[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 137 (Thursday, October 17, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1899]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TREATMENT OF MR. MARTIN MAWYER BY U.N. OFFICERS MUST BE INVESTIGATED

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of TEXAS

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 16, 2002

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to place into the record a copy of the 
Washington Observer newsletter demonstrating the treatment a citizen of 
the United States received at the hands of agents of the United Nations 
in New York City. As you can see the attached newsletter demonstrates, 
Mr. Martin Mawyer, President of the Christian Action Network was 
forcibly removed from the U.N. grounds by three or four uniformed U.N. 
officers.
  Mr. Speaker, as you are aware, Section 7, subsection (b) of the U.N. 
host country agreement (Establishment of Permanent Headquarters in New 
York; Agreement Between United Nations and United States; Joint Res. 
Aug. 4, 1947, ch. 482, 61 Stat. 756) states, in part ``the federal, 
state and local law of the United States shall apply within the 
headquarters district.'' Moreover, as Mawyer states in item #6 on his 
signed affidavit regarding this incident: ``Without asking me to leave, 
he ordered his security officers, `Throw him out of the gates.' ''
  Clearly the photographs included in the attached story evidences the 
fact that an excessive use of force is apparent. I also understand that 
a video tape of the entire event is in Mr. Mawyer's possession.
  Mr. Speaker, while I am not charging that the U.N. agents involved 
have in fact violated U.S. laws, I do believe the attached items 
demonstrate that sufficient evidence exists for an investigation to be 
undertaken and I have asked that the International Relations Committee 
or the appropriate subcommittee to undertake said investigation.

            [From the Washington Observer, Sept. 2002[rsqb]

                      U.N. Assaults Martin Mawyer

       Martin Mawyer, President and Founder of THIS NATION, a 
     Project of Christian Action Network, was violently tossed 
     down the steps of U.N. Headquarters in New York City on 
     Wednesday, Sept. 4, by U.N. Security officers. He was then 
     placed under arrest after he attempted to deliver petitions 
     to the United Nations from thousands of THIS NATION 
     supporters. Christian Action Network is a national grassroots 
     pro-family organization with a membership of 250,000.
       Badly bruised and cut, with his clothes torn and dirtied by 
     the violent treatment, Mawyer was stunned and outraged at the 
     behavior of the U.N. Security officers.
       ``I can't even express how horrifying, humiliating and 
     painful it was to be treated that way with my staff and my 
     wife and son looking on in shock,'' said Mawyer.
       Mawyer added that the rough treatment was even more 
     shocking since the U.N. had already agreed to accept the 
     petitions when contacted by THIS NATION the previous week.
       ``Not only did they agree to accept the petitions of our 
     supporters,'' said Mawyer, ``but they assured us that we 
     would be met on the steps of the U.N. and may possibly be 
     able to meet personally with a U.N. official who would listen 
     to some of our concerns.
       ``Instead,'' he continued, ``they were waiting for me on 
     the U.N. steps when I arrived, fully intent on shattering my 
     dignity and resolve to deliver the petitions.
       ``Well, the U.N. stopped me from delivering the 
     petitions,'' he went on, ``but they have only deepened my 
     resolve to confront them on issues of grave concern to 
     citizens across America.''
       Mawyer had intended to deliver 30 bags filled with more 
     than 60,000 petitions to the U.N. from American citizens. The 
     petitions addressed a variety of issues of concern to 
     citizens, including the U.N.'s newly ratified International 
     Criminal Court, a plan to implement a U.N. standing army, the 
     Kyoto global warming treaty, protection of U.S. military 
     personnel serving in U.N. missions abroad, and a host of 
     other issues relating to national sovereignty.
       After the U.N. Security officers refused to accept the 
     petitions and tossed him roughly onto the sidewalk, Mawyer 
     attempted to deliver the bags of petitions over the U.N. 
     gate. But U.N. Security officers threw the bags back over the 
     gate onto the sidewalk, scattering petitions into the street.
       As soon as Mawyer arrived, U.N. Security called the NYPD. 
     When the police arrived, Mawyer was handcuffed, arrested and 
     taken to jail.
       ``I sat in jail for several hours not even knowing what I 
     was there for,'' he said.
       After he was released from jail, Mawyer was issued a 
     summons for disorderly conduct.
       ``It's clear that there was no reason whatsoever to assault 
     me, arrest me, or charge me,'' said Mawyer of the incident. 
     ``In fact, they never even asked me to leave the United 
     Nations property. They just ordered the officers to throw me 
     out.''
       Mawyer added that the summons doesn't even contain the name 
     or badge number of the arresting NYPD officer.
       Mawyer's attorney, David Carroll, was present during the 
     incident. He said Mawyer clearly did not violate any laws, 
     and was victimized when the U.N. refused to allow him to 
     exercise his First Amendment right to petition the 
     government, and to exercise his free speech. Carroll added 
     that Mawyer may have grounds to file assault charges against 
     the U.N. Security officers.
       ``What is most outrageous about this incident is that the 
     U.N. has consistently criticized the United States, our law 
     enforcement and criminal justice systems, and has even asked 
     to inspect our prisons and jails to make sure we are treating 
     prisoners fairly,'' said Mawyer. ``Yet they brutally 
     assaulted me on the steps of their headquarters, then I was 
     tossed in jail, my First Amendment rights were violated--all 
     the while they sit on U.S. soil, enjoying the blessings of 
     our nation and the fruits of our industry. They won't even 
     accept the valid petitions from the very citizens whose own 
     tax dollars support them.''
       He added, ``It's outrageous, and I intend to expose the 
     arrogance of the U.N. for the entire world to see.''

     

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