live wire on the Internet.
So when the tvnews throw this bulls*** at me, I can throw up my browser and "see what's really going on".
There are people on the spot - some of them journalists -that could transmit live to web.
Lets use this medium to get the truth across to people thirsty fornews, not just to talk amongst our selves. For each one marching in Barcelona there are thousands that are either misinformed or not informed at all.

falchen

Inspiring to see the numbers

17.03.2002 20:41

It's a joy to see the level of awareness and activism in Europe, especially for those of us living under the oppression of an unelected, fascist-like, war-monger regime here in the U.S. I'm coming to the conclusion, more and more, that the only hope for stopping the world-raping, corporate juggernaut will come from outside of this spiritually dead land, where only the bottom line rules.

Please keep up the fight against the cruel, exploitative system that the corporate-ruled U.S. --now the ultimate military-industrial state--is trying to foist on the rest of the world.

Also... please have some kind thoughts for those of us who live here and feel such incredible alienation from all that this country represents now. There are, I suspect, many more of us than we realize, but you would never know it due to the absolute control the military-industrial state has now over all sources of information, including those famous polls that claim "President" Shrub has 85-90% approval ratings. I don't know a single person who has changed their negative opinion of this moron or his regime of cronies, even since 9/11. The polls remind me of the elections back in the old USSR, when candidates would always win with 99% of the vote.

Yes, we have totalitarianism here. And the American masses couldn't care less as long as they can drive their polluting SUV's, pull their fat asses up to McDonald's take-out windows and order more high-fat foods, then go home and stare blankly at their televisions for hours. And this is part of their vision of the wonders of globalization.

Don't let it happen. Stay in the streets!

Glenn
mail e-mail: gtrshore@hotmail.com

again same comments on media coverage

17.03.2002 23:34

i haven't read all the coverage about beautiful Barcelona here on IMC yet, i just read these coments about mainstream meadia coverage on Barcelona demonstration.
All of you have a lot of complains about this miserable coverage. Oh SHIT!! Anybody expected anything else???
Common we have to go a step higher, we have to compel this fuckin' mainstream media to report about us in a way WE want.
Let's start talking how to do that.

No Offence.

All you brothers and sisters from Barcelona You were gorgeus! Love you all.

Urh form Slovenia

AP photos of protest

18.03.2002 01:49

Not the biggest story in any main stream media, but I did find about 47 AP photos, go to this address:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=index&cid=68

and then scroll down to the Slideshow headline: Protesters at EU summit (on the right side of the screen)

Solidarity and Well Wishes

Scarlet

Indy Media rules

18.03.2002 02:45

With the exception of BBC news online, Indy Media is the only news service directing attention to what's going on on the streets of Barcelona.

The BBC's online coverage has been thin but given my experience of working in the media not that surprising. The focus seems to be firstly on the EU summit and decision made by state 'leaders'.

Activists don't despair. Anyone whose been involved in the uprising of activism in recent years will know we are getting stronger and the awareness of our activism is growing in the minds of Joe Public.

I would have loved to be in Barcelona this week but commitments to loved ones and the rent have kept me in London. Genoa and Brussels were great, the anti-war demos have been fantastic, the Globalise Resistance and Socialist Alliance conferences inspirational. The movement is growing.

I gonna try to make it to Seville. Reclaim the streets and keep up the Resistance. See you all on the CND demo next Saturday 30 March.

Cheers Gary Jarvis.

Gary Jarvis
mail e-mail: yesgaryjarvis@hotmail.com

Why the media don't care

18.03.2002 02:52

With the exception of BBC news online, Indy Media is the only news service directing attention to what's going on on the streets of Barcelona.

The BBC's online coverage has been thin but given my experience of working in the media not that surprising. The focus seems to be firstly on the EU summit and decision made by state 'leaders'.

Activists don't despair. Anyone whose been involved in the uprising of activism in recent years will know we are getting stronger and the awareness of our activism is growing in the minds of Joe Public.

I would have loved to be in Barcelona this week but commitments to loved ones and the rent have kept me in London. Genoa and Brussels were great, the anti-war demos have been fantastic, the Globalise Resistance and Socialist Alliance conferences inspirational. The movement is growing.

The mainstream media are owned by firms interested more in share value and hence circulation than in ground breaking journalism. The beauty of the internet is the infinite space. This means websites can provide more news, if well staffed, than their TV and press cousins. I have only read about the summit demonstrations on Indy Media and BBC online, so far.

I gonna try to make it to Seville. Reclaim the streets and keep up the Resistance. See you all on the CND demo next Saturday 30 March.

Cheers Gary Jarvis.

