Press Releases

Six arrested at protest near Schwarzenegger's office today...

admin — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:46:06 -0400

Paulette Cuilla, one of six people arrested at the Capitol on June 26, 2008

VERY URGENT NEWS ADVISORY
Thursday, June 26, 2008

Contact: Paulette Cuilla 916/956-8678 or Maggie Coulter 916/456-1420
**NOTE: Video of arrests available via an independent videographer**

SIX ARRESTED in front of
SCHWARZENEGGER'S OFFICE
CALLING FOR AN END TO THE IRAQ WAR

SACRAMENTO – Six people opposing the war on Iraq were arrested at the capitol TODAY/THURSDAY about 12:15 p.m. at the State Capitol near Gov. Schwarzenegger's office.

The California Highway Patrol charged the activists with misdemeanors, including allegedly demonstrating without a permit and illegally entering the Capitol, and released them. The activists have a July 23 court date.

The arrests took place following a "Freeze-In for Peace," where at 12:10 pm, about two dozen people "froze" in place for five minutes and then brought out signs and called for an end to the war. Similar "freeze-in" actions for peace are popping up all over the country. It was not clear why some of those participating were arrested and others were not.

City Council to take up appeal by ACLU, vets to allow permit for 120,000 flags

admin — Tue, 20 May 2008 00:55:44 -0400

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 19, 2008
Contact: Veterans for Peace 916/996-9170

ATTN: Daybook/Assignment Desk

City Council to take up appeal by ACLU, vets to allow permit for 120,000 flags on Memorial Day to honor U.S. military, Iraqi civilians killed

SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento City Council has quickly added to its agenda Tuesday (beginning at 2 p.m.) the question of permitting – the city attorney quashed the permit last week – a special Memorial Day display of 120,000 flags to commemorate the deaths of U.S. troops, and Iraqi civilians in the war in Iraq.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Sacramento and a veterans group will hold a MEDIA AVAILABILITY TUESDAY at 1:45 p.m. shortly before the 2 p.m. meeting at City Hall (915 I Street).

ADVISORY: Rep. Matsui to be presented with 'peace pillow' stuffed with names of Iraq war dead

admin — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:31:54 -0400

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 17, 2008
Contact: Sacramento Coalition to End the War 916/996-9170

ATTN: Daybook/Assignment Desk

Rep. Doris Matsui to be given ‘peace pillow' stuffed with names of U.S., Iraqi dead; She's asked: ‘How can you sleep?'

SACRAMENTO – Rep. Doris Matsui will be presented a special "Peace Pillow" here Tuesday – stuffed with the names of dead U.S. troops and Iraqi, with the phrase: "How can you sleep as the war on Iraq goes on and on and on."

Anti-war advocates, including vets and mothers of U.S. troops, will gather at 10 a.m. TUESDAY at the Federal Courthouse (501 I St.), and then march upstairs to deliver the pillow to Matsui's Office.

Another pillow is being delivered to Rep. Dan Lungren's office in Sacramento.

Court Date Set for Vets & Mother who asked Rep. Matsui to sign Peace Pledge

admin — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 23:40:49 -0500

UPDATE: For Immediate Release
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Contact: Cres Vellucci, Coalition to End the War, 916-996-9170

ATTN: NEWS DESK

January 9 trial set in Federal Court
for 4 vets, mother of U.S. Iraq veteran for
asking Rep. Doris Matsui to sign a peace pledge

SACRAMENTO – A date of January 9, 2008 was set Tuesday in a Federal Court
hearing here for 10 peace advocates – including four veterans and the
mother of a soldier who just returned from Iraq – arrested last Sept. 17 in
the office of Rep. Doris Matsui.

The "Matsui 10" were arrested Sept. 17 after they walked into the 12th
Floor office of Rep. Matsui and asked her to sign a "Declaration of Peace,"
which commits members of Congress to not vote for any further funding for
the war in Iraq. She would not do so, and then her staff was directed to
arrest the peace advocates, including several grandmothers and great
grandmothers.

Rep. Matsui 'end the war' words ring hollow

admin — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:25:37 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Contact: Cres Vellucci, Vets for Peace, 916/996-9170

ATTN: News Desk

Rep. Matsui's call for end to Iraq war
rings hollow, charges veteran organization;
Vet cites Matsui's refusal to sign peace declaration

SACRAMENTO – Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento, CA5) on Tuesday issued a
statement calling for a "responsible" end to the war in Iraq – but the
words ring hollow to U.S. troops in Iraq, said a spokesperson for a
veterans organization here.

"We are about to mark another Veterans' Day on Nov. 11, but Rep. Matsui
still cannot bring herself to call for an immediate withdrawal of our
troops from Iraq, without qualifiers," said Cres Vellucci, of Veterans for
Peace, Chapter 87 (Sacramento).

"She states that 2007 was the deadliest year of the war, but she needs to
do more than play politics with the lives of our fallen comrades and the
hundreds of thousands of Iraqi dead," said Vellucci, noting that Matsui may
have supported some legislation to bring the war to an end, but she knows
those efforts will fail because of a lack of will by Congress.

