USA
Amherst Solidarity Action (english)
by James 8:40pm Wed Oct 4 '00
jrussell@wnec.edu
In solidarity with the S26 protestors in Prague, we staged a rally in Amherst, Massachusetts at the local Wal-Mart, to protest globalization, sweatshops, and that corporation's destruction of communities
Bringing some joy to our S26 protest
Berkeley Hundreds of demonstrators swarmed through the streets Tuesday night in an action they dubbed "Reclaim the Streets" - one part protest of International Monetary Fund and World Bank policies and the other part street party, said Joe Hill, an alias used by one of the organizers. When demonstrators "seized" the intersection of Shattuck Avenue and Center Street, the party began in earnest. The crowd began dancing to hip hop music, thrusting their signs and banners into the air, calling for "people before profits" and also for bicycle friendly-streets. With Center Street and Shattuck Avenue blocked off by groups of people and turned-over trash cans, an enormous fiesta ensued as hundreds danced, hoisted signs and climbed light posts. "These are our streets and we're taking them back," yelled Carwil James of the Berkeley-based human rights group Project Underground. "We need revolutionary practices and this is a good one in our home city." At first it appeared as if the international day of action in solidarity with demonstrators in Prague against the IMF and World Bank would end with a party. But then the demonstrators mobilized and moved south on Shattuck Avenue. Someone broke windows at California Federal Bank at University and Shattuck avenues and someone hurled a burning carton at MacDonald's Restaurant across the street - "targets of the anti-capitalist movement," demonstrators said. A person charged with both incidents was later arrested and charged with a felony, according to City Councilmember Kriss Worthington. Demonstrators marched down to Old City Hall where the City Council was meeting and set small bonfires as they went. Capt. Bobby Miller of the Berkeley Police stood outside City Hall as a swarm of marchers advanced down Center Street before making a right on Martin Luther King Jr. Way. "We're not going to do anything drastic," Miller said, as the protesters lit six or seven large torches. "We have our crowd management force in place. We're just monitoring them, making sure that they don't do anything illegal. We have a bicycle patrol and adequate numbers of officers on patrol. If it stays this way, it will end this way." Motorcycle and patrol vehicles, as well as officers on foot and bicycle followed the protesters as they worked their way along Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, east on University and finally south on Shattuck to their destination. In the meantime, a critical mass of bicyclists rode from the BART station down Shattuck, then left on Ashby Avenue to Telegraph Avenue, then back down Bancroft Way and along Shattuck again to the rendezvous point at the intersection. When the demonstrators passed Citibank at 2323 Shattuck Ave. two were seen breaking windows with sandwich boards. "Citibank was targeted because it's a symbol of global capitalism," said Jonah Zern of Oakland. Zern, who claimed to be an anarchist, said that "the most important thing is that people are taking action against a form of oppression." At Ellsworth Street and Channing Way, officers in riot gear sealed off the block to prevent the group from moving to Telegraph Avenue. Shouts of "Victory" rained from the dwindling group after a tense standoff with over 20 police officers, who used batons to push the group back. The group managed to move on and reassemble on Telegraph, where some of the protesters continued the party atmosphere playing "duck duck goose." For others, the protest was more serious. "We have an international agenda as well as a local agenda," Hill said. The local agenda includes such issues as bicycle safety, the dependence of cars, evictions and rising rents and the prison/industrial complex. The protesters say the IMF and the World Bank promote a new form of colonialism that permits the rich, industrialized nations to steal natural resources from the developing world while requiring third world governments to adopt policies friendly to transnational corporations, according to their flyer. From a Bay Area perspective, housing and the gentrification of neighborhoods took center-stage. "We feel that gentrification equals apartheid," said Susan B. Rodriguez of Oakland. "We need to end the apartheid upon the people." Hill said the "Reclaim The Streets" approach started in England in 1995, as one part protest and the other part street party. "Part of it is coming out of the bike movement, in protest of cars. Streets aren't safe anymore for kids to play in." Hill added that the Berkeley RTS is one of many cells in solidarity of the protest in Prague. Daily Planet reporter Josh Parr contributed to this story.
