Calendar

Protest & March
Tell Nancy Pelosi:
STOP Supporting Genocide in Gaza!
End the Siege of Gaza!
End All U.S. Aid to Israel!

(August 6th is also known as Hiroshima Day, the day the US dropped the nuclear bomb on tens of thousands of innocent civilians.)

The Palestinian people of Gaza have been heroically resisting in the face of the merciless U.S.-backed Israeli assault. More than 1,500 Palestinians have been killed and over 8,000 wounded, the overwhelming majority civilians.

Meanwhile, virtually every U.S. politician, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, have been falling all over each other to express their support for this mass murder.

The U.S. has armed, funded and supplied the Israeli occupation forces. Just this week, the Pentagon announced that it will provide an emergency resupply of ammunition to the Israeli army as it has used up so much in its Gaza operation.

For more info, visit answersf.org
Download the flyer: http://www.answercoalition.org/sf/assets/pdfs/pelosi-flyer-081314.pdf

Held on the last day of the Our Power National Convening, the Day of Action will amplify the grassroots-led solutions of Richmond and other communities on the frontlines of energy injustice and social injustice. Richmond is part of a growing national campaign called the Our Power Campaign, where communities on the frontline of environmental pollution are asserting Our Power to build local living economies that work for people and the planet. Richmond-based organizations and the Our Power Campaign are now calling on everyone to join them in building this just transition. The Our Power Day of Action 2014 will raise up the voices of Richmond community members to realize their visions of the future. Together we can not only stop the expansion of dangerous, polluting refineries and pipelines, but begin a just transition away from fossil fuels and towards clean energy, good jobs, and healthy thriving communities.

The day’s schedule will include a community march to the Richmond Greenway, a community speak out/rally, a festival of community-led “solutions” inspired and anchored by some of the local work happening in Richmond, culminating in a solar powered concert called “unplug the empire” which will happen in partnership with Urban Tilth and others at the 16th St. entrance of the Richmond Greenway.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

9:30am – Opening Ceremony & March for a Just Transition
Location: The Kinder-Morgan Rail Yard Gate at 144 S. Garrard Blvd
Opposite the Garrard Commercial Center
Bus Line: 72M: S. Garrard Blvd and Canal Blvd stop

*** FREE SHUTTLES PROVIDED FROM RICHMOND BART STATION starting at 8:30am ***

The day’s events will commence with an opening ceremony in collaboration with Idle No More and the Native American Health Center at the Kinder Morgan Rail Yard. We will commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the Chevron refinery explosion that sent over 15,000 Richmond residents to the ER. We will ground ourselves by honoring the land we are on, illuminating the unjust and disproportionate impacts on frontline communities like Richmond posed by unjust extractive energy industry and corporate greed.

We will then march from the Kinder Morgan Rail Yard to the Richmond Greenway Trail, celebrating the notion of just transition away from dirty energy and corporate greed, to local living economies rooted in justice, sustainability and community resiliency.

See the full march route here.

12:30 P.M. – “Our Power, Our Voices” – Community Speak Out
Location: the Richmond Greenway Trail – 16th St entrance (between Ohio & Chanslor Ave)
The march will arrive at the 16th street entrance of the Richmond Greenway Trail  where a solar powered community speak out will be held, amplifying stories of resistance and resiliency of Richmond and other frontline communities at the junction of environmental, health, work and housing injustices.

Communities members of front-line Refinery communities, labor, health and housing justice organizations will speak out about the climate crises facing our communities and share their visions of community resiliency and a just and sustainable Richmond.

Speakers from the following communities and organizations will be present:
• Idle No More
• Richmond Progressive Alliance (RPA)
• Richmond Environmental Justice Coalition
• Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN)
• Communities for a Better Environment (CBE)
• Crockett-Rodeo United to Defend the Environment
• Martinez Environmental Group
• Urban Tilth
• Black Mobilization, Organization and Education in Richmond (BMOER)
• California Nurses Association (CNA)
• Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) – Richmond
• Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra (MST) / Landless Workers Movement
• Friends of the Earth, Mozambique

2 P.M. – 5 P.M. “Our Power, Our Harvest” – Community Solutions Festival & Unplug the Empire Solar Powered Concert
Location: the Richmond Greenway Trail – 16th St entrance (between Ohio & Chanslor Ave)
Demonstrations of Just Transition community-led strategies inspired and anchored by some of the local work in Richmond, including urban gardening, rainwater collection installation, a bike clinic, pop up health clinic for HIV testing, solar array demonstrations & workshops, live mural painting on the greenway, teach-ins and live music by Richmond and Bay Area artists (all powered by the sun!).

