Report Back from National Conference on Organized Resistance
January 29, 2004.
On January 24th and 25th, close to one thousand activists, students, workers and youth attended this years National Conference on Organized Resistance (NCOR) at American University in Washington, DC. Dozens from Rochester and Western NY participated. The conference has met for seven consecutive years, and serves as a space for coordinating a dialogue between activist groups, and sparking in-depth discussion of the strategies and tactics of our various social justice movements.
This report back by Rochester Indymedia will hopefully serve as a discussion springboard for those who attended as well as those who weren’t able go and are interested in the work to build an organized resistance to Corporate Globalization and Militarism.
Entire Report
Poor People United Continues the Fight for Hypothermia Shelter
January 13, 2004. On Monday members of Poor People United met with members of the County Legislature, Red Cross, DHHS and other organizations. The goal of this meeting was to arrange a comprehensive plan on how to make sure the homeless have shelter during the coldest parts of the year. Unfortunately, things have not gone according to plan for PPU. Charles Kellum, Dave Cox and Claire Olson, members of PPU, wanted to see the creation of a permanent hypothermia shelter this winter to serve a sub-population of homeless that are left out in the cold by DHHS and other organizations.
More
In from the Cold, a Report Back
House of Mercy Worker in Stable Condition
Not much time has passed since Charles (C.W.) Earlsey was shot at the House of Mercy and the community is still trying to adjust to life without him. He is currently still in intensive care but is showing signs of improvement. C.W. is an integral part of the inner workings of the House of Mercy. This is a special place, it warmly opens its doors to all, turning none away. While other shelters require strict guidelines, religious observances, and curfews, the people here refuse to let a person freeze to death. Talk to anyone in the Hudson Ave. neighborhood and they can relate the importance of this man to the area.
Entire Story
People For a Better Bus Station Pay RGRTA a Visit with over 60 Letters
December 20.
As the public input period of only two weeks drew to a close on December 15, about twenty members of the citizens' group PFABBS,
or "People for a Better Bus Station" converged upon the sidewalks of the RGRTA (Rochester Genesee Regional Transit Authority) with signs bringing to light the bus station issue while other members hand delivered more than sixty letters from citizens voicing concerns and questions.
Members of the group gathered on the East Main Street sidewalk as the skies turned dark over Rochester, facing traffic headed home from downtown businesses that evening at rush hour.
Those in attendance from PFABBS represented the much larger group and marked the close of public comment at five o'clock with two members of the group, Andy Stainton and Greg Newton playing "Taps" on saxophone.
People for a Better Bus Station is calling for an extention of the public input period. No word has been made public to date of such an extension.
PFABBS is a diverse citizens' group comprised of various members of the local community and includes architects, engineers, urban planners, other professionals as well as activists and other citizens.
The next meeting of PFABBS will be held on Thursday, January 8th, at 7-9 pm at the Gleason Auditorium of the Rochester Rundel Library downtown
Article on Public Hearing
For more information contact PFABBS at pfabbs@frontiernet.net
Human Rights Day Vigil, Potluck, Discussion (*Updated*)
Each year since the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1998, Alliance for Democracy—Rochester has organized a candlelight vigil reading of the Declaration; a potluck super; & a panel discussion highlighting one or more of the principles enshrined in that document.
This year's event was well attended and looked at many diverse issues.
Before the event started, Poor People United held a demonstration (1) (2) to bring attention to the problem of homelessness, which they argue is a human rights violation in a society that produces as much wealth as ours. This was followed by the annual Vigil, Potluck and Discussion at which the Rochester Youth Action Network, which gave a very well received theatrical perfomance on the topic of the night, the USA PATRIOT act.
PPU Holds Housing Takeover
On Friday, November 28th, five members and supporters of Poor People United (PPU) occupied an abandoned building in downtown Rochester. Charles Kellum, Ben Dean-Kawamura, Mary Shoemaker, Chris Powers and Matt Clark occupied the building at 8 Franklin Court after the Homeless Solidarity Rally at the Liberty Pole. The message of the action was simple: there should not be unutilized, abandoned, buildings in Rochester while people are forced to sleep on the streets at night.
