Occupationwide May Day STRIKE

[marl]

http://p.twimg.com/Ap6yS1zCQAEAmVr.jpg:large

The May Day Directory (http://occupywallst.org/article/may-day/)

Occupy Wall Street Statement (http://maydaynyc.org/)


On December 19, 2011 Occupy Los Angeles put a call out to the world. Simply put, on May 1st, 2012, shut the world down. Here in New York, we concur.

Occupy Wall Street will be standing in solidarity with our comrades in Occupy Portland, Occupy Seattle, Occupy Miami, Occupy Oakland, Occupy Chicago, Occupy Boston and other occupations on May 1st, 2012 in shutting capitalism down.

We will be supported by our brothers and sisters in the workers’ world, both unionized and non-unionized, in standing up for workers’ rights, immigrants’ rights, the right to food, shelter, healthcare and housing for all, women’s equality and social and economic justice.

No work !
No school !
No shopping !
No housework !

This May Day we will have a Day without the 99%

This May Day we will have a General Strike !
Occupy Oakland Statement (http://strikemay1st.com/)


Occupy Oakland Calls for Participation in a May 1, 2012 Global General Strike
The General Strike is back, retooled for an era of deep budget cuts, extreme anti-immigrant racism, and massive predatory financial speculation. In 2011, the number of unionized workers in the US stood at 11.8%, or approximately 14.8 million people.
What these figures leave out are the growing millions of people in this country who are unemployed and underemployed. The numbers leave out the undocumented, and domestic and manual workers drawn largely from immigrant communities. The numbers leave out workers whose workplace is the home and a whole invisible economy of unwaged reproductive labor. The numbers leave out students who have taken on nearly $1 trillion dollars in debt, and typically work multiple jobs, in order to afford skyrocketing college tuition. The numbers leave out the huge percentage of black Americans that are locked up in prisons or locked out of stable or secure employment because of our racist society.
In December of 2011, Oakland’s official unemployment rate was a devastating 14.1%. As cities like Oakland are ground into the dust by austerity, every last public dollar will be fed to corrupt, militarized police departments in order to contain social unrest. On November 2 of last year, Occupy Oakland carried out the first General Strike in the US since the 1946 Oakland General Strike, shutting down the center of the city and blockading the Port of Oakland. We must re-imagine a general strike for an age where most workers do not belong to labor unions, and where most of us are fighting for the privilege to work rather than for marginal improvements in working conditions. We must take the struggle into the streets, schools, and offices of corrupt local city governments. A re-imagined general strike means finding immediate solutions for communities impacted by budget cuts and constant police harassment beyond changing government representatives. Occupy Oakland calls for and will participate in a new direction for the Occupy movement based on the recognition that we must not only find new ways to provide for our needs beyond the state; we must also attack the institutions that lock us into an increasingly miserable life of exploitation, debt, and deepening poverty everywhere. IF WE CAN’T LIVE, WE WON’T WORK.
May Day is an international holiday that commemorates the 1886 Haymarket Massacre, when Chicago police defending, as always, the interests of the 1% attacked and murdered workers participating in a general strike and demanding an 8-hour workday. In the 21st century, despite what politicians tell us, class war is alive and well against workers (rank-and-file and non-unionized), students, people of color, un- and underemployed, immigrants, homeless, women, queer/trans folks, and prisoners. Instead of finding common ground with monsters, it’s time we fight them. And it’s time we make fighting back an everyday reality in the Bay Area and beyond.
On May Day 2012, Occupy Oakland will join with people from all walks of life in all parts of the world around the world in a Global General Strike to shut down the global circulation of capital that every day serves to enrich the ruling classes and impoverish the rest of us. There will be no victory but that which we make for ourselves, reclaiming the means of existence from which we have been and continue to be dispossessed every day.
REVOLT FOR A LIFE WORTH LIVING!
STRIKE / BLOCKADE / OCCUPY
What can you do to help? (http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=110108182443007) 6 Ways to help! (http://occupywallst.org/article/6-ways-to-get-ready-may-1st-general-strike/) Why and How to Strike (http://occupywallst.org/article/why-and-how-strike-may-day/) What You Can Do on May Day (http://occupywallst.org/forum/what-you-can-do-may-day/)


Warning! Posters ahead!

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May Day events from the MIA (http://www.marxists.org/espanol/tematica/1demayo/index.htm#eventos)

[Ele'ill]

What can our non-US based folks tell us about this? What's the probability that this can be pulled off?

[marl]

What can our non-US based folks tell us about this? What's the probability that this can be pulled off?

I've tweeted the Canadians, with no response as of yet.

[TheGodlessUtopian]

Convenient how they left our queer rights and anti-war demands...

Anyway,I think this is a great intention but a strike on this scale would require massive planning and cooperation;how does the occupations believe that they can do this when the "Shut Down the Ports" was only partially successful?

[x359594]

Convenient how they left our queer rights and anti-war demands...

Those demands are part of some local groups who are involved in the planning.

I know that planning is on the local level at this point with some coordination between Los Angeles and the Bay Area on the West Coast. Near as I can tell planning has started with local organizations who have liaisons with the their counterparts in other cities.

[Tim Cornelis]

Oh damn, I would love for this to reach the European continent, and of course where I live. The Dutch largest trade union will be re-initiated and re-constructed with a more "grassroots" touch to it around the first of may. Hopefully they too will participate.

[Revolutionair]

Convenient how they left our queer rights and anti-war demands...

It must be a pro-war anti-gay conspiracy.

[TheGodlessUtopian]

It must be a pro-war anti-gay conspiracy.

...more along the lines of liberals leaving out important cornerstones of their own self-avowed "progressiveness."

[Tim Cornelis]

...more along the lines of liberals leaving out important cornerstones of their own self-avowed "progressiveness."

Exactly, probably under the guise of populism. They want to appeal to everyone so they leave out the anti-war (which is anti-patriotic, so not appealing) and anti-homophobia (which isn't really popular either) and compromise their spineless principles.

[Ele'ill]

Oh damn, I would love for this to reach the European continent, and of course where I live. The Dutch largest trade union will be re-initiated and re-constructed with a more "grassroots" touch to it around the first of may. Hopefully they too will participate.

What are you waiting for? Print out fliers, make some phone calls and start getting things ready.

[Minima]

I think there is a student action... already geared up for feburary but I doubt it will be significant. May 1st remains to be spoken of.

[marl]

I think you guys might like the tone of this.



The Los Angeles General Assembly, along with occupations across the country, has called for a general strike by the ninety-nine percent on May 1st, 2012. Participate not in the toilsome hamster wheel of wage-slavery but instead in a vibrant exercise of your human and Constitutional rights. Buy nothing and reject the oppressive system for a day in favor of taking the streets to assert the collective people’s power.
May Day is an international workers’ day celebrated in more than eighty countries to honor labor and left-wing movements. Originally organized to commemorate the Haymarket Massacre, the day has broadened to include workers’ rights, immigrant rights, and anti-war efforts. The occupy movement is calling on the ninety-nine percent to no longer stand idly by and remain complacent. May Day is an opportunity to flex our collective power to show the plutocracy that their time is over, that profits over people will no longer be the modus operandi.



http://www.occupymay1st.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Haymarket-730624-600x423.jpg

The first general strike may have been the secessio plebis in ancient Rome. H.G. Wells wrote that the plebeians’ first strike occurred because they “saw with indignation their friends, who had often served the state bravely in the legions, thrown into chains and reduced to slavery at the demand of patrician creditors.”
Creditors. In our current state of affairs, creditors, money-lenders, banks, and corporations reside around every corner. They lay claim to our homes, our vehicles, our health and medicine, our energy production, our education costs, our very futures.
Much like Rome, the streets today have a similar clarion call. An occupy protester yells in front of riot cops, “We have nothing to lose but our chains!” and is met with an echo of voices in solidarity. How much has changed? Students are emerging from school with useless pieces of paper, painfully hunched over under a mountain of debt. Military veterans and first-responders are thrown into the cold with untreated wounds and ailments received while on duty. Workers are either being laid off in droves or asked to sacrifice wages and benefits while the ruling elites take ever-larger bonuses. Homeowners are finding themselves locked out of their houses as greedy vultures in suits provide fraudulent documents and measure for remodeling. Just like Rome, actual debtor prisons are popping up as the recession marches on.
And Washington D.C. worries itself over arbitrary debt ceilings, golden parachutes and bailouts, austerity measures, and arcane sideshow debates to determine who will be the next puppet in the Oval Office. It is becoming abundantly clear that We the People must finally rely on We the People. A general strike is an absolute necessity if Americans hold any realistic hope of changing the tide. In 1966, the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace identified five types of general strikes:


“the political mass strike, a general strike for political rights (such as the right to vote)



the general strike as a revolutionary act that would transform society



the general strike as a “revolutionary exercise” which would eventually lead to a transformation of society



a one day demonstration general strike on May Day (International Workers’ Day), aimed at identifying a “worldwide proletariat”



commencing in 1891, a theoretical mechanism by which to stop wars between nation states”

http://www.occupymay1st.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Oakland-strike-meeting.jpg

In reading through that short list, the title of this plea bears repeating. Will you general strike with me?
Our right to vote is being attacked at the polls while also being made more and more obsolete with each election. Voter registration laws are marginalizing the voices that are already least-represented in our government. Half of our Congress fits the qualifications of a “1%’er” and President Obama is set to raise $1 billion this election. He’s been the biggest recipient of Wall Street donations in history.
A general strike as a “revolutionary exercise” is another reason to participate in this general strike on May Day. For too long Americans have felt powerless to change the system. Though as one writer put it, the occupations across the country have changed that sentiment. No longer are we dejected into thinking, “We’re screwed”. A righteous indignation has replaced that with, “We’re being screwed (and let’s stop it!)”.
Now more than ever, “worldwide proletariat” conditions are apparent. Students have more in common with other students across borders than the patriarchs telling them to continue to work hard despite the implosion of social security and job opportunities. Workers are being exploited in Nigeria, China, Indonesia, and here at home by the same criminal corporations that are tossing aside worker rights and benefits for the sake of the dollar. The Internet and social networking has made this awareness possible and connected each person in a revolutionary way that has never before been possible.
The last reason that the Hoover Institution highlighted is an especially poignant one. However, to just stop wars between nation-states is missing the point of power and control. The class war is the real battleground this May Day. As Mario Savio said, “And you’ve got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you’ve got to make it stop”. May Day is an opportunity to declare to the oligarchic 1% that we are here. We will not let the oppressive structures continue. We will hold a general strike to yank our lives, and the lives of our children, back from the yawning abyss of unfettered greed and subjugation.
So will you call out of work for the sons and daughters fighting an illegitimate war, endangering themselves to enrich CEOs? Will you buy nothing in support of the ten million foreclosed homes expected in 2012? Will you march out of classes for the millions of uninsured children in this country?
Will you general strike with me?

