On the 31st of May, several hundred people marched from 801 NJ Ave, one of Wal-Marts proposed DC locations, to 701 8th st, where Wal-Mart has a DC lobbyng office. The march included a float protraying Mayor Gray and Wal-Mart in bed together, with a sign saying "someone's getting screwed."

Read More | Video of the march and float protraying the Mayor in bed with Wal-Mart | WSQT Radio coverage of the March on Wal-Mart

Related from Portland IMC: No Oak Grove Walmart!!!

May 9th, 2012 was the day of the Bank of America shareholders meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina. Between 800 to 1000 people who have been affected by the policies of Bank of America choose to also attend this meeting, but in the streets outside the world headquarters of the Bank. Bank of America is the 5th largest corporation in America. It has foreclosed on more families than any other bank, and is the top investor in coal extraction through mountain top removal, which contributes to global warming/climate change. They invest in prisons, nuclear weapons and other weapons of war, and threaten American democracy itself with their support of anti worker/citizen groups like ALEC and the Financial Services Roundtable which lobby against any form of consumer protection or banking regulations.

A second large, bailed-out bank was the target of protest in one week. On May 9, MoveOn.org held a demonstration in front of the Rochester offices of Bank of America. The event drew only 15-20 protesters. It was just two days after close to 100 turned out to protest a questionable local foreclosure by Wells Fargo in Victor. That action was held by Take Back the Land, Band of Rebels and Occupy Rochester NY.

The most interesting contributions to this protest came not from the demonstrators themselves but from those passing by... Read More & Video

Ashland, OR – March 8, 2012 - A majority of workers at Ashland Food Co-op have been united since June of 2011 to improve their working conditions by organizing a union with United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 555. Ashland Food Co-op management learned of workers’ desire to organize and reacted swiftly with heavy handed tactics to try and sway workers away from unionization. The Employer’s actions included soliciting and promising to remedy grievances, providing benefits to employees that it previously refused to provide, disciplining union activists, threatening employees with more severe discipline if they voted for a union, instituting a rule that prohibited employees from discussing the union and then enforcing this rule only against employees who supported the union, and soliciting employees to sign an anti-union petition

Today, February 10th, 2012, Occupy Atlanta and Take Back the Block sat in at the Chase Bank located in the Edgewood Retail District. This action is part of a larger campaign against Chase Bank in getting the deed back from Chase to the Pittman family. Carmen Pittman, the granddaughter of the late Eloise Pittman, was arrested along with seven others. This was the first time--since the occupation movement shifted its focus to foreclosure--that a homeowner was involved in direct action. They are now known as the Chase Eight.

Eloise Pittman was given a predatory loan on a home that she and her family have lived in for over 50 years. She passed away in November, and her family is facing eviction. Since December 6th, 404 Glen Iris has been occupied in an effort to stop eviction. read more & video

Past Features:An Update and Call to Action from #GlenIris #OccupyAtlanta | The Pittman Family vs Chase Bank-Round 3

Heeding the call of Occupy Oakland, which called for a shutdown of west coast ports in response to the brutal eviction of occupy encampments nationwide, and in solidarity with exploited port workers and truckers, activists across the coast shutdown various port terminals.

Oakland: Occupy Oakland called for the December 12th West Coast Port Shutdown, "because we believe it is time the occupation movement begins to work together to carry through coordinated, pinpointed actions. We want to disrupt the profits of the 1% and show solidarity with those in the 99% who are under direct attack by corporate tyranny." In particular, the demonstrations were in solidarity with longshoremen, port workers and truck drivers.

Since there were attacks by police on demonstrators in other cities, including Seattle, San Diego and Houston, Occupy Oakland made good on its promise of solidarity, and extended the port shut down into the next shift at 3am. Occupy Oakland successfully shut down the Port of Oakland for three consecutive shifts. Port of Oakland Shut Down by Occupy Oakland | Port Shutdown Morning Shift (includes audio) | Oakland Port Closure (many pictures)

