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OCCUPY ATLANTA AND TAKE BACK THE BLOCK SHUT DOWN CHASE BANK; 8 OCCUPIERS ARRESTED
Atlanta Feb 11 2012

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

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It's 2AM--Do you know where your police force is? Demanding ID's at Occupy Rochester
Rochester Feb 10 2012

In this 7 minute video, we meet Jacques and Paige, members of Occupy Rochester, describing police harassment after they and others were abruptly awaked by police who were asking for identification at 2AM on February 2, 2012. One occupier had the wherewithal to record some of the interaction.

Hours after the police harassed occupiers, the New York Civil Liberties Union released a statement demanding that the RPD cease their unconstitutional activities.
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Pro-Choice Rallies Surround 39th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
San Francisco Bay Area Feb 09 2012

For the eighth year, anti-choice Walk for Life demonstrators bussed into San Francisco from across the state marched to protest the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion 39 years ago. However, pro-choice activists celebrated the anniversary of Roe v. Wade with gatherings in the city's Justin Herman Plaza and in downtown Los Altos. Supporters of the Walk for Life West Coast event bemoaned the lack of news coverage given their march.

At San Francisco's pro-choice rally, speakers included Dr. Sophia Yen, who promoted the Silver Ribbon Campaign and Trust Women Week. Dr. Yen said, "The Silver Ribbon is the only ribbon I've ever worn." She also addressed the crowd in the San Francisco Peninsula city of Los Altos where a second rally was held.
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Unanimous Voice Opposes New Jail at Champaign County Board
Urbana-Champaign Feb 08 2012

Another crowd of people showed up for a second week to oppose plans for expansion of the Champaign County jail. Several individuals spoke during public comment. Among them were:

Mikhail Lyubansky, who writes and teaches about restorative justice, said, "Jail is just one strategy, not the only one" to public safety and called on the County Board to look into alternatives to incarceration.

Peter Campbell of the GEO Solidarity Committee said, "To argue that we should expand a jail in order to treat prisoners better is perverse: any public official who makes this argument is trading on the lives of the most vulnerable in our community for their own political gain."

Chris Evans spoke about the history of the public safety quarter cent sales tax, passed by voters in 1998. The sales tax ought to be brough back to voters, he said.

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Right 2 Dream 2 - City Hall Protest
Portland Feb 07 2012

Hundreds of people sleep on the streets of Portland every night, there are often no beds available at shelters. Right 2 Dream Too provides refuge and a safe space to rest or sleep undisturbed for dozens of people who are experiencing homelessness in downtown Portland at no cost to the city. The City of Portland says R2DToo must comply with state Recreational Camping Ordinances or pay monthly fines. The initial fine is $641.30, and doubles every two months after that.

Portland IMC reports on the protest on the steps of city hall for the Right 2 Dream 2 having their fines dropped and to be given some human dignity and respect. video #1 | video #2 | video #3.
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Ruckus at the State Land Board Tuesday February 14
Portland Feb 12 2012

Will you be our valentine? In October, Governor Kitzhaber approved a plan that will nearly double the annual clear cut in the Elliott Rainforest, starting this year. On the 14th, the first land board meeting of 2012, the Governor will also approve the privatization of over 1,000 acres of public forest land in Southern Oregon. Privatization will leave the fate of sensitive wildlife in the hands of ravenous timber barons.

Cascadia Forest Defenders are heading to Salem on the 14th to confront the State Land Board--Governor Kitzhaber, Secretary of State Kate Brown, and Treasurer Ted Wheeler-- about their direct hand in the destruction of Oregon's public forests.

Tuesday Feb 14 7:30am until 12:00pm Oregon Department of State Lands Office, 775 Summer Street, Salem!

for more info visit forestdefensenow.com
[ rides from Eugene and Portland being organized on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/246432292102522/ ]

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War Is Not the Answer
Rogue Valley Feb 12 2012

Southern Oregon lobbies Senator Merkley to speak out for diplomacy with Iran. The U.S. has levied sanctions against Iran for over thirty years and the people have suffered. It is time for diplomacy. If not now, when?
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Trade Justice Roadshow: Corporate Globalization & the Trans-Pacific FTA
Portland Feb 11 2012

The Trans-Pacific FTA is being negotiated behind closed doors between a dozen countries throughout the Pacific Rim. Journalists, most Members of Congress and the people most likely to be impacted by these negotiations are barred from reviewing the U.S. proposals, but approximately 600 corporate lobbyists certified as official "citizen advisers" have regular access to both the negotiating documents and the negotiators. Join us as we learn more about this pact; about the impact of past trade deals on our communities; and to send a message to Senator Ron Wyden and other elected officials that we will not accept another business-as-usual trade pact that offshores jobs, reduces the tax base and puts a downward pressure on the wages and benefits of jobs that are left.