[Ele'ill]

I'd like this to get more on the radar.

[marl]

I'd like this to get more on the radar.
Updated OP (see city list).

[ColonelCossack]

Sounds cool, it would be great if it spread to the UK and other countries too.

[marl]

Sounds cool, it would be great if it spread to the UK and other countries too.
A general strike is being planned in Melbourne.

Also, check this out:



Which way forward for the 99%?
Build Power & Show Power through Mass Participatory Bold Action
By Occupy May 1st

There have been a wave of repressive attacks on, and evictions of, various Occupy camp sites throughout the country including where the movement started in Zucotti (Liberty) Park. But even before the evictions and repression escalated to the current levels, questions were being asked: what’s the way forward for the movement? Already there have been glimpses of organizing and action that are leading the way and shining a light for the rest of us to follow: the Oakland General Strike, Occupy Foreclosures, and other actions. These actions show that, fundamentally, all of the strategic questions revolve around the question of power. The power of the 99% vs. the power of the 1%

Although the 99% holds enormous power -all wealth is generated, and the current society is built and maintained through, the collective labor (paid and unpaid) of the 99%-, we do not frequently exercise this collective power in our own interests. Too often we fight amongst and scapegoat each other as the source of the problem through: racism, patriarchy, xenophobia, occupational elitism, geographical prejudice, heterosexism, and other forms of division, oppression and prejudice. This is necessary for the 1% to maintain control because their power is only exercised by different segments of the 99% actively oppressing and working against other segments of the 99%, in addition to us neither being fully aware of, nor organizing to utilize, the collective power we have. The result is that many segments of the the 99%- people of color, women, GLBTQ, immigrants, those with less formal educational credentials, those in less socially respected occupations or unemployed, the homeless, and others- deal with overlapping forms of oppression and societal prejudice; all of us remain divided amongst each other; and the 1% continues to increase their power and wealth because of this.

Currently, the state of the economy has hit all of us (some facing overlapping prejudice and oppression, harder than others). There are too many people out of work; our pay has barely or hasn’t kept up with rising costs; our social services have continued to be cut; our influence on government has eroded; and our civil liberties have been attacked. This has been going on while the elites of this country have captured an increasing share of wealth; have had the highest decreases in the amount of taxes they pay; have attacked our social services and organizations of popular defense (such as our unions and community organizations); and have consolidated to an even greater degree their power over politics. The Business Insider- ironically- provides one of the more useful series of charts that root the Occupy movement’s concerns in the sobering historical fact that we experience.[i]

The way forward must involve building and showing our popular power against that of the elite. But the form of our power must be different from theirs: we must fight fire with water. Where they exercise hierarchical power over us to dominate, control, exploit and oppress; we must build and exercise horizontal, bottom-up power with each other to cooperate, liberate and collectively empower each other. We need to organize ourselves autonomously from all forms of hierarchical power relations in our communities, schools and workplaces to fight collectively for our interests. This must include a rejection of attempts to divide and rule us; a rejection of racism, patriarchy, xenophobia, elitism and other forms of oppression; a rejection of attempts by electoral parties, powerful special interest groups and others to co-opt and control our movement.

The camp occupations built the movement and brought global attention to the variety of concerns of the 99%. They inspired many; provided a sense of hope and solidarity; brought economic justice and the problems of power inequality back into spotlight of national conversation; highlighted the need for cultures, societies and institutions of direct democracy based on "power with"- not "power over"- each other; served as a spaces of convergence for sharing ideas and planning action; and in some camps, they even provided a temporary space for those who needed a home and a community where folks could face less harassment than they normally faced. The camp occupations have served a fundamental role in the movement; but it’s time to move beyond them.

We need to develop the movement beyond the camp because the majority of the 99% can’t camp out in a city center. The majority of the 99% have obligations and vulnerabilities that prevent them from such time-consuming, geographically-specific action including: work, school, responsibilities in caring for children or other dependents, particular health needs, etc. So in order for us to truly exercise our power as the 99% and to truly be participatory, we need to find ways where all of us can participate, and be valued, in whatever capacity and with whatever time we have to contribute. We need our action to be as participatory, diverse and widespread as possible. We must boldly show and build our collective power.

Show Power
To show our power, on May 1st, 2012, we will be organizing for such a mass participatory and bold collective action: a national general strike, mass boycott, student strike/ walk-out and mass day of action. We will be organizing within our unions- or informal workplace organizations where there’s no union or the union isn’t supportive- to hold a one-day general strike. Where a strike is not possible, we will be organizing people to call in sick, or take a personal day, as part of a coordinated “sick-out”. Those who are students will be walking-out of their schools (or not showing up in the first place). In the community, we will be holding a mass boycott and refusing to make any purchase on that day.

This action will necessarily be a symbolic show of power because any decrease in economic activity that day will likely be compensated for by purchases and extra work activity the days before and after May 1st. But it will be symbolic in the way a cannon shot across the bow of a ship is symbolic: it doesn’t do any damage; but it warns our opponent that we are willing and able to damage their boat if necessary. And perhaps just as important as the day itself, the massive organizing and outreach efforts in the months leading up to May 1st will allow us the opportunity to talk to our co-workers, families, neighbors, communities, and friends about the issues of the 99%, the source of our power, the need for us to stand up to the attacks we are facing, the need to confront the various oppressions that keep most of us down in one way or another (some of especially so) and all of us divided, and the need for us to stand in solidarity with each other to fight for our collective interests, which is structurally, and therefore inherently, against the interests of the 1%. We can build our collective consciousness, capacity, and confidence through this process; and come out stronger because of it.

Build Power
In addition to showing our power on May 1st, we need to build bases of popular, bottom-up, collective, anti-oppressive and anti-hierarchical power in our workplaces, communities, and schools. So we will be doing a variety of workshops, building a variety of organizing campaigns, and engaging a variety of actions on the local level to contribute to the building of such collective power. Some of the workshops, campaigns and actions that we will develop and engage in include: organizing new unions, becoming more active in participatory unions; making our hierarchical unions more participatory; occupying foreclosures; building tenant unions; blocking evictions; preventing foreclosures; and creating solidarity networks, to name a few. We will not be co-opted by electoral parties, or hierarchical organizations looking to use the movement to serve their interest while diffusing our power. Instead we will organize, educate, and agitate where we are at to build power with each other and to fight directly for our interests: the interests of popular power against the interests of elite power. All of us must contribute for this effort to be effective; but, to the greatest degree possible, those contributions must be collective in nature because our true power is in our solidarity with each other.

Through this effort we are looking to offer real solutions to addressing issues of immediate concern where each of us is at, through direct collective action from the bottom-up. The goal is to continue the ongoing shift currently happening within the movement from just mobilizing, to organizing (or to move from mobilization, to massification[ii]). Mobilizing is necessary, but it is not enough. We can’t just call people out to engage in action. We need to build the networks, organizations and campaigns that provide the opportunities for an ever greater number of people to participate in the decision-making process and functioning of the autonomous popular organizations we are creating. Our movement is leaderless, which also means that we all must be leaders. But the leadership we build is again, with, not over, others. We need to all truly listen to and support each other in developing our consciousness, capacities and confidence. We need to see the fights against the various oppressions which keep folks down and divide the 99% against itself, as central to, not distractions from, the effectiveness of our struggle. We must discourage and isolate egotistical, self-serving and movement-killing tendencies we encounter while encouraging and developing collective, liberatory and movement-building tendencies. Our participatory, bottom-up networks, organizations and campaigns will be the way through which we build our power and make small gains in the medium term. But they will also serve as the basis for a new world that we are building toward.

This new world in our hearts that we are building and showing, within the shell of the old one that we are confronting, is one in which people share power with, not over, each other. It's where workers themselves democratically control their workplaces; where everyone can find meaningful, socially-useful and balanced work that is carried out in comfortable conditions. It's where those who aren't able to work (or who have put in their share of their lifetime) are taken care of by society; where we abolish rulers over us and instead societies directly decide for themselves how to live, develop and grow. It's where our environments are healthy, beautiful and sustainable; where we all have the educational and social opportunities to develop and contribute our full capacities to our families and societies. It's where people can live in nice homes and safe communities, get their health needs fully taken care of, eat healthy and well, and not have to worry about meeting their needs or the needs of their families; where we can all have time and resources to enjoy life; and where the global human society is driven not by competition, oppression, exploitation, domination and war; but by love, freedom and solidarity. We, the 99%, will build our power and show our power until we've occupied our workplaces, our communities, our schools, our lives, our world... until we've occupied everything!

[Ele'ill]

Sounds cool, it would be great if it spread to the UK and other countries too.

Perhaps it needs help being spread

[marl]

what is #m1gs (https://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23m1gs)?
in most european countries, may 1st is traditionally a ‘workers’ day – a day of labor solidarity, and a public holiday. In los angeles, it’s a day to celebrate and march in support of im/migrant rights. In protest against the corruption of the worldwide marketplace, which has led to illegal foreclosures, mass unemployment, low wages, high taxes and a penalization of all those who do not own the ‘1%’ of the world’s resources, and in solidarity with the im/migrant movements of may 1st, ola decided to declare may 1st, 2012 a people’s general strike. Instead of calling upon unionized labor to make a specific demand (illegal under taft-hartley), ola is calling upon the people of los angeles and the united states of america to take this day away from school and the workplace, so that their absence makes their displeasure with this corrupt system be known.

