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An activist who was pursued by the City of Oakland for criminal vandalism and restitution is challenging his conviction four years later. César Aguirre was convicted for allegedly smashing the windows of the OPD Internal Affairs and Recruiting Offices during the Occupy Oakland General Strike of November 2-3, 2011. Aguirre has now filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus challenging his conviction based on the prosecution’s failure to disclose material evidence. NLG attorneys Brian McComas and Rachel Lederman will present closing arguments Monday concluding a 4 day evidentiary hearing in the case.
This was a rare, successful, vandalism prosecution related to Occupy and other demonstrations. It was entirely based on far fetched testimony of just one OPD officer who purported to identify Aguirre late at night from a staircase half a block away, amidst danger and chaos. The City of Oakland promptly sued Aguirre in civil court for the cost of replacing the windows. However, the District Attorney never produced any of the police body camera videos or radio communications to Aguirre’s defense attorney in the 2012 trial, nor did the DA reveal the existence of other witnesses.
In the current hearing, Aguirre’s lawyers presented testimony from 6 OPD SWAT officers; 2 OPD Undercover officers; OPD Chief Sean Whent; and OPD Media Relations Officer Johnna Watson; and introduced over a dozen body camera recordings refuting the sole witness’ testimony at trial. During the hearing, it was revealed that OPD destroyed the police communication recordings while they were under subpoena.
This case received a lot of attention at the time, and the Alameda County District Attorney’s office used it as an example of outsiders causing damage to the city and costing taxpayers. Aguirre consistently maintained his innocence. Argument will be presented Monday at 9am, at Courtroom 10, Seventh Floor of the Rene Davidson Courthouse in Oakland.
Information, discussion & community! Monday Night Forum!!
OccupyForum is an opportunity for open and respectful dialogue
on all sides of these critically important issues!
Occupyforum Presents
A Fierce Green Fire:
The Battle for a Living Planet —
Shown In Conjunction with the PARIS COP
A documentary on 5 decades of the Environmental Movement
With a Section on The Evolution of the Climate Movement
A FIERCE GREEN FIRE chronicles the largest movement of the 20th century and one of the keys to the 21st. It brings together all the major parts of environmentalism and connects them. It focuses on activism, people fighting to save their homes, their lives, the future and succeeding against all odds.
The film first screened at a moment of promise in 2012: 25 years after Dr. James Hansen first warned of global warming; 8 years after Katrina; 3 years after the Gulf oil disaster; 2 years after meltdown at Fukushima; a year and a half since halting the Keystone Pipeline; and half a year since the wakeup call that was Hurricane Sandy, the capper to the hottest year on record. More people than ever are active — descending on Washington, DC and launching a broad alliance to Stop Oil. Right now, the Movement gathers in Paris to demand that the Conference of Parties finally commits to a global solution to restore the climate.
A FIERCE GREEN FIRE gives us reason to believe change can come.
Wheelchair accessible, ride shares announced.
The SF NAACP is calling a public meeting to discuss the police murder of #MarioWoods Monday 6 p.m.Third Baptist Church, SF
— Anti Police-Terror (@APTPaction) December 7, 2015
Greetings friends, as you know, Oakland’s in a severe housing crisis.
Causa Justa and our allies have made demands on the City Council, Oakland’s Housing Department and the Mayor to address this issue through policy changes, and most importantly have demanded resources for services, tenants’ rights enforcement and to the creation of deeply affordable housing. We have been successful in getting a very small percentage of the funds necessary, but are constantly told that the City does not have the resources to enforce the laws on the books, or to build housing that meets the housing needs of Oakland’s long time residents.
This is false. The City of Oakland spends two thirds of it’s budget on police, and earlier this year spent an anonymous $750,000.00 grant to expand the police force, it becomes obvious that the problem is not a lack of resources, but a lack of political will to address this crisis.
We need your support to pressure the council and let them know that this is unacceptable, and that Oakland residents want to see funding for housing, not for cops!
We are inviting you to come out on Tuesday,12/8 when the Oakland City Council will review a recommendation from the City Administrator to receive a “grant” to fund 15 walking officers. This “grant” only covers 15% of the cost for these 15 officers, so requires the CIty to use $3 million from a hidden fund and borrowing $7-8 million from the 2017-2019 budget. You can see the report here.
*The item is number 13 (Subject: 2015 USDOJ/COPS Grant Acceptance), see agenda here for the Special Concurrent Meeting of the Oakland Redevelopment Successor Agency/City Council 12/8.
