Tampa, FL – Across Florida, groups with the Coalition to March on the RNC protested as part of a statewide day of action on July 27. The day marked a one-month countdown to the Republican National Convention (RNC) and the massive unified march and protest happening on Monday, August 27, in Tampa.

Groups across the state and around the country will be coming down to Tampa as part of a broad coalition saying no to the Republican agenda. The Coalition is promoting a people’s agenda demanding, “Good jobs, healthcare, affordable education, equality and peace.” The group is protesting on the opening day of the RNC and demanding that government money be used for human needs, not for corporate greed and wars overseas.

In Tampa, leaders from Students Working for Equal Rights, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, Fight Back Florida, members of Teamsters Local 79 and Occupy Tampa gathered at Perry Harvey Sr. Park. This is where the march on the RNC will begin with a rally at 10:00 a.m. on August 27. Organizers waved a huge banner that said, “Be here August 27th to demand: Good jobs, Healthcare, Affordable Education, Equality and Peace.” The Coalition to March on the RNC leaders spoke to the media about the recently granted permits, as well as details of the march and rally. They plan to continue to gather support from the community as the massive protest draws near.

At nearly the same time, Coalition to March on the RNC partners in Tallahassee, the state capitol, protested outside the Florida State Republican headquarters. Despite a sudden heavy thunderstorm, protesters rallied outside of the office. John Saullo of SDS condemned the Republicans, saying, “They attack women’s rights and provide tax cuts to the wealthiest in society, all while eroding the rights of working families and creating destructive environmental policies.”

Later in the day, the Coalition to March on the RNC in Gainesville protested outside of the Bank of America chanting, “Banks got bailed out, we got sold out!” 30 protesters gathered from Gainesville area Students for a Democratic Society, Occupy Gainesville and Veterans for Peace. They rallied outside of the bank where Jeremiah Tattersall said, “Bank of America funds the parties of the 1%. We'll be following their money to Tampa for the RNC, but also to Charlotte for the DNC.” Protesters then marched to a busy intersection, waving signs and chanting.

Around the country groups and people are mobilizing for the Tampa protest against the Republicans and the wealthy 1% who own and control both political parties. The Coalition to March on the RNC plans to protest within sight and sound of the Republican convention. They also support the March on Wall Street South during the Democratic National Convention a few days later.

After the opening rally on Monday morning of August 27, the Coalition will march through the streets of downtown Tampa to “Protest RNC Square” for another rally outside of the Tampa Bay Times Forum to oppose the Republicans and their 1% backers. A united message of struggle and progress, carried by thousands who are part of a growing movement in the streets and work places, will be heard across the country and perhaps the world.

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“In 2008, we helped organize a powerful demonstration at the RNC here in Minnesota,” said Tracy Molm of SDS. “This August, Minnesotans will be going to Tampa to send the Republicans a message. We want good jobs, health care, affordable education, equality and peace.”

Linden Gawboy of the Welfare Rights Committee is helping to coordinate the trip to Tampa. “Sign up for the trip to this historic protest. The rich and their bought and paid for politicians are waging a war on poor and working people. The RNC is the place where we are going to fight back.”

The Coalition to March on the RNC is organizing a large demonstration on August 27, the first day of the Republican National Convention.

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Tampa, Fl – About 50 people from across the country gathered here June 16, on the University of South Florida campus, for the Coalition to March on the Republican National Convention Organizers Conference. There were representatives from more than 30 labor unions, student organizations, anti-war groups and immigrant rights groups from Florida, Minnesota, Illinois and North Carolina, including the Graduate Assistants United at the University of Florida, Students for a Democratic Society, the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, the United National Anti War Coalition, and Students Working for Equal Rights.

The conference focused on reaching out to groups and organizations opposed to the Republican agenda, in order to bring them to Tampa for the march. At the conference, participants discussed the importance of the Coalition’s central demands – Jobs, Health Care, Affordable Education, Peace, and Equality – and ways of accurately conveying their message to the media.

Marisol Marquez and Fernando Figueroa, two of the lead Florida organizers for the Coalition to March on the RNC, facilitated a full schedule of workshops and planning sessions aimed at building for the march on August 27, the first day of the convention.

“The Coalition to March on the RNC is a group effort, in every sense of the word,” said Figueroa. “We’re hosting this conference so all of our coalition partners – workers, students, immigrants, and others – can build for this historic march in August behind a unified message and a cohesive organizing strategy.”

Mick Kelly, an organizer of the massive protest at the 2008 Republican Convention urged an all out national mobilization for the opening day of the RNC. Joe Iosbaker, a key organizer of May’s NATO Summit protest, summed up the key lessons of the Chicago demonstration. Tracy Molm of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression noted that the government would work to derail the planned protest. Angel Buechner, of the Twin Cites based Welfare Rights Committee stated that low-income people would join the Coalition’s march.

In break-out planning sessions, conference participants announced two national days of action to build for the August march in Florida.

On Monday, July 2, the Coalition to March on the RNC will hold a national call-in day to the City of Tampa demanding the right to march within sight and sound of the Convention on August 27. Then, on Friday, July 27, coalition partners will hold demonstrations, pickets and protests outside of local Republican Party headquarters or corporate sponsors of the Convention.

“The city of Tampa insists on restricting our right to protest the agenda of the Republican Party,” said Richard Blake, a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 385 and organizer with the Coalition to March on the RNC. “These days of action are as much about engaging new coalition partners across the country as they are about fighting these attempts to stifle free speech.”

The organizers’ conference closed with a short press conference on the University of South Florida campus. Energy is high as activists prepare to take these plans back to their communities and prepare for the historic march on the RNC on August 27.

