Category Archives: Press Release

Today (11/7) Occupy Atlanta was at a court hearing at the City of Atlanta Municipal Court for five Occupants who were arrested Sunday night.

The arrests made over the last few days have brought national attention to the City of Atlanta and to Occupy Atlanta. There have been several attempts to silence our voice and deny our First Amendment rights. Excessive police presence and the waste of tax payer’s money shines a light on the the government’s distorted priorities and failures to act in the best interests of the people.

The 25 arrests made over the weekend included three journalists, one minister, a college professor, and an uninvolved bystander. The Atlanta Police Department injured three people, requiring medical attention. This aggression from a department which has a history of such incidents must be addressed and will not be tolerated.

When resources are used to babysit a park full of peaceful protesters instead of addressing the issues that have contributed to our society downfall, it demonstrates a warped set of priorities. Georgia has the 4th highest foreclosure rate in the country and is number one in wealth disparity in the nation. Atlanta also lost more jobs than any other metro area in 2010.

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

Occupy Atlanta has been tracking several foreclosure proceedings across the city. We have decided to intervene on the eviction of a hard working family that we believe has been wrongly foreclosed upon.

Occupy Atlanta will be, with the family’s blessing, Occupying a home in Snellville Georgia in an effort to stop the sheriff from evicting the family.

Georgia has the 4th highest foreclosure rate in the country, this does not sit well with Occupy Atlanta. We view the high foreclosure rate as one of the major symptoms of economic disparity.

We also hope to use this opportunity to build the Occupation in Snellville.

We will have a press conference at the house, 4197 Shoreside Circle Snellville, GA at 3pm. The family’s lawyer will be present.

Occupy Atlanta is a social movement of protest standing in support of the 99% of Americans that is 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.

Chris Siedl and another person arrested last night were taken to Grady Hospital for injuries inflicted by the police before being taken to jail. Alisen Redmond from the KSU Sentinel, Judith Kim from the GSU Signal, and Creative Loafing photographer Stephanie Pharr were arrested despite wearing press credentials. GSU professor Diana Eidson was among those arrested, as well as a staff member from a well-known local church who missed Sunday services as a result. Matt Lane, who had stopped by Anatolia for a late night snack, was arrested when he emerged from the restaurant.  Matt was not previously part of Occupy Atlanta but is now considering joining up.

Before the arrests occurred, Occupy Atlanta participants had mostly withdrawn from Troy Davis/Woodruff Park and began a short march around the park. They turned off of Peachtree St. onto Auburn Ave. in order to complete a circuit around the park when police showed up in large numbers. Officers on motorcycles pushed the majority of protesters back onto Peachtree St. between police on motorcycles and on horseback. At that point an officer on a motorcycle charged the crowd, striking and injuring one person. Other people surrounded the motorcycle in order to stop it and tipped it over. The officer was unhurt.

Statement:

The Atlanta Police Department has a history of brutal and ill-considered actions. In this instance, they seemed to be actively trying to incite a riot, which Occupy Atlanta successfully resisted. Occupy Atlanta participants remained peaceful and disciplined even in the face of assault and random arrests. They chanted “Who do you protect, who do you serve?” “What about your pensions?” and “You’re sexy, you’re cute, take off that riot suit” as well as “The right of the people to peaceably assemble” and “Separation of corporation and state!”

Arresting journalists and random bystanders has historically been a tactic used in police states, not in open democracies.

The Occupy movement claims public space in order to exercise the right of peaceable assembly. Two Occupy Atlanta participants volunteered to stay in Troy Davis/Woodruff Park in order to symbolically demonstrate that right, while the rest of the Occupy participants cleared out of the park and began a march around it.

A large Atlanta police force including motorcycles, mounted police, officers on foot, a SWAT team in riot gear and a helicopter moved in aggressively and faced off with the marchers. Peace was maintained until a policeman on a motorcycle accelerated into a demonstrator. Several people were arrested including three journalists.

ATLANTA – Occupy Atlanta Arts and Literature Communitee announces a benefit concert Friday, November 4, 2011 at 7 Stages Theatre at 1105 Euclid Ave. Doors open at 9pm with political art and cartoons in the lobby by local artist Tom Ferguson. Music and spoken word starts at 10pm and will go until late.

Featured musical performers on the main stage include Amul 9, BLCTXT, Bryson Green, Noents, Nutbush, Sewicida, Shabaka 2012 and The Subliminator. Revolutionary spoken word performances by Icewurm Jones and Myster Stique. Street performances by Critter Quinn, John B. and the Well-Dressed Homeless, Waldo and others. The DJ and MC for the event is DJ Supercrunk. This is an all ages show and the suggested donation is $10

Proceeds will go to the Occupy Atlanta legal fund. Occupations around the globe challenge corporate rule and its disastrous effects on our societies, our political systems, our economies, and our world.

Occupy Atlanta will hold a press conference at 3:30 pm in Piedmont Park (in the green space behind Park Tavern at Monroe and 10th), followed by a march to Atlantic Station to protest Wells Fargo.

Among other crimes, Wells Fargo misled investors, including pension fund managers for NYC teachers, firefighters, and police, into investing into shaky bonds and securities backed by risk-laden mortgages the bank itself peddled. Wells Fargo is guilty of discriminatory loan practices and of manipulating transactions to maximize overdraft fees. Meanwhile, the bank received $25 billion in bailout funds and $301 billion from the Federal Reserve, at 0% interest.

Bad mortgage loan debt, the justification for the bank bailouts, is being passed on to consumers in the form of extra fees including usage fees for debit cards. Sun Trust, Regions Bank, and Bank of America have all dropped their proposed monthly debit card fees amid a storm of criticism.

Occupy Atlanta Media Committee

Today (11/01) Occupy Atlanta will hold a press conference at 10 am at the Fulton County Court House located at 136 Pryor Street, SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

The press conference will address the sell off of foreclosed homes and
businesses in Fulton County.  Occupy Atlanta will stand in solidarity with those for whom the banks, after receiving bailout funds from tax payers, refused to refinance or re-structure their loans.  Occupy Atlanta will highlight the story of Bertha Furcron. She is a 65 year old grandmother who put her life savings into her property and the bank refused to refinance or re-structure her loan.

Occupy Atlanta will be discussing plans for re-occupation on November 5.

In addition Occupy Atlanta will be supporting Mr. Joe Beasley at St.
Phillips Cathedral in Buckhead as he address the congregation about Occupy Atlanta and the systemic issue of wealth disparities.

For immediate release
Occupy Atlanta Media Committee

Occupy Atlanta Leader Speaks About New Occupation Plans

The leader of Occupy Atlanta will reveal our new location. 11 am in Troy Davis/Woodruff Park.

UPDATE: About thirty Occupants donned red caps to deliver our message.

Occupy Atlanta is making its way to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic Site in order to spend the night.

Statement:

Our reverence for the tradition of civil disobedience in Atlanta is strong, and nowhere is it more strongly felt than in the places associated with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Here we will rest and gather strength for tomorrow.