GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA JOINS IN PEACE RALLIES ACROSS STATE

For immediate release: January 10, 2003

Contacts:
Beth Moore Haines, GPCA Spokesperson, 530-277-0610,
Ross Mirkarimi, GPCA Spokesperson, 415-412-7526,
John Strawn, GPCA Spokesperson, 805-689-2840,

Following the Green Party of the United States' (GPUS) recent resolution opposing U.S. plans to invade Iraq, the Green Party of California (GPCA) is rallying Greens and peace activists to join them in several upcoming rallies in California.

"Falling near Martin Luther King Day, these rallies offer a fitting remembrance of King's efforts opposing the Vietnam War through non-violent demonstrations," said Kevin McKeown, Mayor pro tem of Santa Monica and Green Party member. "War remains as brutal and immoral today as then."

On Jan. 11, the Green Party of Los Angeles County and other organizations plan a massive peace march and rally in downtown Los Angeles. Events will begin at the corner of Olympic and Broadway at 11 am, with speakers starting at noon. A march to the Los Angeles Federal Building will follow. Organizers expect diverse participation, including representatives from labor union, healthcare, immigrants rights, student and peace groups. Martin Sheen, Ron Kovic, and many others will be speaking in opposition to US war plans.

"The Bush Administration is not listening to the large segment of Americans who oppose war with Iraq and who oppose vital funds for domestic programs being diverted to a $200 Billion war effort," said LA Green spokesperson Lisa Taylor, a march organizer. "We need to stop this terrible assault on both the Iraqis and the Americans."

On Saturday, January 18, the Green Party of San Francisco is planning to march through downtown San Francisco with ANSWER. Organizers anticipate crowds comparable to the nearly 100,000 who marched there on October 26, 2002. The participants will be gathering at the Embarcadero at 11AM and will march to the Civic Center, where a rally and speakers will follow.

Greens and peace activists in Nevada County have booked eight buses to carry participants to the January 18 march. Green Party locals across the state continue weekly vigils and marches with Women in Black, Physicians for Social Justice, and other concerned organizations. The Green Party of Ventura County has participated in weekly anti-war rallies across the county.

"At weekly rallies in Ojai, Ventura, Oxnard and Thousand Oaks, we see a public response to the Bush war plan that belies the corporate media claims that the American public is '100% behind the War on Terror'," said Stuart Bechman, Green Party of Ventura council member.

The Green Party is working with several organizations to plan additional rallies in March.

More information: www.unitedforpeace.org www.coalitionforworldpeace.org www.answerla.org www.notinourname.net www.icujp.org

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