Join the continuing protests against Staples union-busting and Post Office management’s attempt to privatize the Post Office. Join he American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO and Berkeley Post Office defenders outside of Staples in Berkeley at an informational demo to keep the pressure on Staples and the Post Office.

In its continuing attack on postal workers and on the public service, the U. S. Postal Service has cut a deal with Staples to provide postal services at Stapes stores. Postal Jobs must be maintained as good jobs that pay a living wage.  Our communities need more, not less, living wage jobs!

Visit www.stopstaples.com to learn more and get involved.

1. Oakland California, to Ferguson, Missouri
2. FUCK THE POLICE MARCH
3. 8/15/2014
4. Meet @ 14 and Broadway in Oakland
5. 6:00pm
6. Bring Marshmallows
7. 18-year-old Michael Brown was killed by police and they left him for dead in the streets of Ferguson, Missouri.
8. To the good people of Ferguson, take heart – and take your streets. You are not alone, we will take the streets here in Oakland.
9. The time has come for more than simple justice for these atrocities. The time has come to draw a line in the sand and say “no more dead kids”, no more police killings and beatings. Anonymous is drawing a line in the sand, and that line runs right down the middle of Main Street Ferguson, Missouri. Police impunity ends with the barbaric death of Mike Brown.
10. Occupy every square inch of your city. Open your homes and help in any way you can the protesters who will come to your city from every part of Missouri and the USA. Businesses and householders that are near protest rallies, open your WiFi routers so that live streamers and other independent journalists can use the Internet connections. Feed each other, keep each other safe – and stay in the streets until we are totally victorious in all our demands.
11. Oakland California to Ferguson, Missouri
12. FUCK THE POLICE MARCH
13. Wear All Black

Another listing.

ALERT! ALERT! TIME CHANGE TO 3:00 PM. (ORIGINALLY 5:00 AM)

Stop Israel at the Port!
Zionism isn’t welcome in our town!

Block the Israeli Zim Ship at the Port of Oakland
Saturday, August 16th
3:00 PM – meet at West Oakland Bart and march to Berth 57

STOP THE SIEGE ON GAZA! 
END THE COLONIAL OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE! 
RIGHT OF RETURN FOR ALL PALESTINIAN REFUGEES! 
FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS! 
BOYCOTT, DIVEST, SANCTION!

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A perspective on recent events.

URGENT Autonomous call to action: Meet Port of Oakland SSA berth 57-59WE’RE BLOCKING THE BOAT AT 5:30 #BlockTheBoat https://t.co/WMC9p6GXWf

— Alyssa (@alyssa011968) August 18, 2014

COME DOWN TO PORT! Autonomous continuation of #BlockTheBoat! Get to port by 5. Some rides leaving from W Oak BART around 430. SELF ORGANIZE!

— Occupy Oakland (@OccupyOakland) August 18, 2014

#BlockTheBoat Protester organized picketline @ 5:00AM & 5:00PM at Oakland Port Berth 57-59 STILL block unloading boat #Anonymous #OpIsrael

— OccupySF (@sf99er) August 18, 2014

If you cant #BlockTheBoat at 5, consider driving with some food/ warmth for activists (tired) & dock workers (who go home with no pay) #Gaza

— Occupy Oakland (@OccupyOakland) August 18, 2014

In the Bay Area? Get out, and help #BlockTheBoat https://t.co/EAkuRtg0St

— Imraan Siddiqi (@imraansiddiqi) August 18, 2014

#BlockTheBoat TONIGHT! 5:30 PM SSA Berth 57! 1717 Middle Harbor Way. Shuttles from West Oakland BART as well. Let’s do this again!!!