Gary Jarvis
mail e-mail: yesgaryjarvis@hotmail.com

corporate press beaten up at Barcelona

18.03.2002 02:55

corporate press beaten up at Barcelona

Associated Press photographer
Jon Dimis, from Pamplona, Spain,
reacts after getting hit by a riot
police officer during disturbances
following an anti-globalization
demonstration in central
Barcelona, Saturday, March 16,
2002. Dimis was hospitalized with
injuries to the jaw. (AP
Photo/Aranberri)
2 of 47 in the Yahoo series

yahoo website

solidarity from US

18.03.2002 05:11

After about 6 months of confusion and inactivity, the left in the USA is getting back on track and begining to see the ties between economic imperialism (à la IMF/World Bank) and military imperialism (à la Bush's war). Reading about these demonstrations in Barcelona is incredibly inspiring right now. For the first time in 6 months I am actually optimistic about the international left's ability to smash imperialism and neo-colonialism once and for all. From Quebec to Barcelona and beyond, "Solidaritié avec tout les peuples du monde entier!"

christian

Is another world really possible?

18.03.2002 06:41

It's nice to know that there are forces in Europe fighting against the new global order. The US main stream media doens't give much, if any, coverage of the story. Seattle, had me encouraged for a while that a movement was really beginning to organize, but it seems after 9-11 that it sort of was put on hold. I seriously hope I am wrong! We have been fighting to get back our radio network "Pacifica" and some good alternative news is now filtering in again. Thank goodness for net sights like yours. I was off the net for awhile since my computer was too old and slow, have finally upgraded to a Pentium 2 with 2 Gigs of memory. It was my son.s, so now I am finding out some web sites to get some real reporting.

Thanks again
Trish

Trisha Exley
mail e-mail: trishexel9@netscape.net

The Media withdrawing Oxygen?

18.03.2002 10:44

Browsing this site this morning was a breath of fresh air, and I have to say, the only coverage of Barcelona I have seen so far. The English newspapers have photographs of St. Patrick's Day parades - but curiously, nothing about anti-globalisation mobilisation happening in Spain. Television news yesterday did not just play down Barcelona - it didn't even figure! I'm not one for conspiracy theories or theorists, but as my colleague, who was reading your reports over my shoulder remarked; the lack of publicity is very curious, and almost like Thatcher's approach to the IRA - starve them of the oxygen of publicity and they will die off. Now - nobody is telling me that a huge demonstration like the one seen this weekend is not newsworthy - so what's going on? Even given the British press's obsession with 'celebrities', a photo opportunity like Barcelona isn't to be sneezed at - even if its to be framed as 'terrorist' activity (the adjective most usually palled up with the noun 'anarchist' in UK press - say it enough and the public will get to believe it, esp. post Sept 11 etc. etc....). Thanks for continuing to keep the faith, all you courageous demonstrators, activists and truth-tellers. They can only keep their hand over our mouths so long - and keep it up, IndieMedia!

Ann-Marie
mail e-mail: amgallagher@anarcho-syndicalist.fsnet.co.uk

media is shoulder to shoulder with bush/blair

18.03.2002 12:28

There will be pressure from politicans about not showing this stuff. They will be trying to equate us with terrorists, and the yellow press live up to their name, not wanting to be accused of giving terrorists (that's us, as the argument goes) the oxygen of publicity (good comparison). They are fucking cowards, afraid of stepping out of line, it doesn't matter if it's newsworthy, which Barcelona so obviously was.

At the same time we should not get too hung up on it. Despite the lack of coverage of our side, we blew the EU summit out of the water. all the leaders were pale, disappointed, pasty faced. They wanted it to be a show case and we fucked that up for them. For them, it was nearly as bad a failure as Seattle for the WTO.

Half a million people were on the demonstration, they have the experience of the police and the media coverage. they don't trust the state any more (if they ever did). Events like Barcelona lead to revolutionary shifts in consciousness.

The western press is not all and you can bet your life that footage is being shown accross the arab world, and probably in other places. And yes we have websites like this.

Barcelona is extemely important, it shows that our movement is even stronger now than it was before 9-11. No wonder they are terrified of people finding this out.

vincent

A new kind of kind of civil war

18.03.2002 15:08

Saturday I was in the demonstration. I never seen that:
we are 500.000 but no kind of violency in the demonstaters.
Police search the conflit because a small group of cops search the fight, they stand up behind the demonstraters and then they wait the hostilities ( I have the video of it...) . So a little part of the demonstraters answer at the hostilities and police call every cops. And they attack
everybody: women, journalists, people like me who try to shot picture of the incredible violence of the cops.
They want to catch my camera but when they hear that I am French, they let me go.
I had luck, because I am not spanish, they took in jail anybody.
They are affraid of us and they use police and media to say that we are bad people and terrorists like ben laden....
But we know that we are good people with peaceful intentions.
Hasta la victoria sempre,
le pouvoir se construit sans le peuple....