Manifestantes toman la calle Por William Inman Daily Planet Staff (09-27-00) Traduccion: Luis Cientos de manifestantes invadieron las calle el martes por la noche en un acto denominado "Reclama la calle" - parte protesta contra el FMI/BM y parte fiesta callejera, segun Joe Hill, alias de uno de los organizadores. Cuando los manifestantes "tomaron" la esquina de Shattuck Ave. y Center Street, la fiesta comenzo con entusiasmo. La muchedumbre comenzo a bailar con musica hip-hop, aventando las pancartas al aire, gritando "el pueblo antes que las ganancias" y clamando por calles adecuadas al uso de la bicicleta. Con la calle Center y la avenida Shattuck bloqueadas por grupos de personas y contenedores de basura volcados, una gran fiesta tuvo lugar con cientos de personas bailando, levantando pancartas y escalando postes del alumbrado. "Son nuestras calles y las estamos recuperando" gritaba Carwil James del grupo de derechos humanos de Berkeley Project Underground. "Necesitamos practicas revolucionarias y esta es una buena aqui en nuestra ciudad". Al principio parecia como que el dia de internacional de accion en solidaridad con los manifestantes de Praga contra el FMI/BM finalizaria con una fiesta. Pero los manifestantes se mobilizaron y se fueron en direccion sur por la Shattuck Ave. Alguien rompio las vidrieras del California Federal Bank en Shattuck Ave y tambien alguien lanzo una caja de carton ardiendo en un MacDonald's en la acera del frente - "Blancos para el movimiento anti-capitalista" dijeron los manifestantes. Una persona acusada de ambos incidentes fue arrestada mas tarde y acusada de un crimen, segun la concejal Kriss Worthington. Los manifestantes marcharon hasta el viejo ayuntamiento donde la junta de concejales se reunia y dejaron prendidas pequeñas hogueras a su paso. El capitan Bobby Miller de la policia de Berkeley permanecio a la puerta del ayuntamiento a medida que la muchedumbre avanzaba hacia Center St. antes de girar a la derecha por la Martin Luther King Way. "No vamos a hacer nada drastico" dijo Miller, mientras los manifestantes encendian seis o siete grandes antorchas. "Tenemos nuestra fuerza de control lista. Los estamos vigilando, para asegurarnos de que no hagan nada ilegal. Tenemos patrullas en bicicleta y un numero suficiente de oficiales en patrulla. Si sigue como hasta ahora, terminara como hasta ahora". Motocicletas y vehiculos de patrulla, asi como oficiales a pie y en bicicleta siguieron la manifestacion que procedia por la Martin Luther King Jr. Way hacia el este por University y finalmente hacia el sur por Shattuck Ave. hacia su destino final. Mientras tanto, uns masa critica de ciclistas fue desde la estacion del BART (el metro del area metropolitana de San Francisco, N.T.) por la Shattuck, cogiendo hacia la izquierda por Ashby Ave. hasta Telegraph Ave., regresando por Bancroft Way y una vez mas por Shattuck Ave. hasta el punto de reunion en la interseccion. Cuando la manifestacion pasaba por frente del Citibank, 2323 Shattuck Ave. podian verse dos personas rompiendo la vidiriera con sus pancartas. "Atacamos el Citibank proque es un simbolo del capitalismo global", segun Jonah Zern de Oakland. Zern, que dice ser anarquista, dijo que "lo mas importante es que la gente actue contra una de las formas de opresion". En la esquina de Ellsworth y Channing Way, policia anti-motines cerro la cuadra para impedir que la mani llegara hasta Telegraph Ave. Gritos de "Victoria" salieron del disminuido grupo despues de una tensa confrontacion con 20 policias, que usaron sus matracas para empujarlos hacia atras. El grupo logro salirse y se reunifico