It’s clear that the City cares more about cops that they do about the working families being displaced, the more than a quarter of the Black community that has been pushed out, and the long term residents living in tents under the freeways. City officials allow this to continue while they go to extreme measures to expand cops. These are the decisions that fuel gentrification. The City is spending OUR money on cops, the same police force that killed 7 Black people this year, and who racially profile Black and Brown people on a regular basis. The police force has been identified as a spending priority at the expense of the Oakland residents who are in need of healthy housing. Why can’t the City use this hidden fund for deeply affordable housing? Why can’t the City use this fund to pay for staffing to enforce tenants rights, or to repair dilapidated housing? Why can’t the City borrow $7-8 million from the next budget cycle to address the housing crisis?
The answer is simple – decision makers in the City of Oakland don’t care about the impact of the housing crisis on Oakland’s long time residents, they only say that they do. And we need to make them put the money where their mouths are.
Following the item on the Police grant, item #14, Libby Schaaf along with Abel Guillen will declare a “Shelter Crisis” in Oakland to ease the permitting process to build shelters. Don’t let this false solution confuse you, building more shelters IS NOT AN ANSWER TO THE HOUSING CRISIS!
What is the answer?
- We need to put staffing and resources into making sure that we enforce the protections on the books – we have Just Cause evictions and a Rent Adjustment program, both of which are under funded and lack enforcement mechanisms. We need to enforce those NOW to help KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES!
- Oakland needs to invest in alternatives to create deeply affordable housing! We need to start with the LOWEST incomes first!
- We need to stop rent increases! Rents in Oakland have more than doubled in some neighborhoods, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!
Yes, we are in a STATE OF EMERGENCY – a HOUSING CRISIS! And we need the City to invest in SOLUTIONS!!! And fund housing, not the cops!
Enough is enough! We are asking you to join us to demand that the City of Oakland address the housing crisis! And not just with empty rhetoric, but with action and money!
Please fill out a speaker card online, you can get that here.
*City Council meetings start at 5:30pm, but since the item is number 13, I would suggest signing up online to speak and coming to council at 7:30/8pm.
Thank you for your work to fight displacement in Oakland, let’s continue to do that and spread the word!
Hope to see you Tuesday night!
Follow Causa Justa on Twitter – @causajusta1
Teach-In on Coal Exports & Community Struggles
Stop the Coal Rush!
Dear Friends & Neighbors,
No Coal in Oakland has spent the last six months fighting the influence of private developers and coal companies at Oakland City Hall. These special interests want to export millions of tons of coal through Bay Area communities for shipment overseas from a new terminal on the Oakland waterfront.
Their plan is to use public land and hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to enrich a handful of private individuals—while worsening our air quality, adding to the global climate crisis, and putting the health and safety of Oakland workers at risk. Their game has been to make an end run around environmental review and turn Oakland into the biggest West Coast coal port in a 21st century “coal rush.”
The Oakland City Council has the power to block the dirty coal deal. They set December 8th as a deadline for themselves to take action on this—though action may now be delayed until February.
Join us for a teach-in on December 8th with speakers from Oakland Citywide Network (Oakland’s anti-displacement coalition), Black Lives Matter, and Fight for 15. A broad intersection of Oakland’s progressive activists will connect the struggle for environmental justice with struggles across the city for social, racial, and economic justice.
Join us or volunteer at: nocoalinoakland@gmail.com
Learn more at: http://tinyurl.com/OaklandCoalInfo
Take action at: http://tinyurl.com/CoalPetition
Donate at: http://gofundme.com/5w8gwrz78
LABOR DONATED GRAPHICS PRINTING
RALLY organized by San Leandro Students and Families for Education
Tell the school board to teach, not police our kids! Last Tuesday, the San Leandro School District curriculum committee met and put forward to the board a proposed new curriculum funded and created by national law enforcement agencies that will put police officers on San Leandro elementary school campuses to teach a “gang prevention” curriculum during 5th grade class hours, thus taking away time from actual academic teaching. If approved, police officers will be treated as faculty members (not guests), have complete run of campus, be allowed to stop and interrogate children about any matters and attend parent and faculty meetings.
If adopted, the curriculum will set a new precedent of removing curriculum control from our community: it is a strictly controlled federal curriculum that the district cannot amend to adapt it to our children; and in fact, the curriculum is not supported by our community – not one parent spoke out in favor of the curriculum at last week’s meeting!