— Not Frantz Fanon (@violentfanon) August 18, 2014

“Call going out far and wide to be at the port at 5am. If the ship leaves at 4am, it will be the best 5am victory party ever.”

Shuttles are up amd running as is BART! Come on in!! #BlockTheBoat!

— BlockTheBoatForGaza (@BlockTheBoat) August 19, 2014

We need more people. We’ve seen one red SUV cross picket. No idea if he’s unloading this ship. #BlockTheBoat

— Not Frantz Fanon (@violentfanon) August 19, 2014

The Zim cargo ship left Berth 57 this afternoon, sailed out the Golden Gate apparently on its way south, then did a U-Turn
and is now heading back into San Francisco Bay, probably to Berth 22 (map below), which people reported Zim had reserved for this evening.

Berth 22 now! #BlockTheBoat!!! #Oakland, 1599 Maritime St @BlockTheBoat

— Occupy Oakland (@OccupyOakland) August 20, 2014

Need to have crowd at "Ports America" gates well before 7 to block shift that would otherwise unload Israeli cargo ship #BlockTheBoat

— Occupy Oakland (@OccupyOakland) August 20, 2014

The boat made a u-turn. Heading back to the bay! https://t.co/edVV8KOHh7 @hyphy_republic @thehoopoe @OccupyOakland #BlockTheBoat

— mary mad (@marymad) August 20, 2014

RT @OccupyOakland: Where to go to block the sneak attack of the Israeli ship, returning to port #BlockTheBoat HURRY! pic.twitter.com/1J5GUdZpMJ

— Anarcho Anon (@AnarchoAnon) August 20, 2014

The cargo ship targeted by anti-Israel protesters now headed back to @PortofOakland, not LA. Activists mobilizing pic.twitter.com/wtXS3mHF4q

— Henry K. Lee (@henryklee) August 20, 2014

walking and driving directions & times from West Oakland BART to berth 22 (1500-1599 Maritime) #BlockTheBoat pic.twitter.com/nuBPBqtoyt

— shitty podcast (@uItradian) August 20, 2014

CALL OUT for continued blockade TONIGHT to keep 12am lunch break from re-entering the port. Arrive 10:30-11pm to #BlockTheBoat, #Oakland

— Occupy Oakland (@OccupyOakland) August 20, 2014

Zim ship reportedly has days of unloading. This ain't over, not by a longshore. Support needed Midnight & 6:30AM #BlockTheBoat

— OccupySF (@sf99er) August 20, 2014

Over the last few weeks, police have murdered five Black men & women across the country:

Mike Brown: Ferguson, MO
Ezell Ford: South Los Angeles
Eric Garner: New York
Jacorey Calhoun: Oakland
Unidentified woman in San Jose who had a power drill

And of course, there have been thousands and thousands more murdered Black, Brown & poor people throughout the years.

Oscar Grant
Alan Blueford
Alex Nieto
Andy Lopez
Kimani Gray
Kendrec McDade
Amadou Diallo
Sean Bell
Ramarley Graham

We will take to the streets and tell the police: IT ENDS TODAY

We will gather at 5:00 pm in FOUR locations:
– Oscar Grant OG Plaza
– Oakland Main Library (659 14th Street, Oakland Ca 94612)
– African American History Museum (125 14th Street, Oakland CA 94612)
– Jack London Square (near Waterfont Hotel)

5:00 – 5:15: banner making, public education, speakers
5:15 – 5:30: music & chants
5:30: MARCH to 7th & Broadway
6:00 – 6:30: music, speakers, chants
6:30: MARCH to Oscar Grant Plaza
6:30 – 7:00: Community Speak Out and Action Planning for a Sustained Campaign Against Police Terrorism

Simultaneous Actions in Los Angeles & Mississippi

PLEASE choose a different location for you and your comrades to begin the action! It is important that we show the power of the people to a larger share of our city than just OG plaza.