On december 19th, 2011, occupy los angeles general assembly consented upon the following statement:
“occupy la supports in principle a general strike on may 1, 2012, for migrant rights, jobs for all, a moratorium on foreclosures, and peace – and to recognize housing, education and health care as human rights, and calls for the building of a broad coalition to make that a reality.”
occupations across the world have made similar calls for a general strike, or day of economic disruption, in direct response to occupy los angeles, or through a synchronicity of thought, a buzzing hive mind that feels the need to express solidarity with movements and people throughout the world who honor may day and see this years expression of that as our next major step.

occupy wall street | occupy williamsburg | occupy portland | occupy seattle | occupy miami | occupy long beach | occupy riverside | occupy los angeles | occupy seattle | occupy oakland | occupy brooklyn | occupy chicago | occupy el paso | occupy boston | occupy pensacola | and more… (http://www.facebook.com/events/337068492974144/)


http://www.occupymay1st.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/may1st_wkclass_b1-600x480.jpg
how can i participate?
if you are part of unionized labor, and your contract is up for negotiation, you can officially strike on may 1st. If you are not – call in sick. Take a holiday. Don’t show up to school. March with us, or join in one of the many events that will be taking place on may 1st, either in the day or in the evening. Block parties, rallies, protests, marches, family bbq’s – this is a day when we take a stand against the way the system has enslaved us and burdened us with unmanageable debt, incredibly long working weeks, unfeasibly expensive healthcare — by taking a day for ourselves, being human again, spending time with our families and friends. Our bosses dictate everything to us — but not our holiday. The holiday of the working class, the 99%.
If you can’t participate on #m1gs, you can contribute in other ways. Spread the word. Poster your neighborhood. Help form strike committees in the workplace. Agitate. Tweet. Like. donate here (http://occupylosangeles.org/?q=node/1) (occupy los angeles) to help us get the word out, for logistics — and for tents.

strike for:


im/migrant rights

economic, social & environmental justice and labor rights

peace with justice

civil liberties — end the police state

housing, education and health care as human rights

women’s rights & gender equity

[NewLeft]

im not sure about that first poster
the font aesthetics are a bit off :rolleyes:

[marl]

Indeed, changed.

[Renegade Saint]

The only way a strike like this can succeed is with massive organized labor support. Has OLA or OLB secured such support? Did they even try before they called for this?

[marl]

It's probably going to be mostly wildcat. That sure didn't stop Oakland. But, then again, Oakland is Oakland - so we'll see how it turns out.

All I know of is the IWW is joining this.

[KurtFF8]

I think this is quite ambitious and is a strange way to organize a nationwide strike.

I also think that I'm going to make it to every planning meeting I can and help organize for it.

[YSR]

It's ambitious, it's crazy, it might just work!

Realistically, I don't think we're going to pull off anything that might be called a "general strike," not only because we, as Occupy, don't have roots deep enough in important sections of the class to make it happen. Plus the word general strike assures that we won't get any labor participation, at least in the short run, because officers and staffers are terrified of those words (rank-n-filers not so much!) In Minneapolis, we've been calling for a "mass day of action" using the slogan "A Day Without the 99%" which has been received quite well. We're organizing multiple actions uniting various demands and issues from different labor and social movement organizations.

It's not doubt a big thing to push for, and it's likely that it won't go as well as we want, but hell, you gotta try! Pushing things forward, giving people powerful emotional experiences of struggle and power, and giving people a chance to organize in their workplaces and communities: I wish we'd had projects in Occupy like OccupyMay1st from day one.

[The Douche]

Just the reintroduction of the concept of the general strike, or even the political strike into the terrain of the modern world is a victory.

[marl]

Occupy Marines has come out in support of the strike. :thumbup1:

Well, I think so. They posted a general strike poster on their official facebook.

[NewLeft]

There should be one in Toronto..

[marl]

Well, Canada has demos. Get organized, comrade.

[Parvati]

@NewLeft : there will be for sure a Revolutionary Anticapitalist contingent in the demo of the May Day movement in Toronto this year. The comrades from the PRAC are now organizing it, so feel free to get in touch with them at [email protected]!

For Montreal, there are some Anticapitalist demo for now a few years, and are quite offensive - at least against the police, if it's not against a target. For now, the call is the following (you can clearly see the influence of the "Occupation May Day Strike") but there will be some additions soon :

ANTI-CAPITALIST MAY DAY 2012
demonstration to mark the International Workers’ Day
May 1, 2012, 4:30 PM
Champ-de-Mars, Montréal (adjacent to City Hall)
(métro Champ-de-Mars, Orange line)
A call out from Montréal’s Anti-Capitalist Convergence
(CLAC-Montréal)

** It would take the combined annual salaries of 1,119,789 minimum-wage earners in Québec to equal the combined wealth of the 10 richest people in Québec.**

**Out of a population of 8 million people, the 17 wealthiest people in
Québec earn more than the million poorest people.**

** To US, its THEIR SYSTEM that's the crisis.**

For May Day 2012…

This is a call for a general strike.

A call for the expression of justifiable rage.

A call to all workers, unemployed, and precariously employed.

A call to the unionized that you should remember your role in this society and reclaim the proud history of militant labour. It is a call to bypass your crippling bureaucracies.

A call to the poor, the rejected, the downtrodden, and the marginalized.

A call to the students in struggle.

This is a call to all those who are pissed off and can't take any more of this shit.

It is a call to all anti-capitalists, anarchists, communists, shit-disturbers, rebels, and revolutionaries.

It is a call to direct action, subversion, creative destruction.

It is a call to ferocity, courage, and diverse tactics.

For a resolutely anti-capitalist May Day, in the spirit of all who fought and died for the emancipation of the working class, this is a call to reclaim the streets, to break with the dominant order, and to occupy EVERYTHING. A call to show the world that without us, the capitalists are nothing.

Together, we are everything, we can do anything.

For an anti-capitalist May Day,
Montréal's Anti-Capitalist Convergence – CLAC-Montréal

--------------
As always, the PCR-RCP Canada is organizing a big Red Contingent, but in addition this year there will be an internationalist and a workers' movement section within the contingent.

[marl]

OccupyWallSt.org




6 Ways to Get Ready for the May 1st GENERAL STRIKE (http://occupywallst.org/article/6-ways-to-get-ready-may-1st-general-strike/)

Posted on March 11, 2012, 7:57 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt (http://occupywallst.org/users/OccupyWallSt/)
http://i.imgur.com/shMXs.jpg
Yesterday, 60,000 marched on Madison to mark the one-year anniversary of the passage of Governor Scott Walker's drastic dismantling of collective bargaining rights for public employees. Last year, Walker's attacks on labor rights sparked massive protests that saw hundreds of thousands occupy the Wisconsin capital building. Their actions prefigured Occupy Wall Street and inspired countless others to take a stand against economic inequality, political injustice, and the tyranny of the 1% enforced through politicians and banksters alike.
This is just one example that people across the globe are actively resisting attacks on the 99%. This year has already seen the largest-ever strike on record in India, hundreds of thousands marching for democracy in Bahrain, general strikes in Montreal and Spain where students occupied public space once again in protest of the austerity measures and spending cuts being enforced by the European banking elite, massive uprisings in the streets of Moscow, and more. Even in the United States, the movement grows. The corporate media claims that Occupy's strength is waning, but they are merely in denial. During the coldest months of this year, the United States has already seen more revolutionary momentum than it has in decades.
This winter, we refocused our energies on fostering ties with local communities, saving homes and jobs, and building and expanding our horizontal infrastructure. This #GlobalSpring, we will take the streets again. On May 1st, Occupy Wall Street has called for a General Strike. We are calling on everyone who supports the cause of economic justice and true democracy to take part: No Work, No School, No Housework, No Shopping, No Banking - and most importantly, TAKE THE STREETS!
http://i.imgur.com/nXogH.jpg
We are getting ready. Planning is already underway in dozens of cities. Labor organizers, immigrants’ rights groups, artists, Occupiers, faith leaders, and more have all joined in the discussion to get ready. Now, all we need is you. Keep reading to find out how you can get involved.
May 1st, also known as International Workers' Day, is the annual commemoration of the 1886 Haymarket Massacre in Chicago, when Chicago police fired on workers during a General Strike for the eight-hour workday. In many countries, May 1st is observed as a holiday. But in the United States, despite the eventual success of the eight-hour-workday campaign, the holiday is not officially recognized. In spite of this, May Day is already a powerful date in the U.S. In 2006, immigrant's rights groups took to the streets in unprecedented numbers in a national "Day Without An Immigrant" - a general strike aimed at proving the economic power of immigrants in the U.S. At least one million people marched in Chicago and Los Angeles alone. Hundreds of thousands more marched throughout cities across the U.S.
http://i.imgur.com/Ewrpe.jpg
Now, in response to call-outs from Occupy Los Angeles, Occupy Oakland, and other General Assemblies and affinity groups, the Occupy Movement is preparing to mobilize a General Strike this May 1st in solidarity with struggles already underway to defend the rights of workers, immigrants, and other communities who are resisting oppression. Dozens of Occupations in cities and towns throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia have already endorsed May Day. Here is just a taste of events in the works for New York City (http://maydaynyc.org/):


8am-4pm: Midtown action staging zone in Bryant Park.
Disruptive actions in midtown all day! Hit the 1% where they live and prevent them from getting to work. Let's make this a Day Without the 1%, as well!
Family friendly, free food, a really, REALLY free market, skillshares, workshops, lectures, art, fun and more!
4pm: March to Union Square for solidarity march
5:30pm: Solidarity march from Union Square to Wall St.
7pm: March to staging area for evening actions

