Join the demonstrations against “Urban Shield,” a war game and weapons show that will be held in the Bay Area from October 25th-28th. This convention brings together more than 150 local, state, federal, international and private sector partners defined as “first responders” to “critical events” in “our high-threat, high-density urban area.” They includes human rights violators such as police departments from BART’s to Bahrain’s, together with private security corporations and weapons manufacturers.
Join the Facing Urban Shield Action Network on October 25 to confront the weapons manufacturers and the local officials who are working with them as their exhibition kicks off in downtown Oakland, and let them know that Urban Shield is not welcome here. The last thing Oakland needs is a further militarization of the police in our neighborhoods. A real shield for our city would provide jobs, healthcare, affordable housing, and good schools!
What/when:
* Community witness/walking picket 9am to 5pm
* Rally 5pm
* March to Oscar Grant Plaza at 6:00 PM.
* “The Battle For Oscar Grant Plaza.” A new documentary by Jacob Crawford about 025 and N2, 2011, will be shown after it gets dark.
Who we are:
* The Facing Urban Shield Action Network consists of 30 Bay Area community organizations.
Why you should join us in taking action against Urban Shield:
* Urban Shield deepens the militarization of police in our neighborhoods, which results in harassment and violence, disproportionately against African-American, Latino and Arab/Muslim communities.
* Urban Shield provides training and information sharing among SWAT teams and international police forces, many of which are guilty of major human rights violations – including teams from Israel, Bahrain and Qatar among others.
* Urban Shield normalizes the use of ‘non-lethal’ chemical weapons, surveillance drones, armored cars and other military weapons against Muslims, people of color and peaceful protestors.
* Urban Shield spends up to $7.5 million of public monies – to fund big “defense” contractors that turn disaster and deadly conflict into profit. We see this trend in attempts to purchase tanks and drones by police forces and sheriffs across the Bay Area.
* Urban Shield targets people expressing their right of freedom of assembly and protest through scenarios presenting activists as a danger to public safety. By promoting fear of ‘terrorism’, Urban Shield justifies Islamophobia, stop and frisk, and other intrusions into our constitutional rights.
What you can do:
* Come out on October 25 and show your opposition to further militarization of the police.
* Join the Facing Urban Shield Action Network and help us make sure this is the last time Urban Shield comes to Oakland. Email us at beitconvivencia [at] gmail.com or facingteargas [at] warresisters.org