FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CITIZENS
FOR LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT
DENIES
ALLEGATIONS ITS BANNER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPER BOWL CRACKDOWN
“Grassroots
Organization Decries
Obstruction
of Protest Banner by Tampa Police”
CONTACT:
Michael Rectenwald (mike@legitgov.org)
TAMPA,
FLORIDA – Citizens for Legitimate Government (CLG), a nonpartisan, pro-Democracy
action group, denies any and all allegations that its protest banner provoked
the systematic investigation of unwitting civilians by Tampa police at Super
Bowl XXXV, held January 28, 2001. CLG acknowledges, however, responsibility
for the flying of its second aerial banner, which flew over Raymond James
Stadium and read “INSTANT REPLAY – BUSH LOST”, whose flight
pattern was severely restrained under police direction.
Law
enforcement officials have confirmed that surveillance cameras covertly captured
facial images of unaware Super Bowl attendees in an attempt to match visitor
identities with those of known felons and terrorists. “The excessive police response to the expression of our
moderate voices of dissent is a very disturbing development,” said CLG
member Rod Schoonover. “We are not radicals, criminals or terrorists.
We are normal citizens exercising our Constitutional right to peacefully but
loudly assert our opposition to the illegitimate presidency of George W. Bush.”
The
group also denounces the police obstruction of the protest banner. “Rights
granted by the First Amendment don’t suddenly end 2,000 feet above the
ground,” said CLG spokesman Michael Rectenwald. “The contrary nature
of our message in no way warrants such extreme tactics as those employed by
the Tampa Police Department.“
Formed in the wake of the 2000 election, CLG has engaged in several actions, including flying an aerial banner over the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on New Year’s Day (which read “BUSH LOST – PROTEST ‘INAUGURAL’ IN DC”) and marching in counter-inaugural protests nationwide on January 20.
Citizens
for Legitimate Government is a strategic grassroots group recently created
by concerned, tax-paying citizens, after an activist U.S. Supreme Court abandoned
its Constitutional obligations and upheld the Republican Party’s efforts
to eliminate the democratic process from the 2000 presidential contest. The
members of the group refuse to recognize the Bush administration as legitimate.
More information on the group’s activities can be found on their website
at http://www.legitgov.org.
.