Greens praise not guilty verdict by jury in case of SF peace activist arrested at Bush protest at GOP convention

GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release: Friday, June 24, 2005

Contacts:
Cres Vellucci, State Press Office, 916-996-1970,
Beth Moore Haines, GPCA Spokesperson, 530-277-0610,
Sara Amir, GPCA Spokesperson, 310-270-7106,

SAN FRANCISCO (June 24, 2005) – The Green Party of California expressed relief today that "bogus" charges against San Francisco Green Party activist June Brashares were found to be false by a New York jury late Thursday night in her trial stemming from an arrest during President Bush's speech at the Republican National Convention last year.

Brashares, who works with Code Pink and other peace groups, was arrested during a well-televised protest in which she stood on a chair and held up a handmade sign she smuggled into the convention center in her pantyhose that said: "Bush Lies. People Die."

The jury deliberated only six hours before finding her not guilty of all five charges, including assault, harassment and disorderly conduct. She was accused of putting a gash in the leg of a security guard with her shoes, but witnesses, including a KGO-TV cameraman, testified she wasn't wearing any shoes while standing on the chair.

"We are very pleased with the outcome of the trial. Ms. Brashares was at the RNC to make a statement of peace, and never would have kicked a security guard or anyone else," said Erika McDonald, San Francisco Green Party spokesperson.

"The fact that Ms. Brashares had to travel across the country to face bogus charges shows an increasing lack of tolerance for dissent in this country. I can't imagine New Yorkers are too happy that their city, still ridden with devastating crime and violence, used precious resources to prosecute a peace activist for expressing political views," added McDonald.

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The Green Party of California
http://www.cagreens.org
P.O. Box 2828, Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: (916) 448-3437
gpca@greens.org