None of this would be possible without the grassroots support of everyday organizers who volunteer their time to grow the movement against Wall Street greed and political corruption. Here are eight simple things you can do to help advance the cause of equity for all:
[1] Work With Your Local Occupy: There are hundreds of Occupy groups still holding regular meetings and events. Chances are, there's one nearby. (And if there isn't yet - it's easy to start one! (http://howtooccupy.org/)) General Assemblies are open to everyone, and everyone has a voice in the consensus planning process. So find your nearest Occupation (http://occupytogether.org/) and go to a GA! If they haven't already endorsed the General Strike, propose it to the group and start planning marches, distributing fliers, and forming direct action groups.
[2] Spread the Word On Social Media: Follow #M1GS (https://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23M1GS), @OWSMayDay (https://twitter.com/#%21/OWSMayDay), @OccupyWallSt (https://twitter.com/#%21/OccupyWallSt), and @OccupyGenStrike (https://twitter.com/#%21/OccupyGenStrike) on Twitter. Also be sure to RSVP on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/events/337068492974144/) and follow facebook.com/OccupyGeneralStrike (http://www.facebook.com/OccupyGeneralStrike). You can also look for city-specific events, like these from Chicago (http://www.facebook.com/events/331802843528785/) and Detroit (http://www.generalstrikedetroit.info/).
[3] Start an Affinity Group: You can take action on your own. All you need are a few friends. Affinity groups are groups of people who know each other and come together autonomously for a particular action. Find a few people who are interesting in helping you out on a project you have in mind - whether it's making fliers and literature to distribute or shutting down a Wall Street bank in hometown. Get creative, and get to work! (Here's a hint: OccuPrint (http://occuprint.org/) collects, prints, and distributes posters from the worldwide Occupy movement, and they have a ton of amazing General Strike posters!)
[4] Join the General Strike Conference Calls: InterOccupy (http://interoccupy.org/) hosts regular calls to organize May 1st activities. Check out their schedule and join in the conversation!
[5] Talk to Labor: Due to federal laws, most unions are forbidden from organizing strikes for political reasons. However, unions and labor groups are still some of our strongest allies. During last year's General Strike in Oakland, many unions encouraged their workers to take the day off or attend demonstrations after work. Not long after Occupy Oakland shut down ports in solidarity with stirking Longshoreman, their employers caved to union's demands in a new contract. Get in touch with local unions and labor organizations, let them know about the plans for a General Strike, and encourage them to let their members know about it and get involved in organizing directly.
[6] Organize Your Workplace, Campus, or Community: If you're a unionized worker, encourage your union to support the General Strike. Whether your workplace is union or not, you can encourage co-workers to take a sick day on May 1st. If you can't afford to lose out on pay, that's okay - there will be plenty of celebrations, marches, and direct actions throughout all hours of the day. Invite your community to attend. If you're a student at a high school or college, spread the word to walk-out of class on May 1st. If you're not a worker or student, organize your friends!
More information: [MayDayNYC.org (http://maydaynyc.org/)] | [OccupyMay1st.org (http://www.occupymay1st.org/)] | [StrikeEverywhere.net (http://strikeeverywhere.net/)] | [NYC General Assembly - May Day (http://da.nycga.net/MayDay/)]
http://i.imgur.com/YvAya.jpg

[Ele'ill]

bump

http://anarchistnews.org/content/black-hurricane-mayday-2012


In solidarity with our comrades in Greece and Oakland, and as a tactical and symbolic choice, The Chicago Commune is calling for a Hurricane of Black masks and flags to hit the streets of Chicago on May 1st, 2012. Let this be an early warning for the ruling class to raise the levees and prepare for a hurricane in the windy city. A hurricane cannot be contained, it cannot be stopped, it gives an early warning (you're welcome), and it leaves as quickly as it arrived. We call on all those who fight for revolution to hit the streets all over the nation wearing black masks and carrying flags. Let it be a symbol of solidarity and our will to resist and let us not allow the police state to hurt us or our comrades. Let the ruling class quake in their suede loafers and 3-piece pinstripe suits.
Remember Seattle, Remember Genova, Remember Oaxaca and let the ruling class remember Chicago.

[marl]

From MayDayNYC.org:
These are just some of the many local organizations are supporting the Day Without the 99%:

May 1st Coalition-NYC
Industrial Union Council-NJ
International Workers of the World
1199SEIU
AFSCME DC73
AFSCME Local 372 DC 37
AFSCME Local 375 DC 37
CWA Local 1180
Greater NY Labor-Religion Coalition
La Fuente
Left Labor Project
New York City LCLAA
New York City Taxi Workers Alliance
NY Civic Participation Project
PSC/CUNY - AFT
SEIU 32BJ
UAW Region 9A
United NY
Workers United, SEIU

On a side note, Anonymous (@youranonnews, @anonyops, @anonops and @anoncentral) have endorsed the call.

[Ele'ill]

http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/continentcontinent/18193917292/1/tumblr_lzwqemyQ9T1qdsmdz

[Ele'ill]

New York City

http://anarchistnews.org/content/shit-has-got-go-may-first-nyc


Everyday, by it's design, the disease of capitalism grows at the expense of the world.
Everyday, the political system, using hierarchy and violence, exploits & oppresses people and the environment.

For the entirety of its existence the state, as a front for global capitalism, has been waging class war
on May First, Fight Back!

If we refuse to be pacified, we can clear a space to breath, to become human.

We cannot resist hard enough. On May Day let's become visible and physicalize our rage and resistance.

SHIT HAS GOT TO GO.
MAKE TOTAL DESTROY.
MAY FIRST.
BLACK CLOTHES.
NYC DEETS TO FOLLOW.

[Ele'ill]

I'm hearing more and more about the 1st of may.

http://greycoast.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/general-strike-may-1st.jpg


http://greycoast.wordpress.com/2012/04/07/announcing-may-day-solidarity-network/


The purpose of the May Day Solidarity Network is to establish a solid support community among all participating in May Day 2012, such that no single individual needs to face the challenges of participation in isolation. It is to make certain that 100% of workers and students can take the day of May 1st, 2012, away from their workplace or school without needing to worry about retaliation from their bosses, teachers, or administrators. It is to make certain that any legal struggles stemming from anyone’s participation in May Day have access to the solidarity of the entire community and will not be faced in isolation.

[Ele'ill]

from the occupy may1st site

nzGkeKTUfoY

[marl]

zYEssgGkShg

[marl]

OccupyWallSt- MAYDAY, MAYDAY!!! (http://occupywallst.org/article/may-day-call-action/)



To the activist, the rebel, the revolutionary, the dreamer. To all who believe in a better world. To those who have found their voice, and those voices that have been met with the sniper's bullet. To those whose voices have been taken from them. To the peaceful who have been met with brutality and violence, the loving who have been met with hatred. Those who beg for understanding, but are met with ridicule. The free thinkers, the questioners, the dissenters, those who have woken up, and now rattle the chains that have held us down. To the freedom fighters all around the globe.
Raise your fists, break your chains. Shake the world under your feet, and make a noise so loud, that the 1% will cower in their marble halls. For the time of The People has come. Those who consider themselves our masters will find themselves standing in the path of a force the likes of which the world has never seen. For the world relied on our compliance. Our silence, our sheepish ways of living how we are told, for our acceptance of the oppressor’s so called power. But this power was an illusion. Yes the power did not lie in the bank accounts, the pockets of CEOs, the chambers of Ivory towers under lock and key. No. the power has been with The People. The people who survive day to day. The children who cry at night from the pains of hunger, the students who dreams were stolen from them, or sold at prices so high, there is no hope of escape. Those who face violence and weaponry, and defend themselves with nothing but an idea. But it is this idea you see, that makes them strong. An idea cannot be beaten. An idea cannot be gassed, or shot. For it lives in our very souls, and no matter what stands against us, this idea cannot be destroyed.
So my fellow people, rise up without fear. Take back what is rightfully yours. This world belongs to you. You are powerful. You are a force so strong that Mother Nature herself cowers in your presence. This world will bend to your demands, and begin anew. Our battle cries will be heard in every street, echo off every building, and shatter the very foundations of all those who enslave us. For we are many. We are strong. We are awake. We are above your fear mongering, you who seek to silence us. You cannot threaten us with lies of alarm and panic. Your words are mist that dissipates as we march. Though the night may be long, and the oppressive darkness may seem so deep, that the dawn seems an impossible distant dream, we shall march. We will take to the streets, and march on until we reach a dawn that mankind has never been witness to. This dawn will produce a light so strong that the fear hatred and doubt in our hearts will vanish like the early morning dew upon a blade of grass. Our hearts will instead be a raging inferno that cannot be extinguished. Fear us you 1%, for we are coming, and we are already here. We are many, and We are one. We are here, and everywhere. We are united and cannot be divided. You are no longer our masters, and we no longer bend to your will.
My fellow freedom fighters. Do not despair. No laws can choke out the fire that is already raging around this world. They will ridicule you, they will fight against you. Your peaceful actions will be met with such force, it may seem as if there truly is no chance. But I am telling you now. This fear is the sound of the world changing. It is the sound of the wings of change ushering in a new era. The People’s era. Do not despair youth of this world. This new world belongs to you. We will carry this world into the light of truth and equality. Our time has come. Your time has come. Stand with me my brothers and sisters, it is time to celebrate. No longer feel your pain and sufferings. For the world is changing. Yes, the old world is slipping away, and in its stead a new world has arisen. The world as it truly should be. Be strong, my comrades, and we shall see the dawn of the People.
Solidarity to the freedom fighters across this world.
Join us on May 1st to take the streets


Written by Maddie from Occupy Naperville

[marl]

For May 1st, 2012 Occupy Los Angeles is organizing around a “4 Winds” People’s Power Car and Bike Caravan through the urban sprawl of Los Angeles that will culminate in Direct Action in and around the Financial District of downtown LA. People from all sectors of the city will have a chance to plug in to the routes from any corner of the city, helping to shut down the flow of capital while addressing the 99%’s major grievances.
These 4 caravans, beginning in the late morning, coming from the North, South, East & West, will be an amalgam of cars and bikes, occupiers and unions, community orgs and organic communities — taking over our streets on routes designed to bring to light to societies ills, past and present, and engaging with residents and workers as we connect the disparate voices, races, classes and nationalities that make up Los Angeles. The caravans will stop at flashpoints along the way. Flash occupations, food giveaways, and other direct actions targeting the foreclosure crisis and police brutality will be undertaken at these flashpoints on our slow, city-paralyzing, carnival-esque descent into the center of the city.

hhhh

[the last donut of the night]

shoutout to all the homies who'll be having fun at chicago, i'm very jealous. make us proud

[marl]

http://www.occupymay1st.org/the-plan/south-wind/
http://www.occupymay1st.org/the-plan/west-wind/
http://www.occupymay1st.org/the-plan/east-wind/

going to be exciting in LA

the north caravan/map will be up soon

[Ele'ill]

Possible link(s) update, I don't know how many of these have been posted already but probably a good drop spot for them anyways

http://strikeeverywhere.net/

http://www.may1stseattle.org/

http://www.liberatepdx.org/?p=78

http://occupyoakland.org/2012/01/occupy-oakland-decides-to-participate-in-the-global-general-strike-on-may-day/

http://maydaynyc.org/

http://occupywallst.org/article/6-ways-to-get-ready-may-1st-general-strike/

[marl]

You call for #GeneralStrike (https://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23GeneralStrike)? I ANSWER! See you in the streets #May1 (https://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23May1). No work no school no shopping. Stop the machine on #MayDay (https://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23MayDay)! #M1GS (https://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23M1GS) #OChi (https://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23OChi)

From Occupy Chicago twitter.

I think we'll see a lot on the streets of Chicago with this and the combination of Adbuster's call to establish an occupation.



http://strikemay1st.com/

Bay-area (OO-run) site.

