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Bay Area Occupy Returns With Labor Day Convergence on Monday…September 2
August 31, 2013—Occupy Action Council, a coalition of Bay Area Occupy groups that are part of the world-wide Occupy Wall Street movement announces their plans for a convergence on Labor Day (September 2nd) 2013. The all-day gathering starts at 10AM at Chelsea Manning Plaza (formerly Bradley Manning Plaza).
The location is the re-christened Justin Herman Plaza aka Harry Bridges Plaza, at San Francisco’s Embarcadero and Don Chee Way. Notable events throughout the day will include a press conference at 1PM, a General Assembly at 3 PM and a protest march to denounce and Chalkupy the Federal Reserve building at 101 Market Street.
An offensive symbol of the financial stranglehold that private (for profit) banks in the Federal Reserve System hold over the people of the world, the Federal Reserve building at 101 Market Street is also a symbol of political resistance and protest, being the site of the occupation that began in September 2011 and later spread to Chelsea Manning Plaza nearby. It is the place from which Occupy San Francisco was forcibly evicted in December 2011. Because the Federal Reserve represents the pinnacle of modern financial corruption, inequality, and the unchecked powers of concentrated wealth, alternatives to the Federal Reserve System including Public Banking and issuing debt free money, will be an integral part of the discussion at the convergence.
Ruthie Sakheim, a member of OccupySF Environmental Justice Working Group explained, “The convergence is needed because voting in elections is no longer enough to bring about political change. Regardless of party, our politicians have repeatedly proven themselves either unable or unwilling to challenge the corporate elite. Victorious candidates have continued to serve the interests of the corporations, including companies within this building, at the expense of the rest of us: the workers, the middle class, the poor and the powerless. The only ones who’ve continued to prosper are the 1% by ruthlessly exploiting the people and recklessly plundering the natural world. They have so thoroughly corrupted and co-opted every level of our government that protest and direct action are our only means of redress left.”
“Occupy is coming together again because recent events have shown Occupy’s goals still have not been met,” said Jane Smith, an Occupy Bay Area United activist. Citing such problems as unwarranted privatization of public assets like the Post Office, dishonest double-dealing and union busting by the bosses and civic officials in places like the BART strike, the looting and pillaging of our public education system through attacks on the City College of San Francisco by opportunistic corporate bandits, and America’s still worsening income inequality, Smith felt a convergence is needed to brainstorm ideas and find objectives to end the ultimate corporate control that grips the Bay Area, the country, and the world in cycles of poverty, war, and environmental disasters.
Activities at the Occupy Convergence will include Displays of Occupy Art, Chalkupy, Free Food, Free Light Show, Local Advocacy Groups, Occucards, and Occupy Information, music, GENERAL ASSEMBLY speak outs, a childrens’ playspace, and an interactive Occupy Art Table. Spontaneous protest marches throughout the nearby financial district are likely to occur. The convergence will be open to all current Occupiers and all other interested persons. Occupy Action Council emphasizes that the group is wholly committed to nonviolent direct action, public safety, and to building our community of nonviolent resistance.
Mario Romero was killed in a hail of bullets by the Vallejo Police a year ago. An article on the police killing of Romero.
Join us for an outdoor guerrilla screening short movies of local and global uprisings against the rule of the 1%.
Featuring:
Films of Bay Area Documentary Film Maker Peter Menchini; a selection of recent short films by the film maker who has most and best documented Bay Area movements of the 99%.
Plus creative short films from Quebec, Iceland, Spain, Idle No More, and more!
In conjunction with Occupy Labor Day.
Professor David Henkin
Department of History, UC Berkeley
will present a talk / teach-in:
“The Post Office in Public Life in American History”
Dan Siegel @DanMSiegel
Hunger Strike Supporters – Please, please come out tomorrow 10 am, State Bldg., 1515 Clay St, Oakland for very important announcement.
From the Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity website:
Supporters and advocates of hunger striking prisoners will gather at 10:00 a.m. at the California State building in downtown Oakland on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. to deliver an important message from prisoners at Pelican Bay State Prison to the public. Thursday will mark the 60th day they have gone without food in protest of the torturous conditions of solitary confinement.
Their statement comes amid growing international condemnation of California’s practice of solitary confinement, as well as the commitment of California Senate and Assembly Chairs of Public Safety Loni Hancock and Tom Ammiano to convene a series of hearings in response to the strikers’ demands that would “address the issues that have been raised to a point where they can no longer be ignored.” Legal representatives have just reported that this morning strikers were able to have an unprecedented meeting with fellow prisoners at Pelican Bay where they reached consensus on moving forward in their struggle to end torture in California prisons, and toward reducing violence among prisoners. Their advocates are encouraging communication between strikers at Pelican Bay and their fellow prisoners who were forcibly removed to New Folsom in the past weeks.
