CODEPINK Women Speak Out During Romney Presidential Nominee Speech At Republican Convention: People Over Profits

August 30th, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 30, 2012

CONTACT:
Alli McCracken, (860) 575-5692, alli@codepink.org
Medea Benjamin, (415) 235-6517, medea@codepink.org

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CODEPINK Women Speak Out During Romney Presidential Nominee Speech At Republican Convention:

People Over Profits


Tampa, FL— Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's speech at the RNC was interrupted by four CODEPINK activists calling for money out of politics, and a return to a democracy by and for the people. Tighe Barry, from Los Angeles, Rae Abileah, 29 from San Francisco, Medea Benjamin from Washington DC, and Karen Boyer, from Portland Oregon, all spoke out during Mitt Romney's speech accepting the Republican party presidential nomination.

Tighe Barry, a CODEPINK activist from Los Angeles, held up a banner which read “Democracy is not a business”. “I spoke out during Mitt Romney's speech tonight,” Tighe Barry stated, “because he operates on a corporate agenda which benefits the wealthy at the expense of the middle and lower class.” When he began to chant “People over profits!” with the other CODEPINK activists, an audience member violently attacked him, putting him in a chokehold. 

When asked why she spoke out during Romney's speech and unfurled a banner which read “People over profits”, 29 year old CODEPINK co-director Rae Abileah from San Francisco stated,  “I want a government by and for the people instead of a government that puts profits over people and panders to corporate interests.”

“Mitt Romney's budget plan calls for increased funds for the already bloated Pentagon budget,” said Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK co-founder. “Romney's war-mongering rhetoric when it comes to Iran is dangerous for America and dangerous for the world.”

“As a retired schoolteacher,” said Karen Boyer, a CODEPINK activist from Portland, Oregon, “I am horrified by the Romney-Ryan plan for America that will decimate public education and put more money towards war spending.”

Activists are currently being detained but will be available for interviews once they are released. For the time being, please contact Alli McCracken, CODEPINK media coordinator, at (860) 575-5692 if you have any questions.

CODEPINK has been protesting every day at the RNC--calling for the arrest of Condoleezza Rice for war crimes, speaking out against gun violence at the NRA shoot-out, opposing an attack on Iran at the Salute to Pro-Israel Congresspeople. CODEPINK has also focused on the GOP war on women, bringing a “vagina bloc” to the RNC that has been making appearances at various events from Ralph Reed's Faith & Freedom Coalition Rally to the Planned Parenthood Rally.  Their giant vagina costumes have been catching the attention of the Republican delegates and national public.  

CODEPINK, founded in 2002, is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into health care, education and other life-affirming activities. www.codepink.org

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