Monthly Archives: November 2011

Local folk musicians plan to sing in Troy Davis/Woodruff Park at 2 pm on Saturday.  Come out and enjoy!

(Please check back to confirm location)

(NOTE: I am posting this because we have yet to post all that we accomplished today. And since that was a lot, I feel the people that participated should be proud and those that want to know should be informed.  So here is a piece I wrote tonight in the meantime detailing today’s actions. Feel free to move this once we have added more media and/or a press release.)

Today, November 17th, was recognized across this country as a national day of action. Accordingly, Occupy movements throughout the nation, from Los Angeles to New York, Seattle to Tampa, organized, rallied, and took back their streets.

Here in Atlanta, we’re no different. Though we do not yet command the numbers of a place like Occupy Wall Street, our spirit is fierce and our core people are dedicated — literally working 24/7 for the movement.

So we had to step up, too. With clandestine actions targeting Wells Fargo, we began. Flooding into the banks, Occupiers quickly “mic check”ed and told the truth about the bank. A bank which has not only taken billions in tax payer dollars without paying it back, but intentionally defrauded customers of their hard-earned cash with software fee trickery. In less than 5 minutes, the Occupiers disappeared, leaving those still in the bank asking questions — exactly as we wanted.

In solidarity with other Occupations across the U.S., Occupy Atlanta decided to take back a bridge — by holding a Block Party! The Courtland St Bridge, in the heart of the Georgia State University campus, was awash with streamers, flyers, dancers, drummers. Within 15 minutes, however, the police arrived to stop the people’s fun. Despite moving to the sidewalk per police orders, several Occupiers were targeted, physically yanked off the sidewalk, cuffed, and taken to jail.

However, that did not deter our spirit, nor the spirit of students, who began amassing for an impromptu soap-box. Reassembling in the courtyard, student after student spoke out wiith passion about their hopes and wishes, and the devastation they have felt knowing their future — with a mound of student debt, record unemployment, and a lack of jobs — is no longer looking bright. Despite the grim reality we face, these students raised their voices, began real discussions, laughed and joked. Many joined us as we marched on the capitol, much to the delight of us more seasoned Occupiers.

Please see videos of some of the students at our Media Committee’s YouTube page:  http://www.youtube.com/user/occupyatlmedia

 

 

 

 

You’d think after all that commotion we’d be done. Nope. Our day and work continued as the sun set. We mobilized and reconvened a contingent of Occupiers across town, and in solidarity with workers across the world, we marched in to the home-grown, union-busting Home Depot. Simultaneously, we covertly assembled a task force at a nearby Verizon store, whose corporate office is attempting to slash benefits of tens of thousands of their workers. Drawing attention to their plight, local union members and Occupiers joined together and told it like it is.

And all this before 7 PM!

Today was a day of accomplishment and celebration. With only a small but dedicated Occupation, we carried the fight on several fronts, in several sectors of the city and to several sectors of the population.

Today was a day of forging new friendships and alliances — with students as well as workers. Personally, I am extremely proud! Especially of the GSU students, who, despite never having had spoke at Occupy Atlanta before, let their voices fly with such intensity and thoughtfulness that it inspired many of us Occupiers!

Today was a day of opening a dialogue with each other, and addressing a serious concern:
Our future is now. And where do we go from here?

(P.S. All those arrested today have made bond and have been released!)

At Courtland St. today police were pulling people off the sidewalk to arrest them, or simply arresting them from the sidewalk.  If you have video of these incidents, please contact legal@occupyatlanta.org AND media@occupyatlanta.org

Occupy Atlanta scripted mic check at the Wells Fargo Atlantic station.

Occupy Atlanta scripted mic check at the Wells Fargo branch in Marietta.

At 2 am over 30 people have entered Freedom Park and erected tents and tarps. This is in addition to the ongoing occupation of Peachtree and Pine shelter, which is under threat of eviction, and the occupation of central avenues. You can evict a park, but you can’t evict an idea. The occupation movement is here to stay.

Come join us tomorrow!! Ben Cohen, Co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s will be coming out to show support for Occupy Atlanta!! Come and enjoy some fun times and free ice cream!!!

12:30pm – 3:30pm

Occupy Atlanta stands in absolute solidarity.

We are the 99%! This is only the beginning.

OccupyWallSt.org
NYC General Assembly
Watch the Livestream occupynyc
Watch the Livestream globalrevolution

“They (who) seek to establish systems of government based on the regimentation of all human beings by a handful of individual rulers… call this a new order. It is not new and it is not order.” – FDR

“We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice” – MLK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

 

For years, homeless folks have been sleeping at Central Ave between MLK Drive and Mitchell Street across from City Hall on a ledge that backs up into Georgia Plaza Park. Over the past month the number of homeless occupying the space has dramatically increased. The reasons are numerous. They include the looming closing of Peachtree and Pine; stricter admission criteria at Gateway; and of course the rise in the homeless population due to double-digit unemployment and the absurdly high home foreclosure rate. Why this spot? The ledge adjacent to the park is constantly warmed by exhaust rising from city ducts. A woman who has lived there for months stated, “The reason we are on this wall is because it’s much safer then under a bridge”. We are also aware that several local churches provide direct services at this location.

Occupy Atlanta found the homeless community to be extremely articulate and hungry to improve their lives. We became extremely concerned when we learned that the Capitol Police have informed the homeless that they will be forcibly removed Sunday or Monday evening. What’s even more disconcerting is that these victims will not be provided an alternative space to sleep. We know that the judges whose offices overlook the wall have been complaining about the image of homeless people sleeping outside the government building. Some have even gone so far as to claim the presence of homeless people on this wall represents an unsafe condition for government employees as well as for jurors.  This forcible removal of people because they are homeless is a continuation of Atlanta’s inhuman strategy to deal with human beings that have fallen on hard times. Instead of forcing the homeless into the darkest corners of Atlanta, we should be addressing the human needs of these people. We should be addressing the growing cancer of poverty in our city.

Tomorrow at 2pm Occupy Atlanta will be holding a press conference on Center Street between Mitchell and MLK, near the Shrine of Immaculate Conception. We will be joined by civil rights leaders, politicians, members of several church congregations, and the homeless that stay there. We challenge the city to explore ways to address all homeless people as human beings first instead of public relations issues.  We challenge them to treat all persons with respect and dignity. Atlanta can do better.

Occupy Atlanta is a social movement of protest standing in support of the 99% of Americans that are under the overwhelming political and economic influence of the wealthiest 1% of the population. Occupy Atlanta vows to tolerate no longer the greed and corruption of the 1%. The movement comprises people of many socioeconomic strata, ethnic backgrounds and political persuasions unified in their determination to invigorate participatory democracy and give voice and political power to the majority of the people.