July 24: Stop the Gary Freeman Extradition

Support Gary Freeman - Stop the Extradition!

Join Us (Free Admittance)
Monday, July 24, 2006, 7pm

Bloor Street United Church
300 Bloor Street West
(intersection with Huron Street, near Spadina subway station)

Chair: Charles Roach (Toronto Attorney)
Speakers: Stan Willis* (Chicago Civil Rights Attorney/Activist) and
Natercia Coelho (Gary's wife)
Performance by: Gayap Rhythm drummers

Come learn about Gary Freeman's case and how you can help him and his family.

Advocates for human rights and against racism would be well aware of the
racial tensions surrounding Chicago in 1969 and the volatile nature of a
21-year-old white police officer aggressively questioning a 19-year-old
black man without justifiable cause. The are many well-established
incidents of police misconduct in the African-American community of Chicago
at that time and since, including harassment, intimidation, physical abuse,
arbitrary arrests and unjustified shootings.

Serious questions have also been raised about the fundamental justice of
the new Extradition Act (1999) in relation to the Canadian Charter of
Rights and Freedoms and international human rights.

We must demand that the continued persecution of Gary Freeman ends NOW! It
would be Canada's national shame to allow him to be extradited to the
U.S.A. Gary Freeman has suffered too much already, yet continues to be
victimized.

We do not believe the best interests of justice would be served by
uprooting Gary from his family and returning him to an uncertain fate in
the United States.

Email for more info: freemandrum@web.ca

Sponsored by: Social Justice Committee of Bloor Street United Church

Organized by Family and Friends of Gary Freeman - www.freemandrum.org

* Mr. Willis is chairman of the Chicago chapter of the National Conference
of Black Lawyers, and has been involved in exposing the systemic torture
practiced against African Americans in Chicago police custody.