Minneapolis, MN – About 50 people rallied here at People’s Plaza, the encampment of Occupy MN, and proceeded to south Minneapolis where they occupied a foreclosed home, November 19. In the early evening Minneapolis police, arrested two participants, and attempted to board up the home. Activists surrounded the home, police left, and occupiers re-entered the home. The occupation is ongoing.
Minneapolis, MN – City Council members here signed a letter to Senators Amy Klobuchar, Al Franken and Representative Keith Ellison affirming constitutional rights of anti-war activists subpoenaed and raided by the FBI last year. The Committee to Stop FBI Repression published the letter on its website Nov. 15.
Minneapolis, MN – About 800 people blocked a major bridge here, Nov. 17 in a march demanding jobs. Police declared the protest to be an unlawful assembly and arrested 11 people who sat down in an act of civil disobedience. The 10th Avenue Bridge, which spans the Mississippi River, was closed for about an hour.
Los Angeles, CA – “Evict us, we multiply, occupy will never die!” Despite crackdowns against encampments around the country, a large group of students, activists, and union members launched “Occupy UCLA” on Thursday, after a noon rally of several hundred students and workers against budget cuts and fee hikes.
Milwaukee, WI – Protesters in Milwaukee occupied a bridge here, Nov. 17, as similar actions took place across the country. Roughly 200 people gathered in Carver Park in a working-class Milwaukee neighborhood, then marched to the Highway 43 bridge, where they met with about 100 other protesters intent on civil disobedience.
Grand Rapids, MI – Chanting “Condi lied, people died!” 40 people with Occupy Grand Rapids protested outside Devos Place, Nov. 16. Inside, Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State under the Bush administration, spoke at a $100 per plate Republican Party fund raising dinner. At the entrance to the event, Occupy protesters put a giant puppet of former Secretary of State Rice on trial for her war crimes against the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. Inside, a small gathering of Republican die-hards heard Rice promote her new book in which she defends the U.S. wars and occupations.
Durham, NC – 40 people marched here, Nov. 12, from Occupy Durham's rallying place in downtown Durham to a Wells Fargo branch two miles away, to protest big banks like Wells Fargo, Citibank, Bank of America and others. Protesters chanted, “Hey hey Wells Fargo, foreclosures have got to go!” and “Banks got bailed out, we got sold out!” After arriving at the bank, ten people withdrew their money and closed down their accounts with Wells Fargo. Outside the bank, protesters held signs and denounced foreclosures and exploitative lending practices – under the watchful eye of three Durham police squad cars and another police officer on foot.
Los Angeles, CA – Activists gathered outside the Los Angeles courthouse Monday morning, chanting “FBI don’t scare me, we’ve got solidarity,” as they rallied in support of veteran Chicano activist Carlos Montes. Over 40 supporters packed the courtroom as Montes’ case began the ‘discovery’ phase. “We are demanding the communications, documents, and information that shows the collaboration of the FBI and LA County Sheriffs,” said Montes outside the hearing.
Largest crowd in weeks to sleep in plaza in defiance of new county ban
Minneapolis, MN – About 400 people rallied at People’s Plaza and marched through downtown Minneapolis on November 14 in defense of OccupyMN. After the march they returned to the plaza and filled it with blankets and sleeping bags for a mass ‘sleep-in’ in defiance of Hennepin County’s new rules banning sleeping in the plaza. As of 10:00 p.m. the County authorities have not moved to clear the plaza.
Tucson, AZ – NAFTA and corporate lawyers, SB1070 Supporters, anti-ethnic studies activists and developers are threatening Tucson's birthplace – the original Chuk Shon – which is the land and communities on the Santa Cruz River at the base of Sentinel Peak.
Minneapolis, MN – About 150 gathered at People’s Plaza, the site of OccupyMN for a rally, Nov. 11, demanding “Money for human needs, not for war.” The protest, on Veteran’s Day, included speakers from Veterans for Peace, the Anti-War Committee, Women Against Military Madness, and others.
Este sábado 12 de noviembre “Occupy the Hood” y “Decolonize the Hood/Descolonizar el Barrio” marcharán por el poder afroamericano y latino. A la 1:00 p.m., en el lado sur de la ciudad habrá una demostración en la 27 y Nacional, cerca del Banco M&I, mientras en el lado norte la demostración empezará en la 26 y Wisconsin, cerca del US Bank.
Minneapolis, MN – 150 people chanted “Banks got bailed out, we got sold out!” Nov. 8, at a rally to begin an occupation in support of North Minneapolis home owner, Monique White. White, who lives at 3310 N 6th St, is facing imminent eviction from her foreclosed home. The house and fence around it were hung with banners and signs saying, “Housing is a Human Right”, “25,673 Foreclosures in MN: US Bank Corp CEO Richard Davis 18.8 million dollar/yr salary”, “Foreclose Free Zone.” Six tents were set up in the yard for occupiers to spend the night.
*Fight Back News Service is circulating the following speech delivered by Jess Sundin, Nov. 5, at the first national conference of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, in Chicago. Sundin is a leader in the anti-war movement. Her home was among those raided by the FBI, on Sept. 24, 2010.*
Milwaukee, WI – On Nov. 12 “Occupy the Hood” and “Decolonize the Hood / Descolonizar el Barrio” will march for Black & Brown Power! At 1:00 pm on Saturday, the South Side will rally on 27th Street and National Avenue, near M&I Bank, while the North Side rallies on 26th Street and Wisconsin Avenue, near US Bank.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Twin Cities-based Anti-War Committee on the threat by county officials to shut down OccupyMN. On Nov. 8 the Hennepin County Board voted to place severe restrictions on the encampment at People's Plaza, which are slated to go into effect Nov. 14. In addition, Hennepin County Sheriff Rick Stanek has waged a media campaign aimed at discrediting the occupation.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 union activists, as well as OccupyMN participants and others, rallied outside the University of Minnesota’s McNamara Alumni Center on Nov. 8 to protest a speech by Wells Fargo CEO Jon Stumpf.
Charlotte, NC – An energetic crowd of almost 300 came together at Marshall Park in Charlotte, North Carolina, Nov. 5. Protesters marched to Bank of America and Wells Fargo, as Occupy Winston-Salem joined in solidarity with Occupy Charlotte in support of Bank Transfer Day.
Salt Lake City, UT – Activists marched here in solidarity with Oakland’s general strike, Nov. 2. The marchers were angered by the extreme police brutality against peaceful demonstrators in Oakland, California.