[Ele'ill]

Thread stickied.

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lymrvvB8ob1r4sqtro1_500.jpg

[marl]

Stickied? What an honor.

https://p.twimg.com/AqxVBn-CAAAG5fQ.jpg:large

Also, OO/OSF and unions are going to shut down the Golden Gate Bridge.

[Ele'ill]

May - 1st - Portland

http://greycoast.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/overview-of-may-day-activities-in-portland/

All of this info has already been made public at numerous blogs/webpages. Two marches one permitted one unpermitted sandwiched in between building occupations occurring in the AM and PM.

[KurtFF8]

http://i39.tinypic.com/2620hmx.png
Made a Soviet May Day poster a NYC May Day poster.

[marl]

Why and How To Strike on May Day (http://occupywallst.org/forum/why-and-how-strike-may-day/)



Why And How To Strike On May Day (http://occupywallst.org/article/why-and-how-strike-may-day/)


originally published at StrikeEverywhere.net (http://strikeeverywhere.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/M1GSfaq.pdf)
http://i.imgur.com/rGA2V.png
Why are we striking? Why should you strike? And, what do we mean by General Strike?

We are striking to halt the flow of capital, reclaim a tool of resistance, and unify movements against exploitation, repression, and corruption. You should join the movement and strike because: everyone else will be doing it and it’ll be fun and empowering. But more importantly, join because you’ve experienced exploitation, repression, and corruption, and you are aware of their impact around you. Join if you are forced to work and consume; if you want to have a choice for an alternative.
By general strike, we mean everyone from all walks of life halting their role in producing, consuming, and participating within the current system. We invite the precarious workers, unemployed, undocumented, students, and everyone to join.
What do you get out of striking?

You can empower yourself. It’s an opportunity to directly stand up against what you feel is wrong. You can network. It’s an opportunity to meet and connect with others who want to improve the world for themselves and for others. You can learn about alternatives and resources that are available to you. It’s an opportunity to learn what other groups are doing to create alternatives, and what resources they are providing. You can get so much from striking; come out and learn what striking can do for you!
Curious about the General Strike on May 1 2012 but unsure what you can do?

Here are some easy, minimally involved, and low risk things you can do.
In Advance, starting now:



Plan ahead, take a vacation. Take a personal day or two off and make a long weekend of it.
Subscribe to the StrikeEverywhere mailing list and learn about the organizing https://lists.riseup.net/http://www.subscribe/strikeeverywhere/
Attend meetings, benefits, and actions leading up to May 1st to get a feel for what the General Strike might be like.

April 27th - 30th:



Use the long weekend to attend free workshops about the general strike, direct action, etc.
Go to benefits, shows, and parties. Be social and meet others who will be participating in the General Strike. Build energy, excitement, and new friendships.
Build an affinity group, or find a buddy or crew of friends who will go to the General Strike with you.
Attend meetings and be a part of organizing for the General Strike. Or attend to learn about the plans and how to prepare.
Put up stickers, posters, flyers, and agitate for the General Strike.
If you are from out of town: pick up a map and learn the layout of the city and where you can plugin.

April 30th – May 1st:



Out of vacation days? Take a sick day or two. Make a long weekend of it. (http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/182013/striking-for-dummies-how-to-skip-work-to-join-occupy-wall-streets-may-1-general-strike/)
Don’t get sick days? You’re not a slave, take a couple days off.
Don’t spend money. Make use of the free resources that will be available through groups like OWS and others organizing alternatives to capitalism. Take part in and enjoy these alternatives!
Come out into the streets and see what other people are doing. See for yourself what is happening (don’t rely on the media to show you). Experience the General Strike for yourself!
Join in and participate in actions or play it by ear if you are uncertain.
Bring your friends, a crew, an affinity group, and everyone you know. The more people that you take to the streets with, the safer you will be.

Convinced? Planning to take part in the General Strike need something concrete to do:



Go to StrikeEverywhere.net (http://strikeeverywhere.net/) and look at the calendar of events to see if any of the actions are something you want to take part in.
Go to http://strikeeverywhere.net/framework/new-york-city-tasks/ and volunteer to do a task, or suggest a new task for people working

Self-employed and unsure how you can participate?

You can stop producing and consuming. If you are a boss, give your workers and yourself a long weekend. Come out to the streets. Participate in and enjoy alternatives to capitalism.
Unemployed and uncertain how you can participate in a strike?

Come out into the streets, enjoy alternatives and resources that are made available to you. Join the movement, join people in the streets, and support others who are in the same position as you or in a precarious work situation.
Undocumented and uncertain how you can participate in a strike?

If you feel at risk, take precautions and make sure you feel safe at all times. If possible come out into the streets, enjoy alternatives and resources that are made available to you.
If these low risk activities result in any backlash or threats from your employer:
- Write us at [email protected]
- Post it on facebook and twitter
You are not a slave, and have the right not to work. Actions will be organized to help shutdown hostile work environments and provide support and solidarity for those who chose to not work.

For Legal Support, contact:
National Lawyers Guild 212 679 6018




What You Can Do on May Day (http://occupywallst.org/forum/what-you-can-do-may-day/)


http://i.imgur.com/P8wQc.jpg?1
May Day is an international day of celebration to honor the labor movement. This year the Occupy movement has made a call for mass action—the May First General Strike (#M1GS): a day with out the 99%. Several cities have organized in solidarity with this call to action (http://occupywallst.org/article/may-day/). A general strike is a way to build and demonstrate the power of the people. It’s a way to show this is a system that only exists because we allow it to. If we can withdraw from the system for one day we can use that day to build community and mutual aid. We can find aspiration and faith—not in any leaders or bosses but in each other and in ourselves.
If you are inspired by the day of action but don’t live near any organized events you can still take part. If you can’t strike, take the first step. We can work to shift the balance of power back into the hands of the people little by little in our everyday lives.
Here are some examples to get you thinking:
1. Move Your Money: If you haven’t already, May Day is as good as any to move your money out of a national, corporate bank into a local bank or credit union. Support your local community and break up the “too big to fail” Wall Street banks that threaten our economic system. Learn more about moving your money here: http://www.moveyourmoneyproject.org (http://www.moveyourmoneyproject.org/)
2. Have a Potluck: Share a meal with others and and talk about subsided agriculture and factory farming or make a meal with friends to serve to local homeless people a la Food Not Bombs.
3. Start a Personal/Community Garden: On May Day, start or pledge to start a personal or community garden. Growing our own food means independence from corporate farms. This is one more way to take your self out of a system bent on keeping us complacent.
4. Have a Free Store/Fair: Get together and share your unwanted items with others. As they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. You could be helping someone who was about to go out and buy a (fill in your item here) anyway.
5. Ride your bike to work/carpool with friends: Ride your bike or arrange a carpool to work. When you do this you are lessening our country’s dependency on outdated, unclean energies.
6. Screen a Movie: Invite your friends or neighbors over to watch a documentary. After, have a discussion about how it relates to your values or the ideas of Occupy. You can watch political documentaries online at the following links for free:
http://http://crimethinc.com/movies/ (http://http//crimethinc.com/movies/)
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/category/politics/
http://www.documentarytube.com/category/political-documentaries
http://freedocumentaries.org/

7. Have a Skill Share: Give a free class to share your skills and knowledge. This could be as simple as giving a knitting demonstration or as complex as teaching someone a new language.
We have the power in our hands to change the course of our day to day realities if we are willing to participate and reach out to our neighbors and communities. In the words of Steven Biko, ”the greatest weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” Big business should not be in control of us, we are the many and they are the few. We’d love to hear how you are planning to take part on this day of action. Please email your stories and pictures to [email protected] so we can share them!

[Ele'ill]

Be advised this is a facebook oriented call out :unsure:

http://atlanta.indymedia.org/local/call-anti-capitalist-bloc

From Atlanta Indymedia
This is a call for an anti-capitalist bloc to attend the Anti-Capitalist March scheduled for this Mayday.

[Lobotomy]

I will almost certainly be on the streets of seattle on may 1st. I'm excited, I've never participated in a demonstration of this magnitude before. I'll post about it after the fact.

[Ele'ill]

I will almost certainly be on the streets of seattle on may 1st. I'm excited, I've never participated in a demonstration of this magnitude before. I'll post about it after the fact.

I was tempted to go to Seattle too :blushing:

[marl]

http://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/entry/bay-area-sutter-nurses-plan-may-1-walkout

4,500 Bay Area nurses will take the streets during a walk-out on May Day.

[Trap Queen Voxxy]

Best believe I'll be hitting the streets May 1st. :blackA:

Cocktails all round!

[marl]

"we are predicting that #mayday (http://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23mayday) will be the largest action for our movement to date" #ows (http://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23ows) #m1gs (http://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23m1gs) meeting

[marl]

NYC wildcat march



We call on all fellow wildcat strikers to join us for a massive unpermitted march at 1pm at Sara D. Roosevelt Park (corner of 2nd and Houston). Along with striking rebels all over the world, we will show the bosses and cops of the world that we are many and we are only getting stronger.


https://www.facebook.com/events/297929263615205/

[Ele'ill]

Huge May Day video trailer drop here for all cities

http://greycoast.wordpress.com/

[Ele'ill]

I'm disappointed with those videos. Where are the good May Day trailers? You know the ones I'm talking about

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

Ugh, I have to stay in school on Mayday. I'm probably the only one interested in these sort of things in little MV, WA and I doubt one kid walking out of school is hardly a powerful statement of solidarity. :(

[Ele'ill]

You should take the day off and head on over to Seattle. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

I'm so tempted to. The thing is, where my friends have the will to take all of our happy asses to Seattle, we lack the ability to. We've all been in trouble for related illegal acts, been punished for our actions and are unable to carry out any more, much less skip school.

As much as I want to(and have fantasized about) sweeping a forearm across my desk, sending each paper and pencil falling to the floor and walking out, flipping off the security guard on the way and then going on my merry way, I'd have the word of my parents to contend with and any ability to attend any other gathering.

But then again...

[KurtFF8]

I'm not sure how far you are from Seattle, but aren't most schools (K-12) over by at least 3 or so?

I would imagine that most May Day mass marches would be in the late afternoon considering most folks have to work (unless the planners actually believe everyone will be on strike, which would be...unfortunate?)

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

I'm not sure how far you are from Seattle, but aren't most schools (K-12) over by at least 3 or so?