Portland: Hundreds of Occupy Portland protestors, activists and workers blocked entrances to shut down Terminals 5 & 6 around 6 AM today. Shortly before 8 AM, protestors cheered when they learned that Port of Portland officials had already shut down the terminals, and that the ports in Oakland had been closed. However, according to Mike Gardner, ILWU Local 8 in Portland, ILWU workers had been sent home without pay by Port officials. Photos of Shut down West Coast Ports/Occupy Action | Video 1: Port Blockade at 6:15 PM Occupy Portland | Video 2. Occupy Portland Port Blockade West Coast on 12.12.11 - Gate 5 | Bellingham Successfully Blockade Railway in Solidarity with West Coast Port Actions

Los Angeles: In solidarity with expolited port workers and truckers, about 500 militant occupiers and their friends shut down Terminal J of the Port of Long Beach, the home of SSA Marine, an investment of the criminal enterprise Goldman Sachs and the main stakeholder of the US government. The marchers were eventually split off from each other by the Los Angeles Port Police. However a group of 300 to 500 people successfully blocked a road that led to one of the SSA piers for a few hours causing traffic snarls and the like. Occupy the Ports - A Day without Goldman Sachs | Occupiers Close Port of Long Beach Terminal | Occupy The Ports Long Beach, part 1 by Robert Stuart Lowden | Occupy The Ports Long Beach, part 2

Related: An Open Letter From America's Port Truck Drivers On Occupy the Ports | cleanandsafeports.org | occupytheports.com

On the 20th of October, both Stop the Machine and Occupy DC marched on bailed-out, non taxpaying banks while account holders inside closed their accounts. Luke's Video-Bank of America action preceded by short interview with Citibank protest paticipant | Stop the Machine's video of the Citibank action

On the 20th of OCtober, Occupy DC showed up at Union Station and disrupted a $1000 a plate fundraiser for "Conservation International" a fake environmental groups that has done greenwashing work for such clients as BP. The fundraiser starred the CEOs of both Wal-Mart and Northrup-Grumman. More | Respect DC Video | Luke's video

10/20: NPR Gets Radio Host Fired for Occupying | Raw story | Lisa Simeone July 2011 | NPR Tries to Correct

Around the country, union workers and their supporters united on Sept 5, 2011 for Labor Day marches, picnics, and other events.

In San Francisco and Santa Clara, CA, members of UNITE HERE Locals 2 & 19 and their supporters in the labor movement marched on Labor Day, September 5th, to draw attention to the Unions' ongoing struggle with the Hyatt Regency and Grand Hyatt, which have been the target of a boycott campaign launched by the union six months ago. Some of the many unions that came were The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), The Teamsters, The American Federation of Teachers, and the Labor Studies program at S.F. State University . Read More: Hotel Workers Rising

In the Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon, in celebration of Labor Day, Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice released an 8-minute sound file of the "1911 Wobbly Walk Through the Siskiyous" made-for-radio skit that recounts the trek made by 100+ members of the IWW in support of free speech 100 years ago. 1911 Wobbly Walk Radio Skit.

Nurses Say Lady Liberty Is Sick, But A Wall Street Financial Speculation Tax Could Heal Her.

The Statue of Liberty apparently got “sick” over what’s happening to this country’s working class so, the nation’s nurses rushed to N.Y.C. to try and heal her. One by one, members of National Nurses United (NNU) attempted to diagnose what was making Lady Liberty ill. They concluded her malady was because of the foreclosures spawned by Wall Street’s greed, because of the broken health care system and joblessness.

A meeting in Jamaica Plain between representatives of Whole Foods and Jamaica Plain residents ended in chaos yesterday. Boston Police shut down the meeting early after arresting three people for displaying banners.

The meeting, at the Curley School on Centre Street, was an attempt by Whole Foods to convince JP residents of the benefits of having a Whole Foods store in the old Hi-Lo location in Hyde Square. Members of Whole Foods managerial team spoke at length about what a great place Whole Foods is to shop, and bragged about actions like donating food to local schools.

Whole Foods' move into JP is being opposed by a neighborhood-based grassroots group called Whose Foods. Alarmed by the so-called Whole Foods effect - the wave of gentrification that Whole Foods stores tend to touch off wherever they appear - Whose Foods mobilized over 100 people to voice their protest at the meeting. Wearing light blue T-shirts with the slogan "I Support an Affordable and Diverse JP," Whose Foods' supporters held up signs in silent protest as Whole Foods officials began their presentation. Proponents of an expensive and white JP were also present, but in fewer numbers.

