Calendar
On New Year’s Eve, our comrade and friend Eric Garcia was brutally and arbitrarily arrested by police and held on false charges. This campaign seeks to reimburse Eric’s bond cosigner for bailing him out of jail. A more detailed description of the incident can be found below.
Eric and his friends attended an NYE noise demo in downtown Oakland, which they left after the demonstration was attacked by the police. Eric was standing with his friends on the sidewalk outside Rudy’s Can’t Fail Cafe on Telegraph Avenue, a full two blocks from the remaining marchers, among an assortment of cafe patrons and nighttime revelers, when police officers parked on Telegraph jumped out of their vehicles and charged at the small sidewalk gathering. The police snatched Eric from the crowd and violently arrested him, amid shouts of protest against police brutality. Fortunately, multiple people immediately began cop watching, recording the arrest on their phones, but this didn’t stop the police from hauling Eric off to the station and jailing him on completely unfounded felony charges.
Eric’s bail was set at $35,000. Since it was New Year’s Eve, the following day was a holiday, and following the holiday was the start of the weekend, Eric would have been held in jail for 5 nights until his arraignment on Monday if he hadn’t been bailed out, since court does not proceed on weekends and holidays. At his arraignment, given that there was a complete lack of justification for the arrest, no charges have been filed against Eric. The situation he was put in, through no wrongdoing on his part, amounts to state-sanctioned kidnapping and ransom.
Please give what you can to help Eric and his partner raise the amount of the bond payment that was exacted from them. These are very trying financial times for them both.
If you have been protesting, know people who have or just want to know your rights, you should definitely join us.
There will be civil rights attorneys from John Burris’ law firm who will be giving a presentation and fielding questions mostly about protesting and knowing your rights pertaining to it, as well as knowing what police can and can’t do, legally. They have also agreed to stay in contact with protesters for any ongoing situations that may arise.
There will also be women from Free Marissa Alexander Now east bay who will be discussing our upcoming caravan through the South to Florida and ways you can help support us!
You are welcome to come and bring guests! All welcome!
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!
On January 8th, the city of San Leandro will have a public meeting.
There will be a presentation displaying the “tank” (armored personel carrier – a Lenco Bearcat) at 5:00 pm. The City Council meeting runs from 6:00pm to whenever.
The San Leandro Police Department will receive $200,000 towards the purchase of a Lenco Bearcat Medevac Tactical Armored Vehicle. The funds come from a $1.6 million “Homeland Security Grant for disaster assistance and overall management of regional emergency response activities.”
Military equipment in urban and suburban police departments have introduced a wide range of problems and concerns including crackdowns on legal protest activities, increased profiling, and police attacks on unarmed black men and women.The armored vehicle has “steel armor plate certified to defeat multi-hit attacks from 7.62 AP / .50 Cal BMG, while ceilings and floors provide enhanced blast and fragmentation protection.” according to the company web site. It also features “a roof hatch with a gunner’s stand” and “gun ports.” There is also a military version of the vehicle, but the agenda item doesn’t indicate which version San Leandro is getting.
Come to the meeting to say that small suburban towns like San Leandro don’t need armored personnel carriers and serving and protecting the community is different than terrorizing the community with war machines.
: : : : : : 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
Every Thursday in January is the Black Lives Matter Film Series:
“People Under the Stairs” (1990) Horror in a ghetto narrative
Election spending nearly reached $4 billion in 2014. No wonder 72% of Americans want anti-corruption laws and money out of politics. California Common Cause is committed to getting big money out of our democracy by overturning Citizens United and calling upon the 114th Congress to take action.
We have our work cut out for us: much to do, much to learn. Tha’ts why we are delighted to invite you to see the new documentary Pay 2 Play: Democracy’s High Stakes, on January 8 in Berkeley.
PAY 2 PLAY follows filmmaker John Ennis’ quest to find a way out from under the Pay 2 Play System, where Politicians reward their donors with even larger sums from the public treasury through contracts, tax cuts, and deregulation. The documentary features Robert Reich and California Common Cause Executive Director Kathay Feng! View the trailer here.
CityCamp is an unconference focused on innovation and collaboration for municipal governments, community organizations and citizens.
CityCamp Oakland aims to:
- Bring together local government officials, municipal employees, experts, developers, designers, citizens and journalists to share perspectives and insights about their cities
- Create outcomes that participants will act upon
- CityCamp is a national movement that brings together local citizens to build stronger communities where they live.
MEDIC TRAINING: People’s Community Medics will be hosting a training.
: : : : : : 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
This meeting will be for soil preparation and more general discussion. Also: please start seedlings and cuttings to bring for planting on January 17th!
The Material Basis for Revolutionary Optimism Today
The Political Affairs Readers Group of the Communist Party, USA (Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Club) invites you to a talk by:
Wadi’h Halabi, a member of the Economics Commission of the Communist Party, U.S.A. He is a long-time participant/observer with various organizations in the People’s Republic of China
Monthly interfaith prayer meeting, held on second Sundays, dedicated to survivors and victims of violence and police terror in Oakland.
We are organizing this gathering for the community to connect, share prayers, writings and poems from all spiritual traditions, reflect and recharge and build coalitions interested in healing.
Please feel free to bring quotes or passages to share
All are welcome
We will serve simple breakfast.
This is the third in a series of meetings described below.
This meeting will continue the reflection and conversation around support and long-term strategy and goals of the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
Report backs are encouraged which can help inform as well as provide networking opportunities.
This might also provide opportunity to form affinity groups as people find others interested in similar pursuits.
*Meeting logistics:
1. This is an inclusive event. Please spread the word, create flyers, or any other means you wish.
2. We want everyone to be heard so please be mindful to allow space and time for as many to speak as possible. 2 minute time limit and, please, no lectures.
3. Please feel free to post suggestions for agenda items.
4. Some have expressed an interest in helping plan this or future meetings. It would be great to form a facilitation committee. If interested, please contact me at theeabbynormal@gmail.com
5. Finally: The Omni Oakland Commons have graciously made their space available for this and many other local events. Contributions are needed to keep this space going so we’ll be passing a hat. *please note – there is no obligation, but it doesn’t hurt to ask, right? 🙂
Hope to see you there!
~~~
Link to previous meetings:
https://www.facebook.com/
Come gather at Omni Commons for a night of feast, performances and fellowship! This monthly gathering and potluck brings together the Omni Commons community as well as anyone else in the surrounding Oakland/Bay Area. Strictly positive vibes all night!
Please bring a food dish between 6pm and 7pm.
We will break bread by 7!
Come with a friend, an instrument, or just a smile!
OccupyForum presents
Information, discussion & community! Monday Night Forum!!
Occupy Forum is an opportunity for open and respectful dialogue
on all sides of these critically important issues!
President of the Board of Trustees, San Francisco City College,
John Rizzo
The City College of San Francisco board of trustees met for the first time since losing power a year and a half ago after the state’s accrediting body threatened to strip CCSF of its accreditation. “This is the first opportunity in a year and half that the board will be together officially and having discussions,” John Rizzo said. “There won’t be any decisions made, but it will be a time for the board to actually start talking about things.”CCSF trustees lost their power in 2013, when Robert Agrella was named a special trustee following the decision by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges to revoke the school’s accreditation the following year. In July, Agrella’s position was reinstated through July 8, 2015.
CCSF remains open and fully accredited as it awaits a judge’s decision next month following a trial over ACCJC’s alleged unfair evaluations of the school.
Separately, CCSF will find out, likely in January, whether it will qualify for restoration status, which would give it two more years to meet accreditation requirements.
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