I would imagine that most May Day mass marches would be in the late afternoon considering most folks have to work (unless the planners actually believe everyone will be on strike, which would be...unfortunate?)

This is true. "Hope for the best but expect the worst." I'm either going to take the metro or hitch a ride with my buds.

[KurtFF8]

Well good luck making it to an event!

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

Yay! I will be attending one of the Seattle events.:D

[the last donut of the night]

too excited to see what the results of tuesday will be. i expect some good riotporn my fellows :D

[Os Cangaceiros]

The RJS will join with May Day demonstrations in order to push the message of all power to the jugglotariat. We call for all Juggalos to mask up, faygo will be both our drink and weapon.

Faces Painted

Trash Everywhere

We dont stop till the gathering

Signed,

Whoop Whoooop

http://anarchistnews.org/content/revolutionary-juggalo-syndicate-endorses-may-1st-revolutionary-situation

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

http://anarchistnews.org/content/revolutionary-juggalo-syndicate-endorses-may-1st-revolutionary-situation

Um...Let's see what the Dark Carnival can do, I guess.

[Geiseric]

http://anarchistnews.org/content/revolutionary-juggalo-syndicate-endorses-may-1st-revolutionary-situation

Whoop whoop! Yo ninjaz lets hit up that protest down in Del Ray!

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

I'm actually pretty excited to see some Juggalos take the streets. Hopefully there are some to be spotted in Seattle. Speaking of Seattle, does anyone know anything about demos and whatnot happening in the late afternoon. Occupymay1st and Puget Sound Anarchist websites have the usual news. Does anyone know of anything happening in the afternoon?

[marl]

Juggalos are gross reactionaries.

I do not think that's a serious article, anyway. Also, fucking magnets.

https://sites.google.com/site/occupycunywiki/resources/faculty-support-letter

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

Juggalos are gross reactionaries.

I do not think that's a serious article, anyway. Also, fucking magnets.

https://sites.google.com/site/occupycunywiki/resources/faculty-support-letter

Hahaha Agreed. Im just willing to see what would actually happen once they come face to shield with riot cops and tear gas. The LRAD could drown out their ICP, though.

[marl]

I wonder if the LRAD will be used on May Day - was anyone here at Pittsburgh? Do they hurt?

[Lobotomy]

I'm actually pretty excited to see some Juggalos take the streets. Hopefully there are some to be spotted in Seattle. Speaking of Seattle, does anyone know anything about demos and whatnot happening in the late afternoon. Occupymay1st and Puget Sound Anarchist websites have the usual news. Does anyone know of anything happening in the afternoon?

I've heard westlake center is the place to be in the afternoon.

[marl]

Full NYC schedule for May Day. (http://occupywallst.org/article/nyc-full-schedule-permitted-and-unpermitted-may-da/)

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

I've heard westlake center is the place to be in the afternoon.

Then on mayday, I ride for Westlake.

I heard that the LRAD doesn't necessarily hurt but literally makes you soil yourself. I could be talking about some totally different device but if the LRAD does hurt I'd think it'd be a horrible headache, high/low frequencies or something.

[Ele'ill]

I wonder if the LRAD will be used on May Day - was anyone here at Pittsburgh? Do they hurt?

If you watch the LRAD Pittsburgh videos with the volume up that's pretty much what it's like. I don't think they turned it up to actually use it though.

[Lobotomy]

http://pugetsoundanarchists.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/may%20day%201.jpg

[marl]

If you watch the LRAD Pittsburgh videos with the volume up that's pretty much what it's like. I don't think they turned it up to actually use it though.

They seem like a nuisance rather than a riot control weapon, am I incorrect?

[Ele'ill]

They seem like a nuisance rather than a riot control weapon, am I incorrect?

It was used as a threat and it was only brought out once or twice. They fell back on using gas and bullets pretty quick.

[marl]

Qw91N9LXnfA

[Os Cangaceiros]

At the last “4×4″ meeting on April 23 at the headquarters of SEIU 1199, Chris Silvera, secretary treasurer of the Teamsters Local 808, made it clear: “I’ll be honest. A lot of unions are scared of this,” referring to the collaboration with the Occupy movement.

http://www.thirteen.org/metrofocus/news/2012/04/on-may-day-a-precarious-union-of-interests/

[marl]

The following is a statement by the Occupy Oakland Golden Gate Bridge Shut Down Committee, including members of OO Labor Solidarity and the OO May Day Assembly. On May 1, workers and students throughout the country will walk out of their jobs and schools in an unprecedented General Strike. As a part of this day of action, thousands of nurses in Northern California will be striking Sutter hospitals. ILWU Local 10 will also be shutting down the Port of Oakland for eight hours in honor of the historic May Day struggle for the eight-hour working day. There will be protests in Oakland, including a mass march for immigrant rights and an evening convergence on Oscar Grant Plaza.
For over a year, workers in the Golden Gate Bridge Labor Coalition (a multi-union body of Golden Gate Bridge workers) have been fighting for a contract to defend their healthcare and to resist other concessions demanded by the Golden Gate Bridge District. While they have strike sanction from various labor councils and are planning a mass action on May 1, it is still not clear if they will be striking. Last night, the Golden Gate Labor Coalition requested the Golden Gate Bridge shut down action be called off. Occupy Oakland called for a bridge shut down on May 1 only if these workers were on strike. As reiterated last week, our plan has always been to take this action in solidarity with the workers, not in place of them.
Since the conditions for the action will not be met, we are no longer organizing to shut down the bridge. As always, any action taken by the workers at their workplace or against their employers will be met with our support and solidarity. Although we will no longer be organizing a bridge shutdown on May 1, we encourage all individuals, labor activists, and supporters to stand with workers on the picket lines at the ferry and bus terminals and any other locations they attempt to shut down. These workers are among many in the public sector whose jobs and benefits are being attacked. They deserve our full support.
A General Strike will not just occur at one workplace or one thoroughfare but throughout the whole Bay Area. There will be May Day worker and student protests and strikes in Oakland, San Francisco, small and large U.S. cities, and around the world. The status quo is unacceptable and May Day actions will demonstrate that the working class is no longer willing to abide by it.

Also, take this article (http://frontpagemag.com/2012/04/27/may-day-mayhem-on-its-way/), it's hilarious.

[ckaihatsu]

---











The actions planned for May 1 are part of what left-wingers are calling the “99% Spring.” They are designed to disrupt the U.S. economy and ultimately to extinguish what remains of Americans’ cherished economic freedoms in the increasingly socialist Obama era. Leaders also hope to press lawmakers to promote the fraud known as “green energy” and to give those with student loan debts a massive $1 trillion bailout at the expense of taxpayers.








Basic facts will do to force them to confront reality: 7 Trillion Dollars has been given by the US government to Banks and Corporations. While those 7 Trillion dollars are given to incompetent and corrupt millionaire executives, the U.N. estimates that 80 Billion Dollars could provide every single human on the earth with Food, Clean Water, and basic preventative Medical Care (for one whole year). A fraction of the bailouts given to the bankers and corportions could save 100,000 humans from starving to death a day, stop every fourth child on the globe being forced to drink unclean water regularly, over 1.3 Billion humans being in a state of "permanent severe undernourishment" as the U.N. cynically calls the people who are in a chronic lethargic condition of starvation, unable to have a social life, a job. Hunger (besides massive interest laden debt), is the weapon the World Banks, WTO, IMF and Trans-National Corporations use to enslave the third world.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Also, take this article (http://frontpagemag.com/2012/04/27/may-day-mayhem-on-its-way/), it's hilarious.


Protesters on May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, are going to commit “a lot of violent acts which they’re then going to blame police for,” former community organizer Brandon Darby, a leading expert on leftist tactics, told me in an exclusive interview.

lol that fucking snitch

[Os Cangaceiros]

Seattle Mayor warns of violence during May Day celebration (http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/04/27/mayor-mcginn-warns-of-violence-at-next-weeks-may-day-celebrations)

:rolleyes:

[marl]

Get over what happened in 1999, corporate Seattle.

[Fawkes]

They seem like a nuisance rather than a riot control weapon, am I incorrect?

They have a maximum output of 162db at 1 meter. Any sound over 90db can cause hearing damage over prolonged periods of time, and the general threshold of pain is 120db. 140db causes immediate damage. Further, when used as weapons, LRADs produce a sound wave at 2.5khz. The frequency range of the human voice is roughly 300hz - 3.5khz, and because of this, our ears have evolved to accentuate frequencies within that range. In short, not only can LRADs produce violently loud sound, they do so at the frequency most capable of causing hearing damage and intense pain.

[Ele'ill]

ahahaha

x_1wc1qlH_E

and

Y9AcgkDJ6vs

[KurtFF8]

^ that first video is hilarious. Especially considering the people the interviewed were mostly responding with "no I don't feel unsafe" and "yeah people are angry."

It seems they failed to find the appropriate frightened "oh my god let's get the terrorists!" responses they expected.

[WanderingCactus]

ahahaha

"Most ominously, perhaps, a slingshot shooting gallery."

Fuck.

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

anarchists

They will rape your women and eat your children

[marl]

NYPD COUNTER-TERRORIST MEMO LEAKED (http://www.nycga.net/files/2012/04/May_Day_Event_Advisory_Bulletin-04-27-12.pdf)

Also,

Last-Minute May Day Checklist

Last-Minute May Day Checklist (http://occupywallst.org/article/may-day-checklist/)


Posted 5 hours ago on April 30, 2012, 9:56 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt (http://occupywallst.org/users/OccupyWallSt/)


http://i.imgur.com/qGCaE.jpg?1
This May Day (http://occupywallst.org/article/may-day/), hundreds of thousands of workers, immigrants, students, retirees, and unemployed people across the U.S. and around world will take to the streets, many for the first time. (If you are in NYC, check here (http://occupywallst.org/article/nyc-full-schedule-permitted-and-unpermitted-may-da/) for a schedule for the full day!) For folks new to protest (and of course, everyone else) we've thrown together a last-minute May Day Checklist:
What To Bring

(1) An affinity group: An affinity group is a group of people you know and trust. Before going to the demo, bring together a group of 2 or more friends and discuss your plans for the day, the tactics you plan on using, how comfortable you are risking arrest, etc. Everyone should have an affinity group, even if its just casual or informal. Once at the march, stick together and try to leave together. If someone has to leave early, make sure they do it safely. Make sure you have each other's phone numbers. It might be a good idea to pair together more experienced protesters with newers folks. Most importantly, look out for each other.
(2) Footwear: Wear comfortable shoes that are easy to run in and won't give you blisters. If possible, wear water-proof shoes. (There is a chance of showers tomorrow in NYC.) Don't wear open-toe shoes.