This curriculum constitutes a taking from our children’s education and our community’s right to control our children’s education. And we don’t need it! Our elementary schools have strong multi-year anti-bullying and conflict resolution training; we offer safety training in middle and elementary school; what we have is much more comprehensive than what is being offered. In contrast, many of our children need real help in core curriculum courses. And we need full reinstatement of programs cut due to budget cuts.
In this moment when there is so much conflict with police, we need real solutions for police accountability and responsiveness to community needs, not a PR campaign targeting our kids.
This curriculum is not how San Leandro should make a name for itself. According to the police presentation at the curriculum meeting, the Alameda County Sheriff wants to roll this curriculum out to all elementary schools in the county! Berkeley police are being trained, even though we confirmed this week that the Berkeley school board has not heard of the program. This new curriculum is being pushed not by parents, but by police despite parents, to open East Bay Schools to surveillance and policing.
Please come on out and tell the school board what our community values. Stop San Leandro from being an early adopter that could influence school boards through the East Bay. Teach not Police!
The Fever is a 2004 psychological drama produced by HBO Films, directed by Carlo Gabriel Nero and based on the 1990 eponymous play by writer/actor, Wallace Shawn.
The film follows the existential crisis of an unnamed urban sophisticate (Vanessa Redgrave) who becomes aware of the nature of world politics, economic exploitation and the vapid consumerism around her. A series of events lead her to visit an unnamed third world country, representing an exotic location somewhere in Eastern Europe, where the entire economy and populace are geared towards the tourist industry.
Doors open at 6 pm for snacks, and movie will start at 6:30 pm. Free Popcorn!
~Sponsored by Liberated Lens~
Demands:
- Public apology from Suhr to Mario’s mother
- SF pay for Mario’s funeral
- SF pay for Federal Investigation
- Identify all officers who fired weapons
- Fire all officers who discharged weapons
- Fire Police Chief Suhr
This Wednesday at 5 pm @ San Francisco City Hall: Demand Justice for #MarioWoods, murdered by #SFPD. pic.twitter.com/2bYKIzuP2K
— CRC Media Corps (@CRCMediaCorps) December 7, 2015
URGENT. All hands on deck:
Police Commission Meets on Mario Woods
NEED HUGE TURNOUT — Bring your groups.
Justice 4 Mario Woods, 26, assassinated by SF Bayview Police, 12-2-15
SF Bayview Police (5 cops, 25 bullets) were captured on video slaying Mario Woods 12-2-15. Citizens are keeping up rolling actions to ensure the firing of Police Chief Greg Suhr and to indict and jail the five cops for first degree murder in the execution of Mario Woods.
The SF Police Commission meets to review the case at 5:00 PM.
We are ALL planning to show up at the Police Commission hearing with signs demanding resignation of Chief Greg Suhr, and the indictment of the five cops who killed Mario Woods. We need a Ferguson response. Don’t be pacified.
Come out for our sisters and brothers in the Bayview and for every one of us.
Bring signs:
STOP POLICE MURDERS
JUSTICE FOR MARIO
FIRE SUHR NOW
JAIL THE KILLER COPS
INDICT, CONVICT, JAIL
STAND UP, RESIST! SEND THOSE KILLER COPS TO JAIL
THE WHOLE DAMN SYSTEM IS GUILTY AS HELL
STOP MILITARIZATION OF POLICE
Bring pictures of Mario Woods
http://www.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2015/12/07/police-to-reconsider-use-of-force-policy-after-killing-of-mario-woods
http://www.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2015/12/05/outraged-community-calls-for-sfpd-chiefs-resignation-over-killing-of-mario-woods
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/12/07/mayor-lee-calls-bayview-shooting-very-upsetting-after-viewing-video/
San Francisco will review and potentially revise the police department’s “Use of Force” policy following the fatal police shooting of Mario Woods in the Bayview last Wednesday, Dec. 2. Video of the shooting, showing at least ten police officers surrounding Woods – who was allegedly armed with a knife – before five officers opened fire, has prompted widespread outrage and calls for SFPD Chief Suhr’s resignation.
Long descriptions of taser abuse by police: taser-stories
The San Francisco Immigrant Legal & Education Network will be hosting our annual International Migrant’s Day. This year’s theme is “Human Rights and Migrant Rights Across Borders”. This is a day of celebration and cultural sharing as well as raising awareness in our community about important issues and engaging in dialogue.
