Support Peter Gelderloos! Contact the the Spanish Embassy

Support Peter Gelderloos! Fax, Call, Email the Spanish Embassy 6/26!

!!ACTION ALERT!!

Tuesday, June 26: Phone and Fax Blitz of Embassy of Spain

***Demand All Charges Against D.C. Area Activist Peter Gelderloos be Dropped Immediately***

Oppose Political Repression of the Squatter’s Movement in Spain

CALL, FAX, and EMAIL the Embassy of Spain on 6/26:

Demand All Charges be Dropped!

Telephone: (202) 452-0100
Fax: (202) 833-5670
Email: embespus @ mail.mae.es

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Peter Gelderloos Held in Spain Awaiting Trial on Trumped Up Charges:

On April 23rd, VA activist and author Peter Gelderloos was arrested by Spanish police at a demonstration at La Rambla. Peter was acting as a witness for the arrest of Javier Mazas, when he was detained by police under suspicion of setting off a petardo - a device used to scatter flyers into the air. Police accused Peter of being a "terrorist" and the two are being charged with illegal demonstration and public disorder, the latter carrying a prison sentence of between six and three years because it was allegedly committed with explosives. On April 25th, Javier was released pending trial, and Peter was given a 30,000 euro bail and sent to Modelo prison. Local community activists raised the bail in only two days and Peter was released. However, Peter must remain in Spain, checking in at court every two weeks until his court date which could take up to two years.

Peter’s lawyers believe that with even minimal pressure from activists in the U.S. through political pressure and media attention that we can have a very real effect in getting the charges dropped. Please take a few minutes out of your day on June 26 to make a call, email and/or fax on Peter’s behalf. The point of this action will be to let the Spanish Emabassy know that Peter has a large base of support in the U.S. who will not sit silent while the Government of Spain attempts to push these charges against Peter.

Support is needed from U.S. based activists to pressure the Spanish Embassy to let them know this injustice will not be tolerated.

Please spread the word and encourage others to call, email and fax!

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Sample of what to say when you call:

I am calling regarding the case of Peter Gelderloos, a U.S. citizen who is unjustly facing charges in Barcelona. I urge you to drop the charges immediately so that Peter may return to his life in the United States. It is appalling to see Peter's case as an example of Spain treats tourists, and that Spain allows visitors to be treated this way. The details of this case are being relayed to media outlets and numerous human rights organizations in the US and if proper action is not taken - if charges are not dropped and arresting officers go uninvestigated then further actions to alert the media and public to this horrible situation will be taken.

Points to stress:

1) Drop the unjust charges against Peter Gelderloos and his co-defendants now.

2) Allow Peter to return to the United States immediately.

3) If the Spanish Government does not remedy this situation immedidately, public pressure will only increase.

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Peter Gelderloos is an activist and author from Virginia. Whenever he is allowed to be in the good ole US, he is active supporting prisoners and participating in the movement for prison abolition. He works with groups such as Copwatch, Anarchist Black Cross, Food Not Bombs, and the local
infoshop. He has written a number of articles and pamphlets, and two books, How Nonviolence Protects the State, and Consensus: A New Handbook for Political, Environmental, and Social Groups. He is currently stuck in Spain awaiting trial.

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For more information on this case:

An article by Peter about his arrest:
www.infoshop.org/inews...0418585321

Peter’s Support Email: shigmagism @ yahoo.com

Support Peter Page on MYSPACE:

www.myspace.com/suppor...gelderloos