[hackmeeting] [Fwd: [Announce-whatthehack] Emergency WTH-newsflash: mayor wants to ban What The Hack !]

[DaniFB]

Parece que quieren impedir la celebración de What the Hack 2005.

Un saludo,
Dani

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [Announce-whatthehack] Emergency WTH-newsflash: mayor wants
to ban	What The Hack !
Date: Mon, 23 May 2005 08:52:40 +0200
From: Rop Gonggrijp <rop en gonggri.jp>
To: announce en whatthehack.org

(You can help. Read on for details)

We still find it hard to believe, but we have to accept the fact that it
is true. The mayor of Boxtel, the municipality under which the location
for 'What The Hack' resides, seems to be refusing a permit for our
gathering, citing "grave fear that the organisation of this event will
endanger law and order as well as public safety".

Previous instances of this event have seen no incidents of any kind. We
feel this matter needs public attention to get resolved, and we issued a
press statement today.


The letter (dutch): http://www.whatthehack.org/news/boxtelbrief

A fairly literal (and by no means legally approved) translation would say:

    Dear Sir, Madam,

    I have received word that you intend to organize an event "What The
    Hack" from July 28th 2005 through July 31st 2005 on Landgoed Velder
    in Liempde.

    In order to organize such an event, you will need to obtain a permit
    ex art. 2.2.2. of Boxtel local ordinance 2004.

    In light of the fact that there is grave fear that this event will
    endanger law and order as well as public safety, I, in my capacity
    as an authorized official,  am herewith informing you that I will
    not issue such a permit.

    A copy of this letter will be sent to the owners of the Landgoed
    Velder estate.

    I assume that I have sufficiently informed you.


    Yours truly,

    MAYOR OF BOXTEL,
    J.A.M. van Homelen


We have since mobilised our legal team and communicated with the
municipality some more. The entire exchange can be found here, and will
be updated as more communication happens.

We're preparing to take this matter to court, and we have strong reasons
to believe this will not stand.


What you can do

We issued press releases in english, dutch and german. Maybe you have
means at your disposal to get this matter some attention. Please forward
the message to any and all journalists you know, both at the corporate
and at the alternative media. Put it on your weblog. Talk about it on
online forums. If you happen to live or work in Boxtel, talk to people
and make sure they understand we're good people and that their mayor
seems uninformed. Make sure people understand what we are and aren't all
about.

Keep watching this space for news: things should be moving at a fairly
high pace for the next few days and weeks.


What you probably shouldn't do

Please remember that for now we assume this is all somehow a big
mistake, and if anything, we want to charm the local community of
Boxtel. We currently do not believe we have an actual disagreement. We
believe instead that the mayor does not understand what kind of event
What The Hack is. We do not want to be seen as radical or pushy. Maybe
it's an oldfashioned or conservative notion, but we simply feel our
community has a right to gather peacefully.

Getting angry or even vindictive towards the mayor, the municipality or
anyone else is always counter-productive.


Refunds

Have no fear: What The Hack will happen. Now what comes next hurts to
say, but we'd rather say the unspeakable before anyone else does:

Feel secure in the knowledge that in the extremely unlikely event that

   1. we will not be allowed to gather near Boxtel
   2. we cannot find another location

all ticket fees paid to us will be refunded in full. Period.

In fact: this is your chance to show that it takes more than misinformed
public servants to scare you. Buy your ticket today!


Smile

Perhaps most importantly: Don't let all of this get you down: a good
mood and a sense of humor have always been powerful weapons.
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