January 18, 2005 Tuesday 8:05 AM Eastern Time
468 words
Homeland Security Advocates Under Assault in Florida
WASHINGTON, January 18 /PRNewswire/ --
- Wackenhut Broadens Attack Against Protects USA Activists in Florida
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Last Friday, at First Data Corporation offices, located at 4000 Coral Ridge Drive in Coral Springs, Florida, Protects USA and six citizens attempting to leaflet and voice their concern over the quality of private security provided by Wackenhut were physically removed from the premises.
Later they were pulled over by Coral Springs Police Department officers and threatened with arrest. The police officer claimed that any similar public education events about Wackenhut Corporation within the Coral Springs city limits would be punishable by arrest. Further, the police officer appeared to be working with Wackenhut to make sure such events did not happen again.
Since the spring of 2004, Protects USA affiliated organizations throughout the United States have staged public education events aimed at improving America's homeland security. In October 2004, Protects USA launched its national public education initiative with an event in Oak Ridge, Tennessee in the shadow of Oak Ridge Reservation, one of the most sensitive nuclear facilities in America and the site of some of Wackenhut's most egregious security lapses.
Since December 2004, however, G4/Wackenhut has worked to silence Protects USA and their allies through the U.S. court system and the National Labor Relations Board
. G4/Wackenhut filed a lawsuit in federal court on December 6 to silence its U.S.-based critics and stop public advocacy conducted by Protects USA. Wackenhut also filed an unfair labor practice charge over these publicity efforts, prompting a January 7 demand letter from the NLRB seeking sensitive information from Protects USA about the organization's participants, supporters and activities.
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