en Telegraph Ave., donde algunos de los activistas continuaron con la atmosfera de fiesta jugando al "duck, duck, goose" (juego infantil T.N.). Para otros la manifestacion resulto algo mas serio. "Tenemos una agenda internacional ademas de una agenda local", segun Hill. La agenda local incluye asuntos tales como la seguridad para los ciclistas, la dependencia del auto, desalojos y el aumento en los alquileresy y el complejo prision/industrial. Los manifestantes dicen que el FMI y el BM fomentan una nueva forma de colonialismo que le permite los paises ricos e industrializados robar los recursos naturales de los paises en desarrollo a la vez que requieren de los gobiernos del tercer mundo que adopten normas beneficiosas para las compañias transnacionales, segun el panfleto que repartian. Bajo la optica del Bay Area (asi se le llama al area metropolitana de San Francisco, N.T.) la vivienda y la "aristocratizacion" de los barrios ocupan un lugar central. "La aristocratizacion equivale al apartheid", dijo Susan B. Rodriguez de Oakland. "Tenemos que poner fin al apartheid sobre nuestro pueblo. Hill dijo que "Reclama la calle" comenzo en Inglaterra en 1995, parte protesta y parte fiesta callejera. "Parte de esto proviene del movimiento pro-bicicleta, en protesta contra los automobiles. Las calles ya no ofrecen seguridad para que los niños puedan jugar". Añadio que el Reclama la calle de Berkeley es una de tantas celulas en solidaridad con las protestas de Praga. El reportero del Daily Planet Josh Parr contribuyo a este reportaje.
BUFFALO, NY USA RALLY'S ON S26 (english)
by BUFFALO-IMC 6:16pm Tue Sep 26 '00
address: Buffalo New YOrk USA phone: (716)845-6993 buffaloimc@hotmail.com
Buffalo Activists rally in solidarity with PRague on S26
Activists in Buffalo New York rallied today in solidarity with the activists in PRague on S26.
Local Speakers and activists held a carnival with music, guest speakers, dancers and puppets to show their support of their brothers and sisters in Prague.
In conjuntion with the rally a banner drop was staged at a local branch of HSBC bank. Pictures audio and stories are being processed by the brand new Independent Media Center in Buffalo and will be on-line as soon as possible.
Burlington Vermont S26 Action (english)
by Jay Moore 6:03am Sat Sep 30 '00
pieinsky@igc.org
Verbal report on the Burlington S26 Action from the Native Forest Network
CONTACT: JASON FORD; NATIVE FOREST NETWORK ENA; (802) 863-0571.
PRESS RELEASE AND REPORT:
VERMONT ACTION NETWORK CELEBRATES 4TH INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST CAPITALISM WITH SOLIDARITY ACTIONS FOR PRAGUE IMF/WORLD BANK PROTESTS IN BURLINGTON, VERMONT.
On Tuesday, September 26, 2000 in Burlington, Vermont an estimated 75 members of the Vermont Action Network (VAN), concerned activists, and citizens from northern and central Vermont marched, demonstrated, and took part in nonviolent direct actions as part of the international celebration of the 4th International Day Against Capitalism.
The actions, in solidarity with protests against the IMF/World Bank meetings in Prague, Czech Republic yesterday, began at the University of Vermont's Billings Student Center, continued down Pearl St. to Burlington's downtown, and culminated in a demonstration and nonviolent direct actions against Gap, Inc. at the corporate multi-national's new Old Navy location on Church St. Protester targets included Sodexho Marriott, Gap, Inc., Old Navy, McDonald's and Ben & Jerry's, all of which are seen by the Vermont Action Network as part and parcel of corporate globalization: the spread of global corporate dominance.
