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Numerous reports of police brutality and civil rights violations bylaw enforcement agencies in Washington, DC, have upset many civilrights groups and others following anti-IMF/World Bank protestsSeptember 27- 29. Particularly distressing to reporters were thearrests and physical abuses of journalists on the scene. (Go towashingtonpost.com. for a description of some of the arrests.) Somejournalists said their equipment was confiscated by police and neverreturned, which represents illegal search and seizure. Those detainedfound it difficult to report on the protest, and some IMC journalistsclaim they were specifically targeted by police.

The Committee For Government Accountability (CGA) calls upon alljournalists, civil rights advocates, lawyers and electedrepresentatives to ask, "What are we trying to defend and promote inworld politics if freedom of speech and of the press are violated athome?"

CGA is a public interest group formed to provide oversight of the Cityof Seattle's investigation into the events of the 1999 World TradeOrganization Ministerial Conference. For more information, contact(206) 329-7413 or mtc2002_usa@yahoo.com.