Anti-war activists vow to ‘step-up' peace actions

admin — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 22:46:07 -0400

Walking Into Federal Building 09/17/2007
Civil Disobedience 09/17/2007

URGENT NEWS ADVISORY
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Contact: Coalition to End the War, 916-996-9170

ATTN: MONDAY DAYBOOK/ASSIGNMENT DESK

Anti-war activists vow to ‘step-up' peace actions, may risk arrest at ‘Die-In' Monday at Federal Courthouse

SACRAMENTO – Anti-war activists disclosed plans to hold a massive "Die-In" here Monday – and risk arrest if necessary, as did the tens of thousands who participated in a D.C. Die-In Saturday – to encourage Rep. Doris Matsui and other lawmakers to vote against further funding of the war in Iraq.

The protest is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Monday at the Federal Courthouse (5th & I).

At a similar demonstration in March – on the 52nd day of a "peace-in" at Matsui's office – seven people were arrested inside Matsui's offices, including five veterans, as they read the names of U.S. and Iraqi civilian dead. It was the longest such sit-in of the Iraq War.

Anti-War Protesters Will Greet Rep. Doris Matsui at Light Rail Celebration

admin — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 01:27:47 -0400

Anti-War Protesters Will Greet Rep. Doris Matsui at Light Rail Celebration

Veterans and other anti-war activists will protest Rep. Doris Matsui's appearance at the Light Rail Celebration on Friday, reminding her that she should "Fund Light Rail, Not the War."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007
Contact: Coalition to End the War/Veterans for Peace 916/996-9170

ATTN: Daybook/Assignment Desk

SACRAMENTO – Rep. Doris Matsui to Be Met By Protests Friday When She is a Guest Speaker At Capitol Light Rail Celebration
Community activists say they will target Rep. Doris Matsui when she speaks at the "Celebration of 20 years of Light Rail" news conference in Sacramento on Friday. The Celebration starts on Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. at the Cathedral Square Light Rail Station at 11th and K Streets.

Activists say they will attend to remind Rep. Matsui that she should "Fund Light Rail, Not the War."

Governor should not have vetoed Iraq war withdrawal ballot measure

admin — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 01:45:59 -0400

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007
Contact: Coalition to End the War/Veterans for Peace 916/996-9170

ATTN: Assignment Desk

Governor should not have vetoed Iraq war withdrawal ballot measure; It would have given Democrats ‘courage' to do the right thing, say vets

SACRAMENTO – Anti-war activists said Wednesday that although they believe the advisory vote on withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq – vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger late Tuesday – was largely "political," the vote would have helped give Democrats the courage to end the war immediately.

"This vote would have given Californians an opportunity to speak out about the war, and although the measure doesn't go far enough as far as calling for our troops out now, it is something the people should have had the opportunity to vote upon," said John Reiger, a member of the Coalition to End the War in Sacramento.

Vietnam veteran Cres Vellucci, a member of Veterans for Peace, said the governor made a grave mistake not signing the resolution to allow the February vote.

Fox 40 News in Sacramento targeted for ‘Tell the Truth' campaign

admin — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 14:48:17 -0400

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007
Contact: Cres Vellucci 916/996-9170

ATTN: Daybook/Assignment Desk

FOX NEWS targeted by pickets nationally,
including Fox 40 News in Sacramento,
for ‘Tell the Truth' campaign

SACRAMENTO – Fox News Network affiliates – in Sacramento and across the
nation – have been targeted by demonstrators this Wednesday as part of a
national effort to pressure the national news operation to "Tell the Truth."

Protestors will hold a news conference, and then confront executives at the
FOX NEWS NETWORK Sacramento affiliate Fox 40 studio WEDNESDAY, at 10 a.m.
at 4655 Fruitridge Road.

Similar protests will be taking place at Fox News Network affiliates
nationwide.

Iraq vet and friends hit halfway mark in massive effort to walk laps for nearly 3,500 U.S. troops killed in Iraq

admin — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 14:13:16 -0400

Names of US troops & Iraqi civilians killed in Iraq

NEWS ADVISORY
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Contact: Cres Vellucci, Veterans for Peace, 916/996-9170

ATTN: WEEKEND NEWS DESK

Iraq vet and friends hit halfway mark in massive effort to walk laps for nearly 3,500 U.S. troops killed in Iraq, hope to finish next week

SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento area Iraq war veteran marching laps around the State Capitol since early Memorial Day to remember U.S. troops killed in Iraq and to protest the war said Sunday he had reached the halfway mark.

The unidentified vet said he and supporters have completed 1,751 laps by Saturday night, about half the estimated nearly 3,500 Americans killed.

The vet – a member of Iraq Veterans for Peace and Veterans for Peace, both of whom have confirmed his status via military records – remained anonymous to maintain focus on those who have died and not himself. He is a full-time college student, who works and has a family locally.

The massive effort – which continues daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from the 12th & L Street side of the Capitol – includes throngs of supporters also walking laps for Americans and Iraqi civilians killed in Iraq.