(3) Band-aids: Your comfortable shoes may not be so comfortable after a day of marching, so bring band-aids in case of blisters.

(4) Water: Seriously. Lots and lots of water.

(5) Snacks: Especially nonperishable food like dried fruit, energy bars, nuts, and things that are easy to eat on-the-move.

(6) Backpack: Carry your stuff in a backpack. It´s easier to carry than a purse, especially if you need to run to catch up with a march. Also, pack light. Don´t bring unnecessary or heavy things, especially if you plan on being out all day.
(7) Multiple layers of clothes: Anticipate changes in weather. According to Weather Underground (http://www.wunderground.com/), the high in NYC for tomorrow is 72F and the low is 52F with a chance of showers.
(8) Cell phones and cameras: Cell phones are useful for communicating with others on the ground to get information and stay safe. You can also use video and cameras to document police brutality. You have a legal right to document police behavior and it is usually safe. However, be aware that police (especially the NYPD) have a documented history of targeting grassroots journalists with violence or arrest. If you do try to document police abuse, make sure you write down or photograph the officer's badge number. Also be aware that there may be disruptions of service in heavily-clogged, high-traffic areas like lower Manhattan. (On #N17, the largest OWS action in NYC to date, many cell phones mysteriously stopped working.) Also, bring extra batteries and memory!
(9) Maps: Try to be familiar with the area before you go. Bring a map (http://lifewinning.com/M1/m1t.html) (on your phone or in print) with you and be aware of your surroundings.
(10) Rain gear: It might be a good idea to bring a poncho. Garbage bags also work. Keep in mind some police may perceive umbrellas as a threat. Bring extras of everything, kept dry in your backpack.
(11) Your own sign or banner: If you have a catchy slogan, bust out a sharper and some cardboard and tell the world! Write what makes you indignant; or, write something about the world you'd rather live in. Write why you´re on strike, or why you support #OWS, labor, students, immigrants, etc. Here are some common slogans: ¨Banks Got Bailed Out, We Got Sold Out,¨ ¨We Are The 99%,¨ ¨Occupy Everywhere.¨

(12) Know how to identify legal observers: Observers from the National Lawyers Guild will be on the ground throughout the day. You can identify them by their orange hats. If you have important information for them (for example, one of your friends just got arrested) let them know. Don´t distract them otherwise. To report arrests on May Day in NYC, call the NLG at 212-679-6018. To help, text OWS-JS to 774-254-4697.
(13) Know how to Mic Check: One easy way to convey information to large groups of people is by using the People's Mic. One person (or a few people) first yell ¨Mic Check!¨ Everyone who hears them responds by echoing ¨Mic Check!¨ After that, one person says a few words and pauses to let the crowd repeat those words. If you hear someone mic check, let them know by repeating too; that way, the people around you can also listen. However, if you disagree with what someone is saying, you don't have to repeat it. This is a useful way to make spontaneous, democratic decisions. However, you should also be aware that false or misleading information can sometimes spread quickly this way, so don't assume something is true just because it was said over the People's Mic. (Hint: If you hear people chanting ¨Shame!¨ or ¨The whole world is watching!¨ it often means that police brutality and/or arrests are happening nearby. If you're trying to avoid arrest, go the other way. Or, if you want to help or document, head over!)
(14) Smart phones: If you have one, install free aps like Twitter and Livestream so you can keep up on what´s going on elsewhere. There might be something important happening just a block away, but impossible to see. The best way to get up-to-the-minute information is by following Twitter accounts. Here are a few: @OccupyGenStrk (https://twitter.com/#%21/OccupyGenStrk) | @StrikeEverywher (https://twitter.com/#%21/StrikeEverywher) | @OccupyGenStrike (https://twitter.com/#%21/OccupyGenStrike) | #M1GS (https://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23M1GS) | #GeneralStrike (https://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23GeneralStrike) | #MayDay (https://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23MayDay) | @OWSMayDay (https://twitter.com/#%21/OWSMayDay). However, as with Mic Checks, be aware that information on Twitter might not be 100% accurate.
(15) Know your rights: The ACLU has some good basic info on your legal right to protest here (http://www.aclu.org/free-speech/right-protest). If you are a transgender or gender non-conforming, check out this helpful document for trans people participating in direct actions (http://srlp.org/resources/publications/direct-actions-guide). If you are an active duty Service Member, note that your rights are different (http://nlgmltf.org/library/legal-support-for-servicemembers-reservists-and-veterans-participating-in-occupy-wall-street-actions/). (See below for some more helpful information if you are worried about being arrested.)
(16) Drums, whistles, noisemakers, giant puppets: They're fun!
(17) WHAT NOT TO BRING: Illegal drugs, weapons, your address book, anything that could be potentially incriminating (including pictures on your cell phone).
http://i.imgur.com/MhfUJ.jpg?1
If You Are Risking Arrest

There will be many ways to participate in tomorrow´s activities without risking arrest. Make sure to stay within the permitted areas (http://occupwallst.org/article/nyc-full-schedule-permitted-and-unpermitted-may-da/) and avoid police. However, if you are planning on engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience that may put you at a higher risk of encountering police, here are some suggestions to bare in mind. Hopefully, if all goes well and the police behave, much of this will not be necessary!
(1) Everything above.
(2) Appropriate clothes: Wear clothes that are protective and durable, light weight, and allow for great mobility. Look for something that is tight fitting while covering the entire body (to protect from tear gas). NO earrings, piercings, necklaces, ties, or anything that can be grabbed.
(3) Emergency numbers: Although having a written-down back-up is also helpful, important numbers like the National Lawyers Guild hotlines or members of your affinity group should be written on your body with permanent ink. If you are arrested, your belongings may be confiscated or lost. You also can't count on your phone, which could get broken or taken away. To report arrests on May Day in NYC, call the NLG at 212-679-6018.
(4) Prepare for pepper-spray: Don't wear contact lenses or eye makeup -- if pepper pray or tear gas gets in your eyes, it can make a bad situation much worse. If you get pepper-sprayed, don´t rub your eyes! Cry for help, thoroughly rinse your eyes with water, and alert a street medic. Try not to panic; the burning will pass.
(5) Peace shields: To protect against batons and other blunt weapons used by police, consider carrying a light-weight shield. However, be aware that some police percieve this as a challenge and may target you. (To re-inforce that a shield is a nonviolent defense strategy, some Occupiers have painted peace signs on their shields. Police officials, however, sometimes don't get the message.) Other useful defenses against blunt weapon attacks include helmets and hard banners. Also, everyone should be aware that militarized police will be patrolling some major cities (http://occupywallst.org/article/ows-issues-solidarity-warning/) on May 1st with less-lethal projectile weapons such as ¨beanbag¨ rounds and/or rubber bullets.
(6) Wear unidentifiable, all-black clothing: If everyone is wearing the same thing, it is harder for police to single out people and accuse them of bogus charges. Even if you are arrested for something you did not do, and the police cannot prove it was you because they cannot distinguish between protesters, your charges are much more likely to be dropped. However, it is a good idea to wear casual clothes underneath your all-black clothes so you can change later. After the protest or your affinity group disperses, police sometimes profile people who ¨look like protesters.¨
(7) Pen and paper: You might need to document something, so bring something to write with in case you lose your phone.
(8) First aid kits: Although there will be trained street medics on hand (in many cities, they are identifiable by red arm-bands), it is also a good idea to have at minimum one first-aid kit per affinity group. A basic medical kit should include: water, gauze, some pain/fever/swelling reliever, anti-bacterials, maxi pads, extra cloth, etc.

(9) A solidarity plan: . You may want to identify those at lower risk of arrest or abuse (white, US citizen, non-LGBT) to take more visible or high-risk roles, and to surround those who may be at higher risk to form a buffer and prevent them from being arrested or separated from the group during the action.
(10) Some quarters: You might need them to make calls from jail! Stuff them in your socks to decrease the risk of having them lost or confiscated.
(11) Tear-gas defense: Although we do not know whether tear-gas will be used, it doesn't hurt to be prepared. Police, including the NYPD, have a history using tear-gas in congested downtown areas. (The NYPD, at least, are unlikely to use pepper-spray due to a recent lawsuit from by-standers who were hit with tear-gas.) However, if this happens, you will want to have sealed goggles or a gas-mask. Rags or handkerchiefs soaked in vinegar can help one breathe if you are surrounded by a tear gas cloud. It is also advisable to have a mask, keffiyeh, or scarf to cover your mouth. Avoid cotton clothes, which soak up tear-gas and pepper spray; polyester, nylon, or wool are better. Unless you are properly trained and wearing welder´s gloves, STAY AWAY from gas canisters, which can be extremely hot. Also, do not attempt to handle flash-bang grenades or other projectiles used by police.
(12) Identification: In New York and many other states (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_and_Identify_statutes#States_with_.E2.80.9Cst op-and-identify.E2.80.9D_statutes), police are allowed to ¨demand¨ identification. If you don't want to get arrested or held in jail for an extended period of time (especially if you have health needs or other reasons that make longer stays in jail dangerous), it's better to carry an ID with you if you can. However, if you do not bring ID and refuse to give your name, you will usually be taken into custody until the police can identify you. This is a common tactic of jail solidarity (especially during mass arrests) because it clogs up the system, making it harder for them to prosecute protesters who have been arrested.
(13) What to do if you are arrested: You can be charged with resisting arrest if you attempt to escape or stop an officer from detaining yourself or another person. You may even be charged with assaulting an officer just for resisting. If you do not wish to cooperate with your arrest without actively resisting, the best thing to do is remain passive and allow your body to go limp. At least in NYC, cops will sometimes charge you with resisting arrest for going limp, but it is almost always dropped by the court.) As soon as possible make sure someone from your affinity group and/or the NLG know that you have been arrested. Do not say anything without first speaking to a lawyer, no matter what police may tell you. (Cops are allowed to lie to you.) You will be transported, booked, and placed in a cell until you are either charged or released -- usually within a day. OWS has a bail-fund (https://www.wepay.com/donations/ows-may-day-legal-defense-fund) to help low-income protesters who need bail money. (Donate if you can!)
(14) What to do if your comrade is arrested: Alert the NLG (in NYC: 212-679-6018) and make sure they have the arrested comrade´s legal name, birth date, any medications or health conditions, and an emergency contact. Find out where they are being taken, what they are being charged with, and if possible, the names and badge numbers of the arresting officers. Document as much as possible about the situation leading up to the arrest. If they have special medical needs or are trans/gender-nonconforming, be sure to let the NLG know. Then, wait outside the jail -- it´s nice to see friendly faces with food as soon as you´re released!
More on arrests, Via the Sylvia Rivera Law Project and National Center for Transgender Equality (http://srlp.org/files/DirectAction_Nov2011_FINAL-1.pdf):
If you are an immigrant:
Any arrests may affect your immigration status. If you are undocumented, an arrest could put you on the radar, and cause removal proceedings to be initiated against you. Immigration officials at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), often collaborate with local law enforcement and correctional agencies. If you are currently required to report to immigration officials, you may not be able to do so if you are arrested or detained. If your only identification is from another country and you do not have a visa, you may be reported to ICE even if you are a naturalized U.S. citizen. Weigh the risks of bringing ID with the possibility of being profiled and having ID confiscated. If arrested, you do not have to answer questions about your immigration status or history.
If you have past arrests:
You may be more vulnerable to being held by police or denied bail after arrest. Even if you only have violations or nonfelon convictions, the police can access your arrest history and will use it against you if they can.
If you are staying in a shelter or supportive housing program: If you are staying in a shelter and you have a curfew or have to report to your program regularly, make sure you plan ahead so you don’t miss important check-ins or lose your bed. If you live in public housing, an arrest may also affect your eligibility for your housing program or the eligibility of anyone who you live with.
If you have critical medical or disability-related needs:
Make sure you have canes and braces and any critical medical supplies, medications or prescriptions with you at all times. If you have people or animals that you use for support and are arrested, make sure the police are aware.
However, the police cannot always be trusted to support your needs and it is important to develop a safety plan in case of arrest.
On Police Tactics