Our two presenters for the night will be covering the Syrian Refugee Crisis as well as Black Lives Matter Movement. We will be having a variety of performances including, Chinese Lion Dancers, Peruvian Folklorico, and Migrante Musical Group.
Please help spread the word and join us for an evening of food, performances, cultural sharing, and dialogue.
The event is free and open to the public. Translation in Spanish. Arabic, Tagalog, and Chinese will be provided.
The Conscientious Projector Film Series for the 99% presents:
Phil Ochs: There But For Fortune. Plus! We will open with the Debut Screening of the New 2015 (30 Min) Vic Sadot Video:
“Phil Ochs May 1973 Interview: Nixon, Watergate, & S. America” on December 10, 2015 7 PM.
We will screen the 2015 Vic Sadot video made from the 1973 reel-to-real audio “Phil Ochs May 1973 Interview by Vic Sadot & Rich Lang” (30:10). The main feature will follow: “Phil Ochs: There But For Fortune”, a film by Kenneth Bowser released on First Run Features. (97 minutes, documentary, color, English, 2010)www.philochsthemovie.com
Synopsis: As our country continues to embroil itself in foreign wars, PHIL OCHS: THERE BUT FOR FORTUNE is a timely and relevant tribute to an unlikely American hero. Over the course of a meteoric music career that spanned two turbulent decades, Phil Ochs sought the bright lights of fame and social justice in equal measure – a contradiction that eventually tore him apart. From youthful idealism to rage to pessimism, the arc of Ochs’ life paralleled that of the times, and the anger, satire and righteous indignation that drove his music also drove him to dark despair. In this brilliantly constructed film, interview and performance footage of Ochs is illuminated by the ruminations of Joan Baez, Tom Hayden, Pete Seeger, Sean Penn, Peter Yarrow, Christopher Hitchens and others. Trailer: Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune (Documentary) HD http://youtu.be/
This location is wheelchair accessible via the ramp on the Bonita Avenue side of the building.
Sponsored by the BFUU Social Justice Committee
www.bfuu.org/events
We are back at our favorite homestead- Penelope- and we want to do it big for the holidays by bringing folks to eat, drink and be merry AND support a good cause.
That’s right folks– proceeds of our profit will be going to support the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, a kick ass organization empowering Arab communities in the Bay to fight for social justice and self-determination.
Tis the season for giving, but why not fill your belly and enjoy the warmth of Arab hospitality while you’re at it?
Mark your calendars. You don’t want to miss this holiday pop up.
The ReSisters: An evening of music, satire, hope, and three-part harmony with the Divas of
Dissent.
The ReSisters are Pat Wynne, Liliana Herrera, and Hali Hammer, three accomplished performers and songwriters, who mix topical commentary with the age-old pleasures of melody, close harmony, and rhythm.
There’s a rumor that Bernard Gilbert (sometimes known as the ReMister) will take a rare turn at the microphone for a guest set.
Presentation: 4-6pm
Party + Potluck: 6-9pm
For the last 3 months, Joelci Dannacea, an economist and leader of the Landless Worker’s Movement of Brazil (MST) has been visiting the Bay Area to learn more about U.S. social movements, and to share about her work with the MST, one of the world’s largest, most successful social movements.
As the exchange comes to a close, Joelci, the Bay Area Friends of the MST, PLACE for Sustainable Living, Occupy the Farm, and the Sustainable Economies Law Center invite you to Joelci’s last public event before she heads back to Brazil. Joelci will share reflections and insights on the current political moment, the MST’s ongoing work, and how together we must “Globalize the Struggle, Globalize Hope”.
A point of focus during the presentation will be “The Social Movement Economy”. Joelci will explain how she helps establish agricultural co-operatives on land recently won through occupation, and how those co-ops quite literally feed, house, and otherwise support their militancy. For the latter half of the discussion, Joelci will be joined by Chris Tittle from the Sustainable Economies Law Center, to discuss how co-operatives are (and aren’t) supporting social movements here in the U.S.
There will be time for Q+A following the discussion, and a party to send Joelci off!
Donations at the door appreciated, no one turned away for lack of funds.
The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition will be hosting LYRICAL REVOLT, a political-artistic space to express oneself through any vocal medium. Join us as we use the power of our words and art to battle the injustices that face the world today.This open mic is dedicated to the liberation of the Palestinian people and the demand to immediately release Mumia Abu Jamal and all political prisoners in the United States. The violently racist doctrines of Zionism and white supremacy have terrorized and imprisoned Palestinians on their own land while leaders of the liberation struggles of oppressed people have either been murdered or locked up in U.S. prisons. The growing movements and rebellions confronting state terror remind us that Existence is Resistance! Free Mumia! Free Palestine!
