Photo Gallery: "Crack the CIA" protest rally pictures. Citizens Rally, March to "Crack the CIA" by Ruffin Prevost Special Assignments Team PSCPRuffin@aol.com Thousands of Angelenos turned out in force Saturday, February 22 to protest the CIA's involvement in the distribution of crack cocaine throughout the Los Angeles area. The noon rally at the steps of L.A.'s City Hall was attended by thousands of citizens who expressed anger and outrage at the CIA's activities, its lack of accountability for its actions, and its continued denial of any involvement, despite growing evidence to the contrary. Following a program of speakers and music, protesters marched from City Hall to the federal building to make a statement about what one protester called the federal government's "dark influence" on the city of Los Angeles. "I'm sick of the CIA pulling stunts like this and getting away with it," said Barbara Talley of Tustin, Calif. "They are involved in endeavors that leave people dead, and no one in the government wants to hold them accountable. "What they don't seem to understand," said Talley, who carried a placard that read 'CIA: Crack Importers of America,' "is that we, the people, are the government, and we're here today to hold them accountable." A number of other groups and organizations were present at the rally to offer information about their causes. Under the encroaching shadow of "tax season," a number of people were speaking out against the IRS and the Federal Reserve. "It's time for America to wake up and realize that our pockets are being picked by two illegal organizations called the IRS and the Fed," said Walter Marindale of Malibu, Calif. "These organizations aren't even really part of our government, they have no jurisdiction over us, and they're responsible for stealing more of our money than all the thugs, street criminals and hoodlums in the country." The real message of the day, according to one protester who preferred only to be identified as Malik, was that the people will be watching the CIA from now on. "This whole, vast array of nonsense and back-room conspiracies is out in the open now. We have proof of what they've done, and people are calling and faxing and e-mailing each other about all this," said Malik. "They can't hide any more, and we're not going to go away until someone [from the CIA] is in jail for the crimes they've done against us." Many organizers in attendance noted that future rallies are on the drawing board. For more information, contact the Crack the CIA Coalition at P.O. Box 19160, Los Angeles, CA 90019. E-mail the Crack the CIA Coalition at crackcia@radio4all.org, or visit their web site at http://www.radio4all.org/crackcia. (c) Copyright 1997 ParaScope, Inc. "Crack the CIA" Protest Rally Photos Maxine Waters Connects the CIA/Contra/Cocaine Dots More on the CIA/Contra/Crack Connection What do you think? Tell us in the message boards!