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Why We Interrupted Bush at Monticello

by David Swanson



Video by S. Johnson of Gael Murphy, Desiree Fairooz, and Linda Lisanti.

Photo by AP of our photographer S. Johnson whose work is below:

When Bush opened his mouth to speak I shouted “Defend the Constitution, Impeach Bush!” I repeated that several times, as people nearby knocked me over, cops handcuffed me, people gave me smiles and thumbs up signs. They threw me out and a couple of more defenders of our Constitution behind me, and then a few more, and then a few more. The handcuffed citizens who’d done their duty kept coming down the hill. They did not arrest us but did give us a ride down the mountain where we joined a crowd of protesters in the road who greeted Bush’s limo coming and going.

Why did we do this? Here’s why.

Gael Murphy, like others, protested with a banner and shouted and never got thrown out. She did interviews on the way out with CNN and Cville Weekly.

OPEN FOR MORE VIDEOS AND PHOTOS. I’ve also posted below a collection of corporate media reports on the protest, which are actually much better done than have been the depictions of the protest idea by people who oppose protesting while claiming to be on our side and paternalistically protecting us from negative news coverage. Such unsolicited advisors may be made angry by their self-censorship, because they consistently project anger on those who protest, but I have to say we had a delightful time, the crowd was in large part friendly, the president got the message and claimed to approve of free speech, and the Albemarle Police were very decent. I didn’t see any angry protesters, but I did see people doing their jobs as citizens and others appreciating it or resenting it while failing to do their own.



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