Approximately fifty people marched from the Liberty Pole to the site, to support those at the action. The Rochester Raging Grannies were on site to lead singing from the crowd. Around 20 people stayed the entire duration of the takeover - almost four hours.
UPDATE: See the Rochester Indymedia Video on the event.
Housing Take Over in Progress
BREAKING NEWS
(Nov. 29th) 10:30am, All 5 activists were released after pleading not guilty to 3rd degree trespassing. Though ownership of the building is not entirely clear, the police said an owner has decided to press charges. Trial date is set for December 12, 2003.
(Nov. 28th) 9:30pm, After nearly 4 hours, the 5 squatters were arrested by Rochester Police and brought to Monroe County Jail to be processed. The abandoned property is owned privately by a resident of Pittsford who had finally been contacted. One of the arrested called in to say that the officer processing the 5 was pretty sympathetic towards the action. Other officers at the site, however, were not so friendly. One officer threatened an Indymedia photographer with arrest under the charge of "harrassment" for taking pictures of the event. The 5 will be have a pre-trail hearing Saturday (11/30) at 9:30am at the City Court on Exchange (Next to Public Safety Building). Supporters are encouraged to attend.
(Nov. 28th) 6:30pm. Immediately following the HomelessSolidarity Rally in downtown Rochester ; 5 members and supporters of Poor People United occupied an abandoned building on Franklin Street, Downtown, to call attention to the resources available for a fully funded hypothermia shelter for homeless persons this winter in Rochester. Currently, the 5 are inside the buidling and the police are on site waiting to figure out whether to arrest them. The police are currently attempting to determine ownership of the building, consult the owner, and proceed with action accordingly. Will post updates as reports come in.
Poor People United to hold vigil, direct action on homelessness
(November 28th) Members of Poor People United will hold a vigil, share a free community meal, and lead a nonviolent direct action aimed at drawing attention to the ongoing struggle of homeless people in Rochester on Friday afternoon (November 28th). We will legally assemble the public vigil and community meal at the Liberty Pole. Some of the PPU demonstrators may risk arrest in a separate non-violent action near this legal assembly.
Members of PPU have organized rallies at the County Legislature. We have attended the legislative meetings, documented the harrowing experiences of those seeking assistance, and organized scores of ordinary people to speak about the crises facing poor people in Monroe County.
We have had several meetings with county decision-makers, urging them to establish an emergency, non-exclusive hypothermia shelter. However TONIGHT, as winter approaches and temperatures are routinely below zero, homeless people will still sleep in the old subway.
Public Discussion and Screening of Miami Events
Several Rochester Activists just returned from the Anti-FTAA Street Demonstations in Miami. This Wednesday, come see footage compiled by Indymedia and hear eyewitness accounts from those who participated. Informal discussion will address what took place and how to support those arrested and brutalized by the police. We realize this is the day before Thanksgiving, so another report back and screening will be scheduled at a later date, but for those who can make it, this will be a chance to make sense of what happened while it's fresh in our minds.
When: Wed., Nov 26, 6:30pm
Where: Food Not Bombs Space, 367 Lyell Ave
Accounts and Reflections from Local folks who participated
Paramilitaries, Embedded Journalists and Illegal protest.... Iraq comes home
Story by J. Scahill, Democracy Now! producer
State Repression in Miami: A New Level?
Repression in Miami , Nov. 21
From what I and others have witnessed in these last days in Miami, the level of violence and repression that the state is prepared to marshal against us as a movement has increased dramatically. Thousands of militarized police, in full riot gear, including electrified shields, tanks, automatic and semi-automatic weapons, tear gas, rubber bullets and bean bags, violently arresting peaceful demonstrators, in some cases with tazers, in others at gun point. Combinations of these and similar means have been used, of course, in response to global justice movement actions in the past. What makes Miami different, more frightening, is that all of these tactics were used in the absence of direct action.
Read More
Photo & Video Roundup from ftaaimc
Selected articles, audio and video from FTAA IMC
Accounts and Reflections from Local folks who participated
Paramilitaries, Embedded Journalists and Illegal protest.... Iraq comes home
Story by J. Scahill, Democracy Now! producer