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Indybay Feature

Rally for Lynne Stewart in front of SF Federal Courthouse

by B. Bloom
Lynne Stewart, the much admired civil rights attorney who is struggling with cancer, has had her bail has revoked, and she is now being held in jail after a Federal Court ruled on her appeal last Tuesday. On November 23, demonstrators in San Francisco protested against the ruling.
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Lynne Stewart embraced supporters outside a federal courthouse in Lower Manhattan just a few days ago. Yesterday demonstrators in San Francisco showed solidarity with her stance for defending unpopular clients. Ms. Stewart surrendered last week to begin serving her 28-month sentence for "assisting terrorism".

Her attorney, Michael Tigar, called the ruling an attack on the First Amendment right of free speech, free press and petition. Demonstrators in San Francisco agreed. They called for the freeing of not only Ms. Stewart but for other political prisoners as well. In 2005, Stewart was convicted on charges of conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists. Her felony conviction led to her being automatically disbarred. She was convicted of helping pass messages from her client, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, an Egyptian cleric convicted of planning terror attacks, to his followers. Demonstrators today said that she was actually convicted of daring to defend a much-hated client who, nevertheless, deserved the right to counsel.

Amongst those demonstrating were members of the ANSWER Coaltion, the Raging Grannies, and citizens who happened by after attending an immigrant rights demonstration directly across the street. One demonstrator interviewed stated she believed that Stewart's efforts to release communications from her client were part of her defense method to gain public awareness and support, that charges against Stewart were "trumped up" and that misogyny played a role in this conviction.
§Free ALL political prisoners
by R. Robertson
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§Night fell quickly
by R. Robertson
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§Call for many
by R. Robertson
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§marching
by R. Robertson
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§placards
by R. Robertson
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First, this demonstration should have been on this website's calendar to increase turnout. Many of us would have been there if we knew about this demonstration.

For more information on the case, please see
http://www.lynnestewart.org/
and in particular, read the appellate brief, at
http://www.lynnestewart.org/)_BriefforDefendant-Appellant-Cross-AppelleeLynneStewart.pdf

If it is too long, at least read the Table of Contents and Table of Authorities at the beginning so you get a good picture of the frame-up.

Lynne Stewart was framed for defending the workingclass her entire life. The frame-up started when she was defending this FBI patsy, blind cleric Sheikh Omar Abdul Rahman, whose frame-up is described by Ralph Schoenman in his
excellent 1993 expose in Prevailing Winds magazine, "Who Bombed the U.S. World Trade Center? — 1993, Growing Evidence Points to Role of FBI Operative," By Ralph Schoenman at
http://takingaimradio.com/articles/wtc93.html

Stewart's lawyer notes in the appellate brief that the wiretaps began during her defense of Rahman, which means they were getting ready to frame her then because of her long history of defense of workingclass clients. He does not put it that way; he just says they were preparing their phony case in the 1990s, long before the 9/11 Inside Job. Then, when the ruling class perpetrated the 9/11 Inside Job, they had their Reichstag fire excuse to arrest Stewart and have another scapegoat, just like the Rosenbergs were scapegoats in the same courthouse in 1950, for the US war of anti-communism in Korea, and the rest of he world. You have to stand up to the bully, the US government, and tell it like it is if you want to win. It is not about defending the Sheikh; it is about her defending the workingclass, and Lynne Stewart did not break any law or commit any felony.

It is clear that the government is trying to murder Lynne Stewart, a very ill 70-year old woman with breast cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure, who was scheduled for a bladder operation (vital organ) in December at a first class hospital, which the prison system apparently will do instead, according to the interview with her husband on Flashpoints, KPFA, 94.1 FM, Nov. 23, 2009 at 5 p.m. Listen at:
http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/56411

We need to hear about phone numbers we can call to demand daily visitation by her husband, family and friends as her husband stated on Flashpoints that the prison is trying to deny visitation. We also need to demand that her surgery take place at the hospital where and when it was originally scheduled.
by ,,
ANSWER sponsored rally looks like from the signs people are carrying. Maybe this was thrown together last minute? Usually they post to indybay calendar.
by repost
There is now an online Petition to Free Lynne Stewart, the lawyer who was framed on false charges because she spent her life defending the workingclass.

The petition is at:
http://www.petitiononline.com/091127ls/petition.html

From: "Urgent Action: Free Lynne Stewart," Nov 28, 2009 at:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=16312
Urgent Action - The following is a petition to be sent to the President of the USA , Barack Obama for the defense of lawyer Lynn Stewart.

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/091127ls/petition.html

Aged 70, Lynne Stewart has dedicated her life for the defense of the poor, of the Black community and for the struggle for justice.

The U.S. Government is unfairly accusing Lynne Stewart of being a terrorist and a traitor and is demanding a 30 years prison sentence for Lynne Stewart.

Please sign the petition and write to the President and to Lynne Stewart in prison.

The hearing will be held on December 2. There is no time to lose.

In the United States the National Lawyers Guild will organize demonstrations throughout the country.

To send Lynne Stewart a letter, write:
Lynne Stewart
#53504-054
MCC-NY
150 Park Row
New York, NY NY 10007

You can also call or write to President Obama:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington , DC 20500
Please include your e-mail address

Phone Numbers
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
Thank you California! The line is now busy, so keep trying to call the White House Comment Line 202-456-1111. If you cannot get through today, call tomorrow. Remember, 6 a.m. here is 9 a.m. there and you still get the nighttime rate
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