We are gathering every Thursday at 5:00pm at Oscar Grant Plaza in support of the 5 demands of the prisoner hunger strike.
This Thursday, September 5th will be DAY 60 of the hunger strike! We need to continue to grow support for the demands and demand that Gov. Brown and CDCr Sec. Beard negotiate!
Please join us, bring signs or banners if you have them.
Since OUR Walmart workers went it’s longest 2-week extended strike in June, Walmart has illegally fired and disciplined over 80 Walmart strikers. OUR Walmart Members gave Walmart until Labor Day to reinstate all workers. Yesterday we celebrated the victories we have won through organizing and the courage of every person to stand for what we believe in. Labor Day passed without a word from Walmart.
As promised, we will be taking to the streets nation-wide. Stand with illegally fired Walmart Strikers and to hold major corporations and CEOs, like Walmart and their Board of Directors, accountable to every working person Thursday Sept. 5, 5:30pm at Powell St. Bart Station!
RSVP here: Stand With The Walmart 60 – Bay Area.
Join Justice 4 Alan Blueford Coalition peeps on First Friday outside the new Justice 4 Alan Blueford HQ near 25th & Telegraph (you can’t miss it).
The Interfaith Tent for Justice and our allies ask you to join us in downtown Oakland to bear witness as we read the names of those killed and brutalized by police in our communities.
We will stand in respectful silence as the names are read.
Oakland Hunger Strike Solidarity peeps are conducting a 60 hour fast in solidarity with the 60-day (now suspended) CA Prison Hunger Strike.
From Thursday noon to Saturday, midnight, in honor and respect for the California Prison Hunger Strikers, who suspended their hunger strike after 60 days, we will publicly fast in front of Governor Brown’s condo, shining a light on his gross disregard for life and blatant profiteering off human suffering. We invite everyone to claim space with us, whether fasting or not. POWER TO THE PEOPLE.
They are going to have a noise demo at 9:00 PM Friday (as First Friday is winding down). They would love for us all to join them and to hang out with them any time on Friday and through the end of their fast.
Bay Area March & Rally in Solidarity w/Mass Protest at Capitol in DC
Gather at Chelsea Manning Plaza (Embarcadero), SF
Time is of the essence. We have been in the streets all over the country. The opposition to a new war is everywhere. This forced the administration to step back from imminent bombings.
But the danger also exists for an even larger war against Syria as Obama seeks to make a deal with pro-war senators and congresspersons like John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Nancy Pelosi and others.
Now is the time for the people to step up pressure on Congress and demand that they vote NO to any resolution authorizing a military attack on Syria.
On Saturday, September 7, people are descending on Congress for a major demonstration as Congress returns to Washington, D.C., and prepares to vote. This demonstration is initiated by a broad ad hoc coalition called the Vote No War Against Syria Coalition. If you or your organization would like to be an endorser of the Sept. 7 demonstration, email votenowaronsyria@yahoo.com.
Here in the Bay Area, there will be a parallel march and rally in solidarity with the mass protest in Washington DC, beginning at Chelsea Manning Plaza (Embarcadero) at 12 noon. We urge everyone who wants to stop a new war against Syria before it starts, to endorse, help organize and join the demonstration on Saturday, Sept. 7.
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
The Energy corporations and their politicians have hijacked the climate solutions debate, while major environmental organizations legitimize the whole show. They focus on alternative technologies — Green energy (bio-fuels), “clean coal,” ”safe nuclear power,” even wind and solar development — and which portion of their portfolio will receive the latest and greatest public subsidies.
We need to promote a program now to (1) raise conservation as the key and immediate demand (2) raise the environmental consequences of the US wars of aggression (3) forget about arguing with the Neanderthals about climate realities, but focus on enacting real climate solutions; and (4) work to unite rather than counterpose the jobs vs. environment conundrum.
Conservation biologist and member of the State Central Committee of the Peace and Freedom Party Roger Harris will make a PowerPoint presentation on the basic science involved in climate change and raise some political questions on how to respond to the challenge. Please join us for a robust discussion.
FREE! (Enjoy no host food & drink at the Pub.) FREE!
This is part of our on-going Socialist Forum Series on the first Saturday of every month from 2-4:30 pm. The featured panel will start promptly at 2:30 pm and the forum will end by 4:30 pm, but folks can stay and talk as long as you like.
