Calendar
This week we’re peeling back the mysteries of how banks work – or don’t – in the real world.
Chapter 3 of Tom Sgouros’ Checking the Banks.
“After hearing from people injured by police batons and projectiles, and those who suffered from tear gas during several days of protests in Berkeley, the Police Review Commission voted unanimously Wednesday night to ask the City Council to temporarily ban tear gas, the use of projectiles and over-the-shoulder baton swings as crowd-control measures, until an investigation has been completed.”
All out to the City Council meeting Tuesday the 16th at 7pm!
Two articles on the Police Review Commission action Wednesday night:
http://www.dailycal.org/2014/12/11/police-review-commission-supports-restricting-use-tear-gas-crowd-control-techniques/
http://www.insidebayarea.com/breaking-news/ci_27118581/berkeley-panel-seeking-temporary-police-ban-tear-gas
NOTE: the meeting is not at Old City Hall. It has been moved to Longfellow Middle School to accommodate expected large turnout.
A new formation has started in the bay area….a multi racial, multi generational group of organizations, individuals and families coming together to dismantle police terror. No longer on just the defense reacting to every atrocity by the pigs. We also going on the offensive. Come to the General meetings every third Thursday at Eastside Arts Alliance to find out what we talking about and how to get down.
Do you have three weeks of your life to commit to working to get Marissa Alexander, so unjustly, cruelly, egregiously imprisoned, out of jail???
We are ramping up our energy & commitment to FREE MARISSA NOW! as she has a Jan 27th hearing date, that could end up with her spending another 5 years in jail, or house arrest – for daring to stand up to a batterer, firing a warning shot into the ceiling, injuring no one.
We need to make her name known in every household across the u.s.ofa., and her freedom a STAND UP, FIGHT BACK cause too.
Which is why in January we are going to caravan from Oakland to Jacksonville, spreading the word from city to city, town to town, as we banner, hand out flyers, engage in direct actions, teach-ins, whatever we can do as we travel across the country spreading the word of her freedom!
PLEASE come to this meeting Saturday, whether you intend to go on the caravan or not. We need plenty of on-the-ground support if you opt not to go.
But please seriously consider spending three weeks of your life working to get Marissa out from behind bars! TOGETHER we WILL free Marissa and obtain a pardon for her!
See you Saturday!
- organizing for public banking in Oakland and elsewhere.
- advocating for Postal banking.
- saving the Berkeley Post Office and stopping the Staples non-union takeover of good Post Office jobs
- working with the City of Richmond and other municipalities for eminent domain seizure of underwater mortgages from the banksters
- ongoing study group
- distribution of Debt Resisters’ Operations Manual
- student debt resistance
- helping out America’s only non-profit check-cashing organization and fighting against usurious for-profit pay-day lenders and their ilk
- our famous Strike Debt radio program
- and much more!
Come learn about continuing developments and help us plan our next steps in opposition to this theft of our public commons.
THE POSTAL SERVICE WANTED TO SELL THE POST OFFICE TO HUDSON-MCDONALD DEVELOPMENT GROUP. HUDSON-MCDONALD BACKED OUT OF THE DEAL LAST WEEK.
THE CITY OF BERKELEY SUED THE POST OFFICE TO STOP THE SALE. A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER WAS IN PLACE UNTIL DECEMBER 17th, BUT WAS LIFTED BY THE JUDGE WHEN HUDSON WITHDREW.
There was a hearing in Federal Court on December 11th.
THE POSTAL POLICE TRIED TO DISMANTLE THE OCCUPATION/VIGIL AT THE POST OFFICE LAST WEEK. BUT THEY WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL! Read about the latest in eviction attempts here.
Get an overview of the sale announcement here.
Here’s a good more general overview piece.
Davic Rovics gave a concert on the Post Office steps recently. Check out pictures and video of him playing.
Also CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE. and the Save the Berkeley Post Office website, and First they Came for the Homeless Facebook for updates.
BPOD is an offshoot of Strike Debt Bay Area, which itself is an offshoot of Occupy Oakland and a chapter of the national Strike Debt movement, which is an offshoot of Occupy Wall Street.