Simon
mail e-mail: simon_briand@hotmail.com

WE'RE MILIONS & THE PLANET IS NOT YOURS

18.03.2002 16:01

I was there last saturday and i've got to say that that was unveliable. I'm 21 but these 500.000 were formed by people of all ages, kids, parents, aged people and the rest a multicolored people of what we're, coz we are the real GLOBALISATION!!! the globalisation of the people
So i've got to say to you that go out the streets to the next big demonstration in your area. Nobody quiet us!!!!
There are MILIONS OF US and the planet IS NOT YOURS!!!!
Shout against the capitalism and destroy it!!!!
BARCELONA has shout 'fuck off' to the economic power like all the world has feeling now.
BARCELONA was big but no for its European first ministers, no no!! was big for its people. So to the next movilisations say NO against the capitalism!!!.
See you in Rome italian people!! We want BERLUSCONI died!!!!!!!!!!! and Aznar, and Bush, and Chirac, and Blair, and Solana, and...
BECAUSE THERE ARE MILIONS OF US AND THE PLANET IS NOT YOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PERQUÈ SOM MILIONS I EL PLANETA NO ÉS VOSTRE!!!!!!!!!

JOAN

see no,hear no print no evil..british press

18.03.2002 20:55

I see all this happening,only because I now have access to the internet.I wonder when I will be able to take part in something like that in britain...the spirit of the british people has been conditioned and controlled by the government run media for too long now and for the sole purpose of making a small group of rich people,richer..It's not fair and it's not just..why can't they simply tell us the truth,or are they scared

paul robinson
mail e-mail: maddogcraw69@hotmail.com

barcelona

18.03.2002 21:02

I see all this happening,only because I now have access to the internet.I wonder when I will be able to take part in something like that in britain...the spirit of the british people has been conditioned and controlled by the government run media for too long now and for the sole purpose of making a small group of rich people,richer..It's not fair and it's not just..why can't they simply tell us the truth,or are they scared

paul robinson
mail e-mail: maddogcraw69@hotmail.com

We have momentum now...

18.03.2002 22:28

BLOODY BRILLIANT!!
I was in awe at the figures of the protesters in Barcelona. And there was next to NOTHING about this in the main stream media in Canada.
Thanks to all that participated and to the existence of indymedia so l could know that this happened.
I am asking all who can make it (and afford it) to Kananaskis in Canada this summer to do so!
We have momentum now...

http://www.oxygensmith.com/~g8camp/tents/index.php

Peace to all
Mark Cutler
Toronto CANADA

Mark Cutler
mail e-mail: mark@topix.com

Inspiring

18.03.2002 22:56

WOW! half a million in the streets. We'll keep at it until we win. the stakes are too high. We MUST win.

Here's looking to kananaskis for G8 in June.

Great work everyone for spreading the news. Thanks.

Kelly

more corporate media roughed up by police

19.03.2002 03:10

Spanish agency EFE photographer Lluis Gene, center, is helped by Reuters photographer Albert Gea, left, after he was injured during disturbances following an anti-globalization demonstration in central Barcelona, Saturday, March 16, 2002. The march was called to coincide with the EU summit also being held in Barcelona. (AP Photo/Aranberri)

yahoo news image
Homepage: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/020318/168/19v4o.html

SOLIDARITY!

19.03.2002 05:32

Living in the united states has always made me feel alienated. even growing up as a child, i knew there was more to life than big macs and tv shows. After seattle, i got into the anti-globalization movement. After 9-11, my anarchist tendencies hardened;just as big business' dicks did at the sound of war bells ringing. With our ever-increasing police state here and around the world, with america cracking down on "terrorists"(in their eyes, anyone who opposes the raping of our earth, the torture and killing of our brothers and sisters, the destruction of our fellow creatures, or the imperialist backbone of their "war on terror"), with "radical" groups scared into the shadows by september 11th, i have almost lost hope. i never heard a word of dissent out of my peers. now, people are waking up to this government sham. and this has PROVEN that ANOTHER WORLD IS IN THE MAKING. Its happening. barcelona's complete refusal of the EU and a corporate-dominated world proves that the worldwide revolution is near. I GIVE MY COMPLETE SUPPORT TO ALL COMRADES PARTICIPATING IN THESE ACTIONS. DESTROY CAPITALISM BEFORE IT DESTROYS YOU!

peace, love, and solidarity
matt

anarchomattt
Homepage: http://revolting.4t.com

Article in TheTimes

19.03.2002 13:59

Here's the link:

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-3-239695,00.html

Zacc

Men In balaclavas

19.03.2002 19:12

Men In balaclavas

This picture is one of the 46 on Yahoo (see earlier post)

Caption
"Mon Mar 18, 3:24 PM ET
Plainclothes police officers search detained protesters in a police station after disturbances during an anti-globalization demonstration march in Barcelona, Saturday, March 16, 2002. The march finished with clashes between some demonstrators and police. (AP Photo/Pasqual Gorriz)"

Interestingly enough some of the people in it are wearing balaclavas. Now Im guessing the the people up against the wall with their hands up are the protesters - So that makes the ones with balaclavas the undercover police. and Hey guess what - in a nearly completely peaceful protest only a small group started the trouble - and they were wearing Balaclavas.