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The program will start at 7pm sharp, sign ups will start at 6pm.
On Saturday, December 12th, Paul Z. Simmons will speak on their series of recent dispatches from the liberated territories of Rojava in Northern Syria, a region besieged by war yet is also in the midst of one of the most far reaching social experiments of the 21st Century: the ‘Rojava Revolution.’ The liberated territories of Rojava are a thriving example of stateless democracy and of a people who are overturning traditional institutions such as patriarchy and social hierarchies. All events will be by donation and free copies of Paul’s dispatches will be on hand along with other revolutionary anarchist publications.
Simons talks about his experiences including crossing international boundaries under false pretenses, attending commune meetings in Kobane, high-velocity detours around ISIS sympathetic villages, and the camaraderie of the YPG militias. Simons had full access to the various revolutionary organizations and militias and will discuss their mandates and implementation issues associated with realizing a stateless society. Weaving together ideas of anti-authoritarianism, feminism, ecology, and a rejection of the state, Paul Z. Simons’ report, which is part adventure and part political journalism on the the Rojava Revolution, is not to be missed by anyone working for sweeping social transformation in the current age.
Check out the whole tour:
Sunday, December 6th, 7pm, Santa Cruz
SubRosa Infoshop, 703 Pacific Ave
Monday, December 7th, 7pm, Monterey
Old Capitol Books, 559 Tyler St
Tuesday, December 8th, 7pm, Cupertino
De Anza College, Campus Center, Conference Room A&B, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd. $3 parking permit required for campus parking.
Saturday, December 12th, 7pm, Oakland
OMNI Commons, 4799 Shattuck Ave
Sunday, December 13th, San Francisco
Station 40, 16th Street 4040 B (Near Mission Street). Note, Station 40 is up two flights of stairs.
Sponsored by: Modern Slavery, FireWorks, Ruins of Capital Distro, Industrial Workers of the World/Solidarity Network San Jose, Direct Action Monterey Network (DAMN), SubRosa Infoshop, OMNI Commons, and Station 40.
Monthly interfaith prayer meeting, held on second Sundays, dedicated to survivors and victims of violence and police terror in Oakland.
The Baha’i community of Oakland is 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.
In April, it was two years since we started holding these prayer meetings at the Baha’i Center. Come share prayers, quotes, poems, and favorite passages from your scriptures with us. We will serve a simple breakfast.
Oakland: Bill of Rights Day Celebration
bill of rights day
Tickets are limited. Please purchase yours below by Friday, Dec. 11, 2015.
It’s been an amazing year, full of victories for all Californians!
Come celebrate with us at our annual Bill of Rights Day. This year, we’ll be in Oakland at the Impact Hub, a coworking space for change-makers!
After the program, enjoy appetizers and an open bar at the reception, honoring:
Dorsey Nunn for his commitment to racial justice, especially in voting rights and for catalyzing the nation’s “ban the box” movement. His work empowering formerly incarcerated people is an inspiration.
Dr. Milton Estes for his leadership and decades of service to the ACLU both in Northern California and nationally. Milton has served as an advisor in the areas of reproductive justice, public health, and HIV/AIDS policy, as well as providing exemplary service as a Board leader.
Let’s honor these bold leaders together and celebrate a year of legislative successes for civil rights and civil liberties!
This public forum will examine the militarization of local police departments and the implications for public safety, inspired by the murder of Yuvette Henderson by the Emeryville Police Department. Yuvette was gunned down on February 2nd after being confronted by a security guard at Home Depot for alleged shoplifting. She died in a hail of gunfire by Emeryville police armed with AR-15 military-grade machine guns.
Since that day, many in our community have asked – why does a small police department, patrolling a community of less than 11,000, need military-grade assault weapons? Are the people of Emeryville any safer because of it?
We’ll also explore the ways that agencies like the Pentagon have played a role in accelerating the militarization of local police departments, as well as the direct connection between the Oakland Police Department and the Israeli Defense Force. Policy experts and local activists will examine the impact of coordination between police and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Latino communities.
The day will also feature spoken word and music performances highlighting the damage done by police violence. This forum is the launch of a broader campaign to end militarization of the Emeryville Police Department, and will include opportunities to get involved.