Again the action will begin in FOUR locations at 5:00 pm:

– Oscar Grant Plaza
– Oakland Main Library (659 14th Street, Oakland Ca 94612)
– African American History Museum (125 14th Street, Oakland CA 94612)
– Jack London Square (near Waterfont Hotel)

Endorsing Organizations: ONYX, MXGM, Healthy Hoodz, Young Oakland, Inner Council of Murdered Children, Alan Blueford Center for Justice, Hip Hop Congress, Workers World

Facebook page & RSVP.

Stand in solidarity with the people of ferguson. March starts at un plaza.

“For 4 and a half minutes on Monday, at 4:30pm I want you to stop on the highway with your flashers on.” Mike Brown’s body sat. #Ferguson

— deray mckesson (@deray) August 30, 2014

“For 4 and a half minutes on Monday, at 4:30pm I want you to stop on the highway with your flashers on.” Mike Brown’s body sat. #Ferguson

— deray mckesson (@deray) August 30, 2014

Monday Nationwide the family are asking for a shut down of all freeways in USA. #Ferguson #Anonymous @YourAnonNews pic.twitter.com/SlvuVBcXEV

— occupy stockton (@greenthumb209) August 30, 2014

Edward Crawford, subject of @kodacohen‘s iconic #Ferguson photo, addresses the crowd. Same t-shirt. pic.twitter.com/K5wwBTQKQB

— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 30, 2014

From the New York Times:

FERGUSON, Mo. — Activists on Saturday called for mass civil disobedience on the highways in and around this St. Louis suburb to protest the killing of an unarmed black teenager by a white police officer, with the leaders of one coalition encouraging supporters to stop their cars to tie up traffic on Labor Day.

…

Organizers at the rally called on demonstrators to drive on Interstate 70 and other area highways at 4:30 p.m. Monday, turn their hazard lights on and stop their vehicles for four and a half minutes to symbolize the four and a half hours that Mr. Brown’s body lay in the street.

Fighting for $15/hour and a union: when we stick together we are heard.

Join us this Thursday in Oakland!

It’s just wrong that so many fast food workers aren’t paid enough to afford our basic needs, like food, transportation and housing. We’re united for a $15/hour wage floor and the right to form a union without retaliation. Raising pay will lift up our families and our community.

Also a rally at 11 am at Oscar Grant Plaza

More on facebook: East Bay Fast Food Workers & Twitter: @fairfastfood

#StrikeFastFood: Join us as we ramp up efforts for $15 and the right to unionize without retaliation. For respect, fair treatment, and against extreme income inequality. WE DESERVE MORE!

Oakland California, to Ferguson, Missouri

FUCK THE POLICE MARCH

Wear all Black

Ferguson, Missouri.

To the good people of Ferguson, resisting fascism – and taking your streets: You are not alone. We will continue to take the streets here in Oakland in solidarity!

On August 31st, @LostVoices14 found a noose hanging in the Ferguson camp, showing the KKK are alive & well.
(video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWiUqcSWD_c)
We will take the streets behind an Anti-Fascist banner. We will march against the fascism of racist police forces everywhere, and the racists they empower. KKK impunity ends with the barbaric acts of Aug 31 and the finding of a hanging noose.

Oakland California!
The time has come for more than state justice for these atrocities. The time has come to draw a line in the sand and say “no more racist police killings or beatings.”

Newly awoken resistance groups across the USA, Anonymous, Occupy alumni, East Bay radicals, and many others are drawing a line in the sand that runs right down the middle of Main Street in Ferguson, Missouri. We will no longer watch the powerful oppress the downtrodden without letting our anger sing. We are simply defending ourselves and our sisters and brothers against racism and abuse of power.

Feed each other, keep each other safe – and stay in the streets until we are totally victorious in all our demands!

The Zim Shanghai has changed its estimated arrival back to Saturdays (September 27th) in the morning.

The critical picket is back to 5AM Saturday. Gather at W.Oakland BART.

We will still be at W. Oakland BART at 5pm tonight to meet anyone who wants to help plan for tomorrow’s picket.

Please continue to check text messages, Twitter and Facebook alerts.

Text: “Join” to 88202 for alerts on ship location and picket status

Twitter: @StopZIMOak

Facebook: facebook.com/events/545270232240123/

Inquiries: stopzimoak@gmail.com / (415) 282-1908

To track the Zim Shanghai: http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/477634600

Port of Oakland map: http://www.portofoakland.com/pdf/maritime/mari_map.pdf

End the Siege of Gaza!