We are ramping up the energy to FREE MARISSA NOW! We need to make her name known in every household across the u.s.ofa., and her freedom a STAND UP, FIGHT BACK cause across the country too.
Which is why we are going to caravan from Oakland to Jacksonville, spreading the word from city to city, town to town, as we banner, hand out flyers, engage in direct actions, teach-ins, whatever we can do as we travel across the country spreading the word of her freedom!
We have two vehicles that can carry up to 10 womyn – we still have space for 6 more! And if you have your own vehicle and want to join us, PLEASE do! The more vehicles, the larger the caravan, the more attention we bring to Marissa’s fight for freedom!
PLEASE come to the meeting, whether you intend to go on the caravan or not. We need plenty of on-the-ground support if you opt not to go.
But please seriously consider spending less than three weeks of your life working to get Marissa out from behind bars!
Remember: we are asking for less than three weeks of our lives when Marissa has already spent three YEARS of her life – and the lives of her children – in prison.
Surely we can willingly choose to put aside some time to ensure her freedom January 27th from a 3 year incarceration she certainly didn’t choose!
TOGETHER we WILL free Marissa and obtain a pardon for her!
See you Tuesday!
Also SAVE THE DATES: Sunday December 28th, 2-4pm, Sunday January 4th 2-4pm and Wednesday January 7th 7-9pm! We will hold potlucks, shows, fundraiser at these times!
At our next meeting we will continue our discussions about the past week’s events, hear report backs from autonomous groupings and hold a more focused conversation about long-term strategy and goals. If you or your group would like to help with agenda, facilitation or any other tasks, please contact us at edgecity510@gmail.com.
Thanks to the group of over 80 people who came and participated in the December 14 meeting at Oscar Grant Plaza. Though we were forced to deal with the presence of several uniformed OPD officers as well as a freelance photo journalist and San Francisco Chronicle staffer who refused to leave, the group was able to reflect on this most recent wave of actions and what kind of infrastructures are necessary in the future to support our efforts. Thanks also to the Anti-Repression Committee who gave information about what kinds of support is still needed for people facing charges.
The assembly had initially decided to meet again at the Omni Oakland Commons on Sunday, December 21 @ 2PM. There are multiple events happening this weekend, however, and while we apologize for the change of plans, we think it is best to push back the meeting another week. We hope that folks will attend the following events and continue to help us outreach as much as possible.
Sunday, December 21 @ 1-3pm: Bay Area Legal Observer and Know Your Rights Training workshop in support of #BlackLivesMatter at the East Side Arts Alliance.
Sunday December 21 @ 4pm: Winter Solstice Posada for Alex Nieto at 24th and Mission in San Francisco.
To repeat: the second assembly will take place at the Omni Oakland Commons on Sunday, December 28 @ 2pm.
Come learn about continuing developments, support our Occupiers and help us plan our next steps in opposition to this theft of our public commons.
THE POSTAL SERVICE WANTED TO SELL THE POST OFFICE TO HUDSON-MCDONALD DEVELOPMENT GROUP. HUDSON-MCDONALD BACKED OUT OF THE DEAL IN EARLY DECEMBER.
THE CITY OF BERKELEY SUED THE POST OFFICE TO STOP THE SALE. A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER WAS IN PLACE UNTIL DECEMBER 17th, BUT WAS LIFTED BY THE JUDGE WHEN HUDSON WITHDREW.
There was a hearing in Federal Court on December 11th.
THE FEDERAL JUDGE WILL DECIDE WHETHER THE LAWSUIT WILL CONTINUE OR BE DISMISSED – HE’LL DECI”DE SOMETIME AFTER JANUARY 8TH.
THE POSTAL POLICE HAVE BEEN RAIDING THE OCCUPATION INTERMITTENTLY IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING. BUT THE OCCUPIERS ARE NOT LEAVING! Read about one of the eviction attempts here.
Get an overview of the sale announcement here.
Here’s a good more general overview piece.
Davic Rovics gave a concert on the Post Office steps recently. Check out pictures and video of him playing.
Also CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE. and the Save the Berkeley Post Office website, and First they Came for the Homeless Facebook for updates.