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Tampa, FL – Organizers for the Coalition to March on the RNC held a press conference today, April 10, outside City Hall in Tampa. Leaders are organizing a national protest on the opening day of the Republican National Convention, to be held in Tampa, Florida on Aug. 27. Protesters will demand jobs, healthcare, education, equality and peace.

Fernando Figueroa, of Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), spoke about opposing the ‘Clean Zone,’ an ordinance proposed by the Tampa city government that would attempt to keep Coalition to March on the RNC protesters away from the Republican National Convention. The Clean Zone also proposes that a number of items be banned from the march. “They want to talk about things we can't bring to the protest, like string and children's toys. I'm bringing shorts and a t-shirt to the march in August, and I want to talk about some items that really should be banned, like pepper spray and police batons,” Figueroa said.

Jared Hamil of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Fight Back Florida talked about the struggle for a permit in Tampa. “We filed for a permit requesting to march within sight and sound of the convention and we will not be caged or treated like animals.”

Tom Burke from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression spoke about the organizing going on around the country to say no to the Republican agenda. “We are building a national march in Tampa against the Republican agenda. We demand our permits to rally, march and protest where the Republicans can see and hear us.”

Organizers of the press conference also announced a rally for that night at 7:00 p.m. in Joe Chilura Park to demand permits and say no to the Clean Zone.

The call for the protest states, “On Monday, August 27, 2012, the attention of the entire world will be focused on Tampa, Florida. The Republican National Convention brings together some of the worst politicians that this country has to offer. We're calling on all those ready to fight back against the attacks launched by the Republican Party and their corporate masters to take to the streets and demand a better future for our families, our communities and our children.”

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Members of Occupy Tampa and other community members spoke too. Protesters held signs outside reading, “No to the Clean Zone. Give us our permits!” and “Good jobs, healthcare, affordable education, equality and peace!” and “No to the Republican agenda!”

One speech stood out at the Tampa City Council, “Hi my name is Jared Hamil and I'm with the Coalition to March on the RNC. We are the Coalition representing labor unions, low-income people, students and anti-war groups all over the United States, including the participators and organizers of the 2008 Coalition to March on the RNC in Saint Paul, Minnesota. In January we filed for a permit requesting to march within sight and sound of the convention. Since then the city has dragged its feet and frankly met us with hostility when it comes to the idea of protesting the RNC.

“When Mayor Buckhorn released his ‘Clean Zone’ ordinance, it directly opposed any sort of protest happening whatsoever. Purely by its name, it insults us by calling us ‘dirty.’ As an ordinance it determines where protests can be and for how long, and with a one hour limit. We in the Coalition to March on the RNC say this suppresses protest and our right to speak. We have the right to protest within sight and sound of the convention and have our voice heard. The city was the one who decided to have the Convention here, and with that comes massive protests. People are tired of the wars and attacks spearhead by the Republican agenda. We say, no to the Republicans! We demand good jobs, healthcare, affordable education, equality and peace! With that, we demand that the Tampa City Council not adopt the plan.

“We have the right to protest within sight and sound of the Convention, and we will not be caged and treated like animals.”

The push for permits at the April 5 City Council meeting came on the heels of the Coalition’s national Call-in Day that forced the Tampa mayor to put all his calls to voicemail due to being overwhelmed by protest supporters.

The Coalition To March On The RNC (www.MarchontheRNC.com) is planning another Tampa press conference on April 10 at 4:00 p.m. at Tampa City Hall, 315 East Kennedy Boulevard, and a rally three blocks away at 7:00 p.m. at Joe Churilla Courthouse Square Park, 622 East Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, Florida.

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In April, groups involved in the Coalition to March on the RNC & Stop the War resubmitted their permit applications for demonstrating in Saint Paul on Sept. 1, 2008. The city of Saint Paul has not responded to their requests to receive a permit and instead have formed a ‘free speech’ working group. This working group is discussing what rights protesters will have to demonstrate, but is not considering or listening to what the community needs to protest against the Republican agenda.

Marie Braun, of the Twin Cities Peace Campaign-Focus on Iraq, stated, “Next September the Republican Party will be here to chose the candidate who will best keep this country on a path of occupation and war. Similarly, on Sept. 1, 2008 tens of thousands of people from Minnesota, from the Midwest, and from around the country will gather in Saint Paul to march on the RNC and to demand and end the war on Iraq.”

A protest organizer, Meredith Aby of the Coalition to March on the RNC & Stop the War notes, “The RNC march has been endorsed by peace and justice groups around the country. People from around the country are planning to come here to demonstrate against the war and speak out against the Republican agenda. Many of those coming are asking about the permits.”

This effort is backed by local organizations that have organized the major Twin Cities anti-war protests. In addition, the organizations that have organized the large anti-war and immigrant rights demonstrations in Washington D.C., New York and on the West Coast have also signed on. These organizations include; CODEPINK, International Action Center, Latinos Against War (Los Angeles), the March 25 Coalition – Los Angeles, May 1 Movement for Worker and Immigrant Rights, Troops Out Now Coalition, United for Peace and Justice and many chapters of Students for a Democratic Society.

Local signers include the Anti-War Committee, AFSCME Local 3800, American Indian Movement Grand Governing Council, Iraq Peace Action Coalition, Low Income People Organizing for Power, Military Families Speak Out, MN Immigrants Rights Action Coalition, Twin Cities Peace Campaign-Focus on Iraq, Welfare Rights Committee and Women Against Military Madness and many others.

Protest organizer Mick Kelly of the Coalition to March on the RNC & Stop the War says, “We are taking a message to the Saint Paul City Council. We want the permits to march on the RNC now. City government needs to stop fooling around with its so-called free speech committee and grant the permits so we can exercise that freedom and speak out against the war at the RNC.”

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