Organizers of the massive anti-war demonstration planned for the opening day of the Republican National Convention have won an important victory – permits have been secured for the Minnesota State Capitol building and grounds.

The grounds of the state capitol are the only realistic staging area in downtown Saint Paul for the tens of thousands that are expected to join the march to the Xcel Center Sept. 1. Protest organizers are continuing to meet with Saint Paul city officials to press their demand for the permit to march to the site of the RNC.

“Obtaining the permits for the capitol complex is an important first step,” states Deb Konechne, of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. “We intend to take our anti-war message to the RNC and we insist that Saint Paul city government give us the permits now. People are coming, we need to prepare and we will not wait until the last minute to get this settled.”

The Sept. 1 protest has the backing of the main local and national anti-war organizations, as well as many other progressive groups.

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