In the NYPD, higher-ranking officials are identifiable by their white shirts. They have a reputation for being some of the most brutal of all cops. They also give the orders. Here is a helpful analysis of common police tactics found on the internet (http://www.uhc-collective.org.uk/webpages/toolbox/defence/protest_survival.htm):
Basic Police Choreography
They will try to disperse crowds using baton line charges, horse charges, vehicles, gases and rubber/wooden bullets. The dance steps will include one or more of the following:
1) Cops in lines will surround you.
2) Either from the middle or one side, cop lines will force everyone onto the sidewalk trying to create "spectators" and "actors" out of the crowd.
3) Baton/horse/gas attacks to lower morale.
4) Loud speaker, concussion grenades, or bright lights (if at night) to disorient the crowd.
5) Line charges will slowly push the crowd down the street to where they want you (rush of cops - fall back - strengthen line - repeat).

Reponses:
- Don't stand and watch them. Keep moving.
- Don't look like you'll let them anywhere near you.
- Spot gaps in the crowd and fill them. Stick together!
- Figure out where they want to go and get there first.
- Get long tarp banners to the front to stop them from advancing or breaking the crowd.
- Protect your escape routes by standing in front of them.
- Get those people who are pushed into "spectators¨ back into the crowd and moving around.

Snatch Squads:
The police will often want to isolate and arrest individuals out of a crowd. Groups of cops will surround a person, and half of them will arrest while half will stand in front of them and hit anyone who gets in their way. Once they have the person, they will be taken away behind police lines.
1) Keep the crowd moving together.
2) Spot the squad forming and approaching.
3) If their is a target person, get him/her the hell out of there!
4) Link arms in an impenetrable wall in the squad's path.
5) Surround the squad once in the crowd to intimidate them.
6) If you do get grabbed and pressure pointed, keep you head and arms moving. Don't fight them if you can help it or you might be faced with assault charges too. Bear in mind that the de-arrestor may end up with heavier charges than the original arrestee if caught.
http://i.imgur.com/NT3Zb.jpg?1

[Hermes]

This is really late, but does anyone know if anything is going on in OH? I haven't been able to find any information.

[marl]

This is really late, but does anyone know if anything is going on in OH? I haven't been able to find any information.
Yup. Occupy Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton and Toledo will hold rallies.

[Fawkes]

To anyone who thinks ows is a bunch of dirty white hippies...
Y8FlQhJtLRQ

[Drowzy_Shooter]

Being 14 and for the most part in the closet about me being communist makes me so jealous for all of you guys who get to go participate!

Enjoy your mayday everyone!

[Ele'ill]

helicopters buzzing the neighborhoods woke me up around six


everyone stay healthy and remember that militant actions include unarresting your sisters and brothers and hella jail solidarity (as if anyone is gonna read this shit on here today)

[TheRedAnarchist23]

I didn't know anarchists were so spoken of in the USA.

[Ele'ill]

I didn't know anarchists were so spoken of in the USA.

What do you mean?

[Ele'ill]

oh yeah, stuff is kicking off already here - 13 minutes ago on twitter

.#m1pdx @OccupyPortland @opdxlive students shutting down Portland public schools.

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

The time is nigh! Solidarity, Comrades, Solidarity. Let's make this a may 1st to remember. Party like it's 1999. :cool:

[marl]

Mass arrest on the Williamsburg bridge, the wildcat march is half a mile long, riot police gearing up, tear gas/flash bangs in Oakland, vandalism in the bay area. Shit's going down.

Get ready for the massive 5:30 PM march down Wall Street.

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

I NEED SEATTLE TO BE POPPIN! We have a reputation to uphold, you know.

[marl]

The minimum estimate at the big march that started at 5:30 PM is 34 thousand. Tim said this is the biggest OWS action so far.

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

Whether or not the molotovs fly, this is a powerful statement, maybe even moreso if the molotovs dont fly. But, you know, diversity of tactics and all that.

[Comrade B]

I am writing a 12 page paper complaining about the criminal justice system being a tool for maintaining capitalism...

20-40 minutes away from Seattle.... where people are actually fighting capitalism...

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

The writing of the paper can only be justified if you read it through the loudspeaker and then punch it through a private prison warden's head.

[Rafiq]

FBI arrested some Anarchists for planning to blow something up...


Looks like Anarchists are quitting their Enlightenment hippie bullshit and starting to look badass again

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

FBI arrested some Anarchists for planning to blow something up...


Looks like Anarchists are quitting their Enlightenment hippie bullshit and starting to look badass again

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

Its about goddamn time. Armchair anarchists rustle my jimmies. Wonder what they were planning on using...

[Le Socialiste]

Just got back from the May Day march/demonstration in Oakland. Seemed to be anywhere between two to five thousand participants - and plenty of red flags (granted, the RCP was handing them out, along with their Basics book :rolleyes:). We marched from Fruitvale bart to Oscar Grant Plaza, starting around 3:40ish and arriving at 7:20(?). When I left it seemed like the majority of people were still there. We'll see where things go tonight, though. Riot police were all around the plaza.

Solidarity comrades - hope you had a wonderful May Day!

[GhostOfTheHaymarket]

Just watched the Fox News segment on the riots in Seattle:laugh: Hahaha Oh, wow. I do have to say that I did get angry when my family got butt-frustrated over the "chaotic, faceless vandals called anarchists" :rolleyes: I did try to explain why anarchists walk their walk and talk their talk but he spouted his usual rhetoric and it was the end of that. Such is life in lil' ol' MV.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

Just got back from the May Day march/demonstration in Oakland. Seemed to be anywhere between two to five thousand participants - and plenty of red flags (granted, the RCP was handing them out, along with their Basics book :rolleyes:). We marched from Fruitvale bart to Oscar Grant Plaza, starting around 3:40ish and arriving at 7:20(?). When I left it seemed like the majority of people were still there. We'll see where things go tonight, though. Riot police were all around the plaza.

Solidarity comrades - hope you had a wonderful May Day!
Aww dude you missed the best parts!

Anyways heard Seattle is in a state of emergency, damn.

[Le Socialiste]

Aww dude you missed the best parts!

Anyways heard Seattle is in a state of emergency, damn.

Looking back over the seemingly endless line of marchers (many toting red flags) was undoubtedly the best part for me. :)

It's a shame I've never been able to meet any of my comrades on revleft at these events. It's strange participating in a march only to find out later a revlefter (or more) was right there with me. When did you leave? I couldn't stay long after we made it to OGP (I have finals to study for :thumbdown:), I only stuck around for half an hour.

As for Seattle, shit...

[A Revolutionary Tool]

Looking back over the seemingly endless line of marchers (many toting red flags) was undoubtedly the best part for me. :)

It's a shame I've never been able to meet any of my comrades on revleft at these events. It's strange participating in a march only to find out later a revlefter (or more) was right there with me. When did you leave? I couldn't stay long after we made it to OGP (I have finals to study for :thumbdown:), I only stuck around for half an hour.

As for Seattle, shit...
Yeah that was pretty tight all of those red flags, I won't even lie, very inspirational. But you probably did see me. I was one of the "anarchists" holding one of those trash shields holding their fist up as we let your march by. But we shut down all these banks, outmaneuvered the cops a dozen times all across Oakland, pushed them down the street when they tried causing shit, etc. It was a pretty fun day especially for it being my first legit protest. I left at probably 7:45-8ish. Right before OPD started a rampage apparently. I got there at 7:30 in the morning and nobody was even there, I thought I got the meetup place wrong lol.

[praxis1966]

Looking back over the seemingly endless line of marchers (many toting red flags) was undoubtedly the best part for me. :)

It's a shame I've never been able to meet any of my comrades on revleft at these events. It's strange participating in a march only to find out later a revlefter (or more) was right there with me. When did you leave? I couldn't stay long after we made it to OGP (I have finals to study for :thumbdown:), I only stuck around for half an hour.

As for Seattle, shit...

Fuck me running... I was out there all damned day, too. This is the real reason the Left=Fail, lol. Oh, and all those red flags were handed out by the RCP, so don't get too excited.

[Le Socialiste]

Fuck me running... I was out there all damned day, too. This is the real reason the Left=Fail, lol. Oh, and all those red flags were handed out by the RCP, so don't get too excited.

I know they were, I was marching right behind the RCP contingent. But the fact that plenty of seemingly non-RCP folks had them was still pretty cool. I even saw a couple of guys pushing around ice cream carts with red flags attached to their handles. I would have taken a red flag too, but the fact that they were being handed out by the RCP kept me from accepting one.

[Ele'ill]

here's a decent source for report backs and lists of what went down

http://pugetsoundanarchists.org/