VAN began its festivities by visiting Sodexho Marriott's dining hall in the Billings Student Center, where literature was handed out to dining students about the corporation's massive investments in the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), the largest private prison corporation in the country. VAN presented Sodexho Marriott with a giant check representing the profits it has gained from investing in the private prison industry. The demonstrators then exited Billings and proceeded to take back Pearl St. from its business-as-usual traffic with a march to the northern block of Church St. The procession was complete with colorful banners decrying the insidious loaning practices and structural adjustment policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), be-suited billionaires, marched to the beat of 5 gallon bucket drums, and came to rest at the doors of Old Navy.
Old Navy, the latest installment of Gap, Inc.'s multi-national chain of retail clothing stores, was targeted for being complicit in its parent company's use of sweatshop labor practices. 6 activists disguised as shoppers entered the building, gathered some "purchases", and began to clog the checkouts asking questions about where the products were produced, the conditions of the factories, and the treatment of the workers. Just as Old Navy's business-as-usual began to slow, its doors burst open and roughly half of the demonstrators outside the store entered with a cacophony of drums, shouting, and banners, along with journalists and at least eight Burlington police officers. At this point, "business-as-usual" for Old Navy was effectively halted.
Outside the store, demonstrators drummed and danced, speaking their minds about the influence of multi-national corporations on the character of their local communities, their ties to the global financial practices of the IMF and World Bank, and the protests occuring simultaneously across the Atlantic. As the sun began to hang low over Lake Champlain it was clear that the Vermont Action Network, as well as concerned activists and citizens from northern and central Vermont, had disrupted "business-as-usual" on the Church St. Marketplace, as well as highlighting the effect, and dubious influence, of multi-national corporations in our community and their ties to the economic oppression of global capitalism as symbolized by the IMF and World Bank.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT THE NUMBER APPEARING AT THE END OF THIS RELEASE AND UPDATE.
Yours in solidarity,
Jason Ford Northern Forest Campaigner Native Forest Network Eastern North American Resource Center PO Box 57 Burlington, VT
05402 (802)863-0571 phone (802) 864-8203 fax http://www.nativeforest.org
Congratulations Praha! - Solidarity from Chicago! (english)
by Chicago Mayday Coalition 8:48am Tue Sep 26 '00
hammerhard@aol.com
Chicago activist groups, unions to picket corporate crime centers in solidarity with demonstrations in Prague targeting the IMF and World Bank
Chicago: On Tuesday, September 26, Chicago-based labor, community, immigrant rights, enviromental and human rights groups will stage a series of area actions targeting local financial institutions, corporations and government agencies whose policies hurt workers and the environment. The mobilizations will culminate in a 4:00 PM convergence and march through the south Loop targeting local 'Corporate Crime Centers'.
Tuesday's actions are being convened as part of mobilizations in more than 50 U.S. cities in solidarity with demonstrations in Prague targeting the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, being organized internationally under the moniker S26.
Local targets for the 4PM convergence include the Board of Trade, the Federal Reserve Bank, and Harris Bank, which has helped bankroll Titan Tire's two-year-old lockout of its workers. Activists charge that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund use debt as a battering ram to force governments to open their doors to global corporations, resulting in rampant abuse of workers' rights and the environment and the further impoverishment of the people they claim to help. Tuesday's actions are designed to focus the lense of public opinion on local institutions that support corporate globilization, as well as companies and agencies engaged in specific actions against local workers and residents.
Unions and groups supporting the 4PM convergence include SEIU Local 46, the Chicago MayDay Coalition, UNITE!, the 8th Day Center for Justice, BCT Union Local 1, the Day Laborer Organizing Project, Jubilee 2000/Chicago, and Chicago Jobs With Justice.
For more complete coverage of of Tuesday's S26 activities, please see the 'latest news' section of the Chicago Independent Media Center at http://www.chicago.indymedia.org.
