Directions/details for October 15th Protest at Hempstead/Hofstra Presidential Debate

2:00 PM: Rally in parking lot of Hempstead LIRR Station sponsored by Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) & Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Tomorrows. Take the train from Penn Station in NYC to Hempstead. The train ride is approximately 45-50 minutes from NYC. On the train platform, you will be greeted and directed to the rally point.

4:15 PM: Proceed in mass to protest along Hempstead Turnpike located by Hofstra University (bring your signs, whistles, flashlights for later).

5:15 – 6:30 PM: Join protests sponsored by Long Island Alliance inside campus of Hofstra University authorized "free speech" zone.

6:30 PM to 10:00 PM – There will be continued "Speak Outs" in "free speech" area by protesters

7:00 PM -- Action by Iraq Veterans Against the War & designated allies (further information on this below)

Organizers tell us that there will be a shuttle bus and/or escorts to assist people in getting back to the Hempstead LIRR station after the protests.

World Can't Wait, Code-PINK, Workplace Project, UFPJ, Peace Action NYS, and a number of other organizations support and are participating in these actions.


There has been some confusion about the details of the protest at Hempstead and Hofstra. To clarify matters and to answer questions, we are printing here sections of a letter from Long Island Iraq Veterans Against the War member Kris Goldsmith. Parts in quotation marks are taken exactly from Kris' letter. Other parts are summary for brevity. Hope this is helpful and many will come out!
-- NYC World Can't Wait.

"We the People, will have our voices be heard!"
"We the People, Do Not Want War!!"

Rally Starting at 2:00 PM:
Rally sponsored by Iraqi Veterans Against the War and the "We the People movement" (coalition formed in Long Island). The permitted area will be a parking lot close to the Hempstead Train/Bus Station off the Long Island Rail Road.

After rally "we will walk- un-permitted and on the sidewalk (completely legal here) to the debate. We remain committed to non-violence, and non-aggression during this walk. Notice I'm not calling it a 'march' because we aren't taking over the streets at this point."

"Walking approximately 1.2 miles east of the Hempstead train station along Hempstead Turnpike, we will arrive at the Hofstra University Campus. There we will converge with the main body of the Long Island Alliance. We expect at least 500 people to be waiting for us there.
At this location/time there will be a multitude of groups there... including those outside of the Long Island Alliance like the Gathering of Eagles [reactionary pro-war grouping], so be mentally prepared for idiots screaming- and remain non-violent! "

"At 6:30pm the Long Island Alliance led action is scheduled to come to a close, and this is the time when IVAW will announce it's intent to change the tone a bit- and prepare for Civil Disobedience and a possibly arrestable action." [see separate entry below for details on their possible civil disobedience action]