BPOD is an offshoot of Strike Debt Bay Area, which itself is an offshoot of Occupy Oakland and a chapter of the national Strike Debt movement, which is an offshoot of Occupy Wall Street.
Come learn about continuing developments in the battle save the Berkeley Post Office and the Postal Service from privatization, support our Occupiers and help us plan our next steps in opposition to the theft of our public commons.
THE POSTAL SERVICE WANTED TO SELL THE POST OFFICE TO HUDSON-MCDONALD DEVELOPMENT GROUP. HUDSON-MCDONALD BACKED OUT OF THE DEAL IN EARLY DECEMBER. THE CITY OF BERKELEY SUED THE POST OFFICE TO STOP THE SALE. A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER WAS IN PLACE UNTIL DECEMBER 17th, BUT WAS LIFTED BY THE JUDGE WHEN HUDSON WITHDREW.
Get an overview of the sale announcement here. Here’s a good more general overview piece.
There was a hearing in Federal Court on December 11th.
THE FEDERAL JUDGE WILL DECIDE WHETHER THE LAWSUIT WILL CONTINUE OR BE DISMISSED – HE’LL DECIDE SOMETIME AFTER JANUARY 8TH.
THE POSTAL POLICE HAVE BEEN RAIDING THE OCCUPATION INTERMITTENTLY IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING. BUT THE OCCUPIERS ARE NOT LEAVING! Read about one of the eviction attempts here.
Stay tuned for a possible new Chalkupy and Community Gardening event at the Post Office.
Also CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE. and the Save the Berkeley Post Office website, and First they Came for the Homeless Facebook for updates.
BPOD is an offshoot of Strike Debt Bay Area, which itself is an offshoot of Occupy Oakland and a chapter of the national Strike Debt movement, which is an offshoot of Occupy Wall Street.
: : : : : : Reclaiming King’s Legacy : : : : : :
“This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism”
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
There is a state-sponsored war on Black lives in the United States and people across the country are demanding it comes to an end. As long as it remains business as usual to gun down Black women, men and children in the streets of this country, there will be no business as usual anywhere or for anyone. Shut. It. Down.
Oakland’s Anti Police-Terrorism Project is calling a bay area wide spokescouncil to plan and coordinate actions for the upcoming Martin Luther King Day weekend (1/16-1/19). Let’s carry forward and amplify thestruggle, together!
PLEASE SAVE THE FOLLOWING DATES for upcoming meetings in your calendar, and check back on this page because locations will be announced when they are confirmed.
Monday Jan 5th 7pm
Thursday Jan 8th 6pm
Saturday Jan 10th 10am
Monday Jan 12th 6pm
Wednesday Jan 14th 6pm
What is a spokescouncil?
A spokescouncil is a collective framework for direct action mobilizations, where large masses of people organize themselves into smaller teams called “affinity groups”. Affinity groups plan their actions independently with the intention of advancing the larger goal of the spokescouncil. Affinity groups are represented by at least one person (“a spoke”) at the meetings, where they are able to share resources and coordinate their actions with other groups.
Why a spokescouncil?
We propose the spokescouncil as a solution to many of the shortcomings of unstructured mass assemblies. We intend to provide a highly structured organizing space with clear tactical and messaging guidelines, that empowers participants to organize independently and in parallel. We intend to inspire a multitude of diverse actions and awaken the massive potential we have as a community engaging in direct action.
* The Anti Police-Terrorism Project is a project of the ONYX Organizing Committee in coalition with individuals and organizations like The Alan Blueford Center for Justice, Healthy Hoodz, Community Ready Corps, Idriss Stelly Foundation and more
** for questions or more information about the spokescouncil please contact aptpspokescouncil@gmail.co
The Strike Debt Bay Area / Public School reading group meets regularly to discuss readings on the broad subject of the Politics of Debt.
We’re starting a new topic/book for the new year. We’re reading chapter 4 of the first section, and chapters 1 & 2 of the fourth section, of ‘Small is Beautiful’ by E. F. Schumacher.
Join us!
