|
.jpg)
Ten years since the protests at the Philly RNC, and the first large Philadelphia Independent Media Project
by
ELizabeth Fiend and others | 07.15.2010
In the summer of 2000 Philadelphia hosted the Republican National Convention. In response to the expected protests to the convention a huge Independent Media Center was established in a spacious and amazing office suite on Locust Street. Time to retrospect and party! Two nights, Fri. July 30 and Sat. July 31.   It's R2K+10 Time to retrospect and party! PARTY, ART, VIDEO, MUSIC, FRIENDS! Saturday July 31: Open Mic, Movie and Party, 6pm onward, In the summer of 2000 Philadelphia hosted the Republican National Convention. In response to the expected protests to the convention a huge Independent Media Center was established in a spacious and amazing office suite on Locust Street – this was the first large project of the fledgling Philadelphia Independent Media Center. Activists came from near, far and wide to contribute and work on getting the true story out -- from an activist’s prospective. Drexel University’s TV station, DUTV, teamed up with national satellite TV station Free Speech TV, to accomplish the amazing fete of renting a satellite truck and producing five half-hour nightly broadcasts to cover the protests and events in Philadelphia. Programs were seen across American and in Philadelphia. A stellar line up of talent was recruited to produce the programs called “Crashing the Party” Original Press Release from 2000 broadcasts: IN BRIEF: Last week, thousands of Americans descend upon Philadelphia to confront Republican pols and fat cats. They challenged the establishment on issues such as campaign finance reform, universal health care, the death penalty and the reality of massive poverty in the midst of plenty that characterizes the world of corporate "globalization." Free Speech TV and the Independent Media Center in Philadelphia joined with hundreds of media activists to cover the action. At week's end, over 450 protesters had been arrested. On August 10th nearly 200 were still in jail, often beaten and brutalized by their jailers. Rabbis and Jewish community leaders in Philadelphia issued a statement decrying the city's treatment of protesters and "urged society to heed the demonstrators "prophetic voices." The Rabbis called on the city: "Do not persecute them for speaking out." (http://www.phillyimc.org) A new mass political movement announced its emergence in the Seattle protests against the World Trade Organization last November. And with it was born a new independent media, young men and women with internet, camera, radio and writing skills, sick and tired of the homogenized baloney they are fed in the corporate media, bored by the half-stepping "loyal opposition" pieties of the old "left media." The Philadelphia RNC was a focal point for newly galvanized, "no business as usual" forces from the east coast" The Los Angeles DNC is the mobilization point for tens of thousands from around the country who refuse to listen to another crop of forked tongued, corporate bought pols ooze how "they feel your pain" while they stab you in the back. Free Speech TV will again provide a television and internet platform on EchoStar's Dish Network Channel 9415 for national coverage of the week's events. Please tune in for this historic coverage. For more info please see Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=132407653466043&ref=ts and the Defenstrator at http://www.defenestrator.org/r2k_plus_10
|
|
© 1999–2008 Philadelphia Independent Media Center |
|
Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by PhillyIMC.
|
Comments
10 Years
Submitted by Nathan Rodriguez (not verified) on Thu, 07/15/2010 - 9:37pmCongratulations for the ten years of social activities. Good celebrations !
Post new comment