Featuring:
DJ Filastine (Barcelona)
Elf Tranzporter (Melbourne)
Letter D (Guadalajara)
Opulence (Oakland) LIVE feat. Joey Casio, Alejandro Archuleta, and Najee Rene
Miggy Stardust (Oakland)
Banzai (Oakland) vs. 000001 (Grass Valley)
Occupy’s Pirate Mike
Veterans for Peace, Environmental Activist and Veterans’ Advocate
Panel discussion with Q & A and film:
“Battlefield of the Mind”
An examination of veterans’ homelessness and the struggle of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder)
Veterans For Peace is a global organization of Military Veterans and allies collectively building a culture of peace by using their experiences and lifting their voices. Veterans For Peace inform the public of the true causes of war and the enormous costs of wars, with an obligation to heal the wounds of wars. Their network is comprised of over 140 chapters worldwide whose work includes educating the public, advocating for a dismantling of the war economy, providing services that assist veterans and victims of war, and most significantly, working to end all wars.
VFP was founded in 1985 by 10 U.S. veterans in response to the global nuclear arms race and U.S. military interventions in Central America. It grew to more than 8,000 members in the buildup to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 with veteran and associate members in every U.S. state and several countries, with more than 120 chapters across the nation.
(Entrance is on 22nd St, just off Broadway. Ring bell (not intercom!) to left)
Pack the Court 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Rally on the Court steps at 12:00 noon.
Support anti-colonial, anti-capitalist comrades.
Come pack the court on September 10 as pretrial begins for the ACAC 19! The ACAC 19 are comrades who were arrested at an anti-colonial, anti-capitalist demonstration on Columbus day weekend last year. This is the last chance to pressure the DA to drop charges before trial. Pack the court from 9am – 4pm. Rally in front of the courthouse at noon. Bring signs, court allowable attire and solidarity! Even though a year has passed, comrades are still facing a slew of charges and it appears that the DA is intent on bringing them to trial. The state would like nothing more than to quietly convict and punish opponents of its colonial, capitalist rule. Don’t let them! The ACAC 19 need your support.
1:00 pm: Press Conference
2:00 pm: Fill the Federal Courtroom
We urge all supporters of public education, civil rights, and free speech to attend this hearing! The UC Administration and police are trying to get the $15 million dollar lawsuit filed on behalf of Occupy Cal protesters dismissed. They are hoping to convince a federal judge to shield them from being held accountable for ordering police to brutally beat and attack peaceful protesters on Nov. 9, 2011 as part of the Occupy Cal protest.
This Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 2 pm, we need to fill the courtroom and make clear that we won’t let UC Berkeley and the police off the hook for their actions. This is the first hearing on this case — therefore it’s vital that we show our determination to win justice.
We need to show the judge that this is not a business as usual case where it’s only lawyers from the two sides to arguing it out in front of the judge. The judge needs to see the people who are most affected by the issues at hand — students and the community that make UC Berkeley a public university — are directly participating by attending the hearing. BAMN plans to use this case to put the UCB administration on trial, expose the role UCB privatization played on November 9, 2011, and strengthen the movement to defend public education.
Attend the hearing this Tuesday and tell everyone you know!
2:00pm: Hearing before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, 2nd floor, Courtroom 5
Via ACCE Oakland:
The fight for widespread principal reduction is on, in Richmond California, and we need your help! The City, together with our community/labor/faith coalition, have a real shot at successfully standing up to Wall Street and launching a new Local Principal Reduction strategy that, once it spreads, could provide significant relief to tens of thousands of struggling homeowners.
As you’ve probably heard, Wall Street is throwing its full weight against Richmond in an attempt to stop the city from reducing the mortgage principal of underwater homeowners via the lawful use of eminent domain. Over the past 6 years, Wall Street’s reckless practices have devastated millions of lives and our national economy, and now the big banks are spreading truly absurd lies in an effort to intimidate Richmond into backing down and abandoning its plan. (They’re sending direct mail, launching deceitful websites, filing lawsuits, and trying to pressure the city financially).
On September 10, the Richmond City Council will take a crucial vote about moving forward. It is essential that we win this vote.
We need to show our allies (and the swing voters) on the Richmond City Council that we’ve got their backs. Every public expression of support will bolster their confidence in the face of intimidation tactics by Wall Street.
OCCUPY THE CIVIC CENTER STEPS
TO STOP STRIKES AGAINST SYRIA.
There will be painting, chalking, speak-outs over the bullhorn and solidarity.
Bring art supplies, signs, cardboard.
Come by any time during the day and evening. Occupy is there now, and
no one’s leaving any time soon.
A film in honor and memory of war victims and refugees especially women and children. The film is called ‘Female Faces of War: The Untold Story.’ It is a 49 minute documentary about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Suggested Donation $5- $10 will go to nonprofits Middle East Children’s Alliance for Peace and women veteran programs operated by SF’s Sword to Plowshares.