: : : : : : Reclaiming King’s Legacy : : : : : :
“This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism”
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
There is a state-sponsored war on Black lives in the United States and people across the country are demanding that it comes to an end. As long as it remains business as usual to gun down Black women, men and children in the streets of this country, there will be no business as usual anywhere or for anyone. Shut. It. Down.
Oakland’s Anti Police-Terrorism Project is calling a bay area wide spokescouncil to plan and coordinate actions for the upcoming Martin Luther King Day weekend (1/16-1/19). Let’s carry forward and amplify the struggle, together!
PLEASE SAVE THE FOLLOWING DATES for upcoming meetings in your calendar. Before your first meeting, please make sure to attend an orientation!
> Monday Jan 5th, 7pm orientation and kickoff meeting, CNA Offices
> Thursday Jan 8th, 6pm orientation, 7pm meeting, OMNI Commons
> Saturday Jan 10th, 10am orientation, 11am meeting, OMNI Commons
> Monday Jan 12th, 6pm orientation, 7pm meeting, (Location TBA)
> Wednesday Jan 14th, 6pm orientation, 7pm meeting, OMNI Commons
> Saturday Jan 17th, 11am meeting, OMNI Commons,
What is a spokescouncil?
A spokescouncil is a collective framework for direct action mobilizations, where large masses of people organize themselves into smaller teams called “affinity groups”. Affinity groups plan their actions independently with the intention of advancing the larger goal of the spokescouncil. Affinity groups are represented by at least one person (“a spoke”) at the meetings, where they are able to share resources and coordinate their actions with other groups.
Why a spokescouncil?
We propose the spokescouncil as a solution to many of the shortcomings of unstructured mass assemblies. We intend to provide a highly structured organizing space with clear tactical and messaging guidelines, that empowers participants to organize independently and in parallel. We intend to inspire a multitude of diverse actions and awaken the massive potential we have as a community engaging in direct action.
* The Anti Police-Terrorism Project is a project of the ONYX Organizing Committee in coalition with individuals and organizations like The Alan Blueford Center for Justice, Healthy Hoodz, Community Ready Corps, Idriss Stelly Foundation and more
** for questions or more information about the spokescouncil please contact aptpspokescouncil@gmail.co
: : : : : : Reclaiming King’s Legacy : : : : : :
“This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism”
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
There is a state-sponsored war on Black lives in the United States and people across the country are demanding that it comes to an end. As long as it remains business as usual to gun down Black women, men and children in the streets of this country, there will be no business as usual anywhere or for anyone. Shut. It. Down.
Oakland’s Anti Police-Terrorism Project is calling a bay area wide spokescouncil to plan and coordinate actions for the upcoming Martin Luther King Day weekend (1/16-1/19). Let’s carry forward and amplify the struggle, together!
PLEASE SAVE THE FOLLOWING DATES for upcoming meetings in your calendar. Before your first meeting, please make sure to attend an orientation!
> Monday Jan 5th, 7pm orientation and kickoff meeting, CNA Offices
> Thursday Jan 8th, 6pm orientation, 7pm meeting, OMNI Commons
> Saturday Jan 10th, 10am orientation, 11am meeting, OMNI Commons
> Monday Jan 12th, 6pm orientation, 7pm meeting, (Location TBA)
> Wednesday Jan 14th, 6pm orientation, 7pm meeting, OMNI Commons
> Saturday Jan 17th, 11am meeting, OMNI Commons,
What is a spokescouncil?
A spokescouncil is a collective framework for direct action mobilizations, where large masses of people organize themselves into smaller teams called “affinity groups”. Affinity groups plan their actions independently with the intention of advancing the larger goal of the spokescouncil. Affinity groups are represented by at least one person (“a spoke”) at the meetings, where they are able to share resources and coordinate their actions with other groups.
Why a spokescouncil?
We propose the spokescouncil as a solution to many of the shortcomings of unstructured mass assemblies. We intend to provide a highly structured organizing space with clear tactical and messaging guidelines, that empowers participants to organize independently and in parallel. We intend to inspire a multitude of diverse actions and awaken the massive potential we have as a community engaging in direct action.