Endorsed by:

End the Siege of Gaza! Picket the Zim Shanghai Starting September 27 at the Port of Oakland!

Israel and Hamas agreed to a set of conditions for a ceasefire on August 26th, after Israel had killed more than 2,100 Palestinians in Gaza – mostly civilians, more than a quarter children – and destroyed much of Gaza’s infrastructure, housing, hospitals, schools and water supply.

Israel claims it does not “occupy” Gaza, yet it has complete control of Gaza’s land crossings, seacoast and air space. Israel severely restricts Palestinians’ movement and their access to food, medical supplies, and construction materials.

In 1984, protesting against South African Apartheid, the Bay Area longshore workers union, ILWU Local 10, went on strike for 11 days against the Nedlloyd Kimberley, a ship carrying South African cargo.

In 2010, responding to the deadly Israeli attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, Local 10 honored a picket of an Israeli-owned ZIM ship by 1,200 community and labor activists, refusing to unload the ship for 24 hours. In August 2014, Palestinian, community and labor activists, in an historic victory, blocked the Zim Piraeus for five days and forced it to leave the Bay with most of its cargo still on board.

We ask the ILWU to carry on its long historical tradition of opposing injustice and honoring community picket lines. Let’s keep the pressure on and continue this tradition of labor blockades against oppression.

Please come to a sustained community and labor activist picket beginning on September 27th to stop the Zim Shanghai from unloading or loading any cargo – from when it arrives in Oakland until it leaves. This will also send a message to stevedoring companies such as Stevedore Services of America (SSA) who are pushing for concessions right now against longshore workers who are working without a contract.

Picket Lines Mean Don’t Cross!
An Injury to One is an Injury to All!
Solidarity with the Palestinian people!

Stop ZIM Action Committee

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Text “Join” to 88202 for alerts on ship location and picket status
Twitter: @StopZIMOak
Webpage: snurl.com/stopzims27

A “sustained picket” means we will picket the Zim Shanghai from when it arrives until it leaves the Bay.

Morning assembly: 5am, West Oakland BART (starting September 27th)

Afternoon assembly: 4:30pm, West Oakland BART

Carpools will be available from West Oakland BART to the picket site. The ship is expected at the SSA terminal in the Port.

Typically, each picket will last only a few hours until longshoremen decide not to cross the picket. It may last longer depending on the situation. Volunteers are need for all shifts, but especially morning shifts and the first day (morning of September 27th).

Please check your phone/Twitter/FB for updates on the ship location and picket status, particularly the day before. ZIM may delay the ship’s arrival to avoid picketers.

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Unions around the world, including the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (Gaza) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) have called for action against Israeli Apartheid.

We are asking that longshore workers honor this picket line as they have done before for the Zim Piraeus, and other ships such as the Nedlloyd Kimberley which carried cargo for the oppressive and discriminatory Apartheid regime of South Africa in the 1980s.

We understand the ILWU is currently in contract negotiations with the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and that there is no contract in effect at this time. Further, SSA is one of the most aggressive stevedoring employers in the PMA going after the ILWU on work rules and concessions. ILWU longshore workers in the Pacific Northwest have been fired for work stoppages over health and safety violations despite the fact that there is no contract in effect. Working now under no contract as negotiations continue, there is more opportunity and reason to take action on behalf of workers and the community.

There is no arbitration procedure without a contract and longshore workers cannot be compelled to cross a labor and community picket line to comply with a contract. Honoring a picket line of the Israeli shipping line ZIM actively supports the Palestinian people, and shows that union members care about what happens to others who suffer discrimination and oppression. Supporting the community in this struggle further strengthens community support for the ILWU in fighting to keep the hiring hall, work rules, and other benefits union members have.

ILWU members should be aware that Israeli unions actively discriminate against Palestinians – who make up a significant portion of the labor force within Israel. As many of you are well aware, longshore workers in San Francisco and the entire West Coast established the hiring hall after the strike in 1934 to end discrimination in hiring based on union membership and race.