Chicago S26 Report from Chicago MayDay Coalition
About 300 people particiapted in a demonstration in solidarity with Prague. The theme was Global Solidarity for Global Justice and was organized by the Chicago May Day Coalition. It began at noon with an action at Harris Bank. Harris Bank is funding a struggle against a United Steel Workers Union. This was the first of six actions in the Global Solidarity for Global Justice that afternoon. Art and Revolution made a dozen puppets, large and small, with a shark theme representing the corporations. The Radical Cheerleaders had at least one cheer for each site. The Radical Drum Corp announced our arrival and let the city know when we were passing through it. At 2:00, we marched to Niketown where an action was sponsored by the Anarchists of the central states. There the police demonstrated that we really live in a police state and arrested 10. At 3:00 we held and action at Citibank. At 4:00, we met at the Chicago Board of Trade and Federal Reserve Bank. We had one or two speakers at each stop. Then we moved north to LaSalle National Bank which is one of the few American businesses still operating in Burma. Then it was back to Harris Bank. Then Citibank again. We stopped at an American Airlines office and protested its use of a sweatshop contractor. We ended at the Metropolitan Correctional Center where we protested the prison industrial complex, racial profiling and excessive incarceration. Except for Niketown, the police were cooperative and halted traffic in our path even though we had no permits.
Harold Taggart
Chicago May Day Coalition
S26 Solidarity action in Dallas, TX USA (english)
by UPROAR! 9:56pm Wed Oct 4 '00
ronin0582@yahoo.com
Dallas activists in solidarity with IMF protestors
 |
In an ongoing quest to transform Dallas, perhaps the most politically lame "big city" in North America, 30 citizens and political activists — including anarchists, members of Uproar, Greens, and others — gathered in Dealey Plaza for the S26 Drum Jam for Global Justice.
The group then proceeded to wind its way through downtown Dallas, handing out literature, chanting, and beating drums in solidarity with the protesters in Prague who successfully forced the 55th annual meeting of the World Bank and IMF to go home early.
http://www.monkeyfist.com/articles/674
S26 in Dekalb, Illinois (west of Chicago)
This is a little late, but oh well.
On September 26th students at Northern Illinois Univeristy in DeKalb, IL hung a banner and distributed propaganda in support of the activists in Prague. We hung a banner off of the parking complex just as classes were letting out 15 minutes after noon. The banner played off the initials of the IMF and read:
International
Murderous
Fraud S26*
The letters IMF were all outlined in black and painted in red (the other letters were painted in other colors) so that they would stand out. *In the bottom right corner we had "S26 International Day of Protest" in smaller letters. The banner stayed up for a couple hours before the authorities took it down. We also handed out a pamphlet we designed the previous weekend explaining what the IMF & WB is, why they're bad, etc. A bullhorn was also used to spread our message as well as talking to interested people one on one.
We also used chalk to write various anti-IMF/WB slogans on the sidewalks such as "capitalism kills" "people not profits" "abolish the IMF" "dump the debt" "Don't steal. The rich hate competition" "profit is theft" "more World, less Bank" "abolish capitalism" "smash the state" "keep warm, burn the rich", etc. We also wrote similar slogans on a bunch of colored paper which we hung throughout campus. We had to hang them repeatedly throughout the day because the janitors, etc. would tear them down as soon as they saw them (the janitors have orders to tear down anything that doesn't have the school buerocracy's literal stamp of approval - except advertisements from corporations). We also put a couple of them on the front of the local Republican headquarters.
Overall I think our actions were successful. We managed to reach a lot of people and got our message out. A couple people were hostile, but most were receptive. One guy rode by on our bike and called us a bunch of socialists, which I think was supposed to be an insult. Unfortunately, the school newspaper didn't print anything about the banner or S26, despite us tipping them off.
Joe R. Golowka
JoeG@ieee.org
Anarchist FAQ - http://www.infoshop.org/faq
"An anarchist who supports male domination contradicts the implicit critique of power which is the fundamental principle upon which all of anarchism is built. Sexist anarchists do exist, but only by virtue of directly contradicting their own anarchism. This contradiction leaves sexist anarchists open to criticism on their own terms. Anarchism must be feminist if it is to remain consistent" - L. Susan Brown