* The Anti Police-Terrorism Project is a project of the ONYX Organizing Committee in coalition with individuals and organizations like The Alan Blueford Center for Justice, Healthy Hoodz, Community Ready Corps, Idriss Stelly Foundation and more
** for questions or more information about the spokescouncil please contact aptpspokescouncil@gmail.co
Come learn about continuing developments in the battle save the Berkeley Post Office and the Postal Service from privatization, support our Occupiers and help us plan our next steps in opposition to the theft of our public commons.
THE POSTAL SERVICE WANTED TO SELL THE POST OFFICE TO HUDSON-MCDONALD DEVELOPMENT GROUP. HUDSON-MCDONALD BACKED OUT OF THE DEAL IN EARLY DECEMBER. THE CITY OF BERKELEY SUED THE POST OFFICE TO STOP THE SALE. A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER WAS IN PLACE UNTIL DECEMBER 17th, BUT WAS LIFTED BY THE JUDGE WHEN HUDSON WITHDREW.
Get an overview of the sale announcement here. Here’s a good more general overview piece.
There was a hearing in Federal Court on December 11th.
THE FEDERAL JUDGE WILL DECIDE WHETHER THE LAWSUIT WILL CONTINUE OR BE DISMISSED – HE’LL DECIDE SOMETIME AFTER MARCH 19th.
THE POSTAL POLICE HAD BEEN RAIDING THE OCCUPATION INTERMITTENTLY IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING. BUT THE OCCUPIERS ARE NOT LEAVING! Read about one of the eviction attempts here. There haven’t been any raids since a few days before Christmas, but they might start up again with the holidays over.
Stay tuned for a possible new Chalkupy and the new Community Gardening event at the Post Office.
Also CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE. and the Save the Berkeley Post Office website, and First they Came for the Homeless Facebook for updates.
BPOD is an offshoot of Strike Debt Bay Area, which itself is an offshoot of Occupy Oakland and a chapter of the national Strike Debt movement, which is an offshoot of Occupy Wall Street.
: : : : : : Reclaiming King’s Legacy : : : : : :
“This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism”
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
There is a state-sponsored war on Black lives in the United States and people across the country are demanding that it comes to an end. As long as it remains business as usual to gun down Black women, men and children in the streets of this country, there will be no business as usual anywhere or for anyone. Shut. It. Down.
Oakland’s Anti Police-Terrorism Project is calling a bay area wide spokescouncil to plan and coordinate actions for the upcoming Martin Luther King Day weekend (1/16-1/19). Let’s carry forward and amplify the struggle, together!
PLEASE SAVE THE FOLLOWING DATES for upcoming meetings in your calendar. Before your first meeting, please make sure to attend an orientation!
> Monday Jan 5th, 7pm orientation and kickoff meeting, CNA Offices
> Thursday Jan 8th, 6pm orientation, 7pm meeting, OMNI Commons
> Saturday Jan 10th, 10am orientation, 11am meeting, OMNI Commons
> Monday Jan 12th, 6pm orientation, 7pm meeting, (First Presbyterian Church)
> Wednesday Jan 14th, 6pm orientation, 7pm meeting, OMNI Commons
> Saturday Jan 17th, 11am meeting, OMNI Commons,
What is a spokescouncil?
A spokescouncil is a collective framework for direct action mobilizations, where large masses of people organize themselves into smaller teams called “affinity groups”. Affinity groups plan their actions independently with the intention of advancing the larger goal of the spokescouncil. Affinity groups are represented by at least one person (“a spoke”) at the meetings, where they are able to share resources and coordinate their actions with other groups.
Why a spokescouncil?
We propose the spokescouncil as a solution to many of the shortcomings of unstructured mass assemblies. We intend to provide a highly structured organizing space with clear tactical and messaging guidelines, that empowers participants to organize independently and in parallel. We intend to inspire a multitude of diverse actions and awaken the massive potential we have as a community engaging in direct action.