(Ok we all new that undercover police often do this but now we have proof)

Joseph

Lies

19.03.2002 19:27

The NYT did not report on this supposed incident. I do not believe it happened.
(sarcasm)

dystopia membrane goldstein, fldc

media coverage

20.03.2002 17:38

One national weekly paper, available in most newsagents, carries full and positive reports from Barcelona:

internationalist
Homepage: http://www.socialistworker.co.uk

to anarchomattt: you've got it a bit wrong...

20.03.2002 19:21

hey anarchomattt!!

i think you've got it a bit wrong by saying the barcelona people completely refuse the EU. i would say most people protesting in barca are in favour of europe, or better the european people growing together, simply because it's essential if we want to avoid war on our continent in the future. however, people here are really pissed about how things go. as it stands, the EU is not much better than the US. in fact, the "behaviour" of the EU is the same as the US's just on a smaller scale (but not much smaller). and the really sad thing is that europe is still in the building (whereas the US is a "made thing") and we actually should have a real chance to go a different way than the US instead of just following them like a blind dog and constantly comparing ourself with them, as if america is the standard we want to achieve. we don't!!!
anyway, keep up the pressure from within the US!!!
it's essential for the success of the worldwide anti-corporate movement! we need you, "different" americans!!!

edd

eyewitness reports from Barcelona +pics

21.03.2002 13:07

Hi all,

the demo in Barcelona was really amazing. Here's another eyewitness report which includes some really good pics of the crowd.

http://www.marxist.com/Europe/barcelona_anti_eu.html

in my opinion the demo had a clear anti-capitalist character, the main banner under which people marched read: against the europe of capital and war - another world is possible.

Jordi

Jordi
mail e-mail: jordi@marxist.com
Homepage: http://www.marxist.com/Europe/barcelona_anti_eu.html

Solidarity and strategy

21.03.2002 15:32

Solidarity to all the people in Barcelona, your actions are inspiring to the rest of us around the world. I haven't seen anything in the mainstream media about this here in the US. Clearly the new strategy against the movements will be black out, which means we need to strategize new ways to get out our messages. Indymedia is an amazing resource, proof of a better world by its own work and a tool to help us keep building. We need to strategize how to better spread the word, how to get the information and our movement in contact with even more people.
Solidarity.
Hasta la victoria
Nate

Nate

Did this really happen?

22.03.2002 08:30

Where I live, the media never reported this event. They gave an insignificant amount of attention to what was portrayed as a couple of dozon of young anti-capitalist louts through stones at police.

Manofthenorth

Who cares about mainstream media

24.03.2002 08:04

This is my media.This is only media that counts.They are on the other side of the wall.Relaxed and confident.QUESTION IS FOR HOW LONG.We are witnesses of THE LAST REVOLUTION on earth.And this is our weapon.We are in control of information.They can not erase 500000 people,they can not override them and if they succeed in theirs intentions do not worry,there are 500.000 and 500.000 and 500.000 citizens
of this pittyful planet despaired enough to fight till their end.
ONE PLANET,ONE HOME.

Belgrade is world!!!!!

Miroslav
mail e-mail: shanticm@hotmail.com

Thank You

28.03.2002 21:25

I am grateful that people have come together in such enormous showings of solidarity. I think that in previous years leading toward the turn of the millenium, the general consciousness was that changing the world was impossible and a pipe dream. But now we are seeing people stand up everywhere and speak up, not only in these large protests but also in rural communities and in individual life choices. And then again, there is the reality that standing up is also risking what is currently happening to our brothers and sisters being imprisoned, shot, burnt, and silenced in China and all around the world. The problem has always linked money and guns. When the people become too collated, and too active, then the state smashes down the resistance. However, the alternative to meekly bowing our heads and accepting the highly efficient, clockwork global corporate movement's arrangement of our world, concret-ization of our free organic lands, and the suppression of peoples around the world, is to all be finally coralled, body and mind. The support of the US for China's Eugenics movement brings to mind several things: Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World', Hitler's own experiements with Eugenics, and computer chip minds and souls which have no concept of true, organic freedom. So to the 2 million people movement in Europe, I say thank you, and to the Falun Gong who are suffering now for the right to experience freedom, I also thank you to them. 'Only those who risk...are free.'

Andre