May 15, 2011 -- A coalition of bank tenant associations held a protest against Bank of America in Copley Square yesterday morning. Led by City Life/Vida Urbana (CLVU), the protest was meant to call attention to the predatory lending and unfair foreclosures practiced by BoA and other banks. Read More

Past Coverage: Angelinos Protesting Out-of-Control Banks (see photo) | Deadbeat BoA, Protest In Vancouver WA | Corporate Tax Dodgers Called to Task

"They have made so many mistakes. I'm mad! I'm mad! I'm mad!" proclaimed Catherine Lennon at a press conference held outside of her 9 Ravenwood Ave. home on April 21, 2011.

Ryan Acuff from Take Back the Land - Rochester and Mary Adams from the Community Education Task Force announced that a growing list of community organizations and individuals have joined a new alliance to fight for justice for Catherine Lennon and her family, the Rochester grandmother who was evicted by over 20 Rochester police officers late last month. Seven people were arrested, including a 70 year old neighbor, still in her pajamas for attempting to defend Lennon's house from eviction. Charges against those arrested are being dropped in exchange for 8 hours of community service.

In regards to the "offer", Ms. Lennon said, "The letter is more or less humiliating. I feel humiliated. They [Fannie Mae] bought my home for $500.00 and they're charging me $50,000.00."

The coalition is calling for the Lennon-Griffin family to be returned to their home and an end to the practices which provide banks with financial incentives to evict families in foreclosure. In addition, it appears that robo-signing and fraud occurred in Cathy Lennon's case as it was handled by the notorious foreclosure mill of Steven J. Baum. The Baum firm is under investigation by the state of New York for fraud.

Video: Justice for the Lennon-Griffin Family Campaign Formed; Lennon Livid Over Fannie Mae "Offer"

Additional Information: 'This Is Not America': SWAT Team Evicts Grandmother, Community Fights Back (Video) | 7 Arrested in Eviction Defense at 9 Ravenwood Ave. | Cathy Lennon is Still in Her House! Nearly 2-Week Old Eviction Blockade Working! The Struggle Continues! | Local Family and Take Back the Land Announce Eviction Defense | "We got sold out; they got bailed out!" Anti-Eviction Rally on S. Goodman Street

On Friday, the 15th of April, Jubilee USA circled the IMF and World Bank meeting, carrying coffin-size "gold bars." Jubilee was demanding that the IMF use the $3 billion windfall profit from recent gold sales to pay for cancelling debts of impoverished nations. Read More & Video | www.jubileeusa.org

On Tuesday the New York State legislature passed Governor Andrew Cuomo's austerity budget. 1500 children, parents, educators, students, and activists rallied outside the Senate and Assembly chambers to defend their interests. Citizen Action and other NPO lobbyists were kept out, 100 plus State Troopers were on duty, and anti-Austerity forces were literally swept underground. This was a teachable moment for the left, and a declaration of war upon the poor from the Powers-That-Be.

As we arrived later at 3:00pm to the capitol, the contingent from Buffalo was herded single-file (which broke down rather soon) across the street. The buses were organized by Citizen Action (CA) and Alliance for Quality Education (AQE), with People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH) and local student organizers (e.g. Buffalo State Students for Peace) recruiting locally. On the way to Albany we received the message: sleeping bags and blankets were not allowed into the state capitol. As we entered the state capitol, we were immediately ordered into a line that curved line to enter the security barrier that was staffed by no less than 4 security guards and 1-2 state troopers throughout the day. People were turned away not just for bedding but, their security crackdown also extended to arresting someone for accidentally hitting a guard with a gong later into the afternoon. read more by cliffleft | Report from NYC-Indymedia: New Yorkers Standing up to Budget Cuts (Video) By Michael Fox

More Related Coverage — From Indybay: We are One Rallies in Solidarity with Wisconsin on April 4th | From DC-IMC: Mayor Gray Declines to Meet with Safety Net Supporters

The March 16, 2011 protest against a fundraiser for Wisconsin's GOP state legislators looked almost like April 16, 2000 as thousands besieged the event, took over streets-and a "suit block" managed to penetrate security and get inside!

Read More & Pics | Video | Audio