* The Anti Police-Terrorism Project is a project of the ONYX Organizing Committee in coalition with individuals and organizations like The Alan Blueford Center for Justice, Healthy Hoodz, Community Ready Corps, Idriss Stelly Foundation and more
** for questions or more information about the spokescouncil please contact aptpspokescouncil@gmail.co
On Monday the 12th, the Peace & Justice Commission will create specific proposals for the Berkeley City Council to review at its upcoming meetings. The draft attached above is a starting point. It needs your input and participation in Monday’s discussion to shape it into a truly transformational platform. We look forward to hearing your ideas about changes to Berkeley’s policies on policing and accountability, along with an investigation of police practices.
There will be time for extensive public comment on specific proposals for changes in city policy and practice. Please prepare by reviewing the attached draft document before the meeting (see below). We have arranged for a larger room, so please feel free to spread the word!
In 2014 the community made our anger felt about the uncounted police killings of African American and Latino youth, and we declared the apparently radical notion that Black lives matter.
Now it’s 2015, and time to make real change in Berkeley.
This month the city government will be discussing how to rein in the outrageous police attacks on non-violent demonstrations. We must be allowed to demonstrate safely against the killings of people of color by state authorities.
See Councilmember Jesse Arreguin’s three specific proposals, including wording changes to several BPD General Orders, in items 27, 28, and 29 in the upcoming January 20 Council agenda at:
But this is not enough. Let us remember what brought us out in the streets in December. Black lives are devalued here in Berkeley as across the country. Kayla Moore is dead because our society favors “command and control” over compassionate mental health care.
We must keep the focus where it belongs. We can end racial profiling and impunity for those who kill under color of authority. We can turn around the militarization of local police, the collaboration with national security intelligence sharing, and begin to overturn the racial disparities that ravage communities of color in Berkeley.
Transforming policing and racial justice in Berkeley
: : : : : : Reclaiming King’s Legacy : : : : : :
“This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism”
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
There is a state-sponsored war on Black lives in the United States and people across the country are demanding that it comes to an end. As long as it remains business as usual to gun down Black women, men and children in the streets of this country, there will be no business as usual anywhere or for anyone. Shut. It. Down.
Oakland’s Anti Police-Terrorism Project is calling a bay area wide spokescouncil to plan and coordinate actions for the upcoming Martin Luther King Day weekend (1/16-1/19). Let’s carry forward and amplify the struggle, together!
PLEASE SAVE THE FOLLOWING DATES for upcoming meetings in your calendar. Before your first meeting, please make sure to attend an orientation!
> Monday Jan 5th, 7pm orientation and kickoff meeting, CNA Offices
> Thursday Jan 8th, 6pm orientation, 7pm meeting, OMNI Commons
> Saturday Jan 10th, 10am orientation, 11am meeting, OMNI Commons
> Monday Jan 12th, 6pm orientation, 7pm meeting, (First Presbyterian Church)
> Wednesday Jan 14th, 6pm orientation, 7pm meeting, OMNI Commons
> Saturday Jan 17th, 11am meeting, OMNI Commons,
What is a spokescouncil?
A spokescouncil is a collective framework for direct action mobilizations, where large masses of people organize themselves into smaller teams called “affinity groups”. Affinity groups plan their actions independently with the intention of advancing the larger goal of the spokescouncil. Affinity groups are represented by at least one person (“a spoke”) at the meetings, where they are able to share resources and coordinate their actions with other groups.
Why a spokescouncil?
We propose the spokescouncil as a solution to many of the shortcomings of unstructured mass assemblies. We intend to provide a highly structured organizing space with clear tactical and messaging guidelines, that empowers participants to organize independently and in parallel. We intend to inspire a multitude of diverse actions and awaken the massive potential we have as a community engaging in direct action.
* The Anti Police-Terrorism Project is a project of the ONYX Organizing Committee in coalition with individuals and organizations like The Alan Blueford Center for Justice, Healthy Hoodz, Community Ready Corps, Idriss Stelly Foundation and more
** for questions or more information about the spokescouncil please contact aptpspokescouncil@gmail.co
On the agenda is the use of a residential street as a staging area for the cops during the protests against killer cops beginning December 6, as well as discussion about policies regarding the use of teargas and mutual aid.
Agenda and related documents here: http://www.cityofberkeley.info/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=12962