Sunday, 2/12 * 3:00 - 4:30pm Redmond, OR
Monday, 2/13 * 6:30 - 8:00pm Eugene, OR
Wednesday, 2/15 * 6:30 - 8:00pm Ashland, OR
Wednesday, 2/22 * 6:00 - 7:30pm Portland, OR
Thursday, 2/23 * 3:00 - 4:00pm Monmouth, OR
Thursday, 2/23 * 6:30 - 8:00pm Salem, OR

Help us promote these events on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/events/213487345409982/

 http://www.citizenstrade.org/ctc/oregon/fair-trade-events/
phone: 503) 736-9777
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Wall Street Excess and Main Street Distress: the Apple Connection
NYC Feb 11 2012

Ever since the beginning of the current global economic crisis, the focus of both critical analysis and public odium has been speculative capital. In the populist narrative, it was the breathtaking shenanigans of the banks in an atmosphere of deregulation that led to the economic collapse. The “financial economy,” characterized as parasitic and bad, was contrasted to the “real economy,” which was said to produce real goods and real value. Resources flowed into speculative activities in finance, resulting in a loss of dynamism in the real economy and eventually leading to credit cutoff at the height of the crisis, causing bankruptcies and massive layoffs.
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Reflections from Monday night's Oakland solidarity march
Portland Feb 11 2012

From an arrestee: On Monday night there was a march in Portland in solidarity with Occupy Oakland's call-out for a day of action against police brutality and arrests. The description for Portland's ma...
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Prop 8 Ruled Unconstitutional
San Francisco Bay Area Feb 11 2012

California's Proposition 8 ban on same sex marriage was ruled unconstitutional by a three member panel of judges from the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. Judge Smith dissented. The panel majo...
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Anti-Occupy legistlation introduced before the City Council
DC Feb 11 2012

The DC City Council has introduced legislation to criminalize all but the mildest forms of protest in DC. No doubt this is in response to rich lobbyists and the venues of things like the Alfalfa Club ...
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CPAC Phase 1: fat cats, tents, an inside team, and baseball bats
DC Feb 11 2012

On the 10th of February, unions and Occupy protesters descended on the Wardman Park Marriot, where CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Committee, is meeting. An estimated 1,000 people showed up, w...
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Ongoing Coverage

IMC-US
Oct 04 2010
 Anti-war & Social Justice Organizers Nationwide Resist FBI "Terrorism" Investigation

On the morning of September 24th, FBI agents served grand jury subpoenas and raided the homes of several anti-war and social justice activists in Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois. The FBI appears to be targeting people associated with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and the Arab-American Action Network. Search warrants indicate agents were looking for connections between local antiwar activists and groups in Colombia and the Middle East. Most of the people whose homes were searched or who were issued subpoenas had helped organize or attended protests at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, two years ago.

The social justice community, mindful of the COINTELPRO intimidation tactics that the FBI has implemented in the past against anti-war and civil rights organizers, view the raids as an intimidation tactic. Within a day, activists organized a solidarity vigil, a press conference to raise public opinion of the matter, and put out a call for rallies nationwide.

Coverage Roundups: DC-IMC | Indybay | Chicago IMC | Twin Cities IMC
More Coverage from Twin Cities IMC: Oct6: Anti-War Activists: "We Have Nothing to Say to a Grand Jury" | Sept29: Midwest Social Justice Community Rallies Around Investigated Antiwar Activist | Sept24: At Least Four Minneapolis Houses Raided, Activists Subpoenaed in National FBI "Terror" Expedition Against Antiwar Activists | Breaking News

Demonstration Reportbacks: Portland, OR | Rochester, NY | Champaign, IL | Olympia, WA | Buffalo, NY | Washington, DC

Solidarity Statements: African People’s Solidarity Committee | Labor Activists Condemn FBI Repression | Send a Note of Protest and cc your local media

Related Stories: US Coast Guard admittedly spied in Olympia Activist circles | PA "Terror Watch" Bulletins Tracked Activists Across State

More Information: If An Agent Knocks | Committee to Stop FBI Repression

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