Help these Media-Savvy Homeless Occupiers Get to Philly ASAP

HELP!! TIP CUP PLEA - Our ride to Philly fell through. I am BEGGING for donations to take a plane there. THERE IS A PAYPAL slot on this  www.USuncutMN.blogspot.com site. 

 I need $100 by tomorrow. Someone from Occupy Mpls/Mn needs to BE THERE, collecting info and getting people on The Page about how we are being "picked off" and criminalized. I have the foreclosure moratorium/prevent homelessness presentation to do. Please. Nickels and dimes add up. I need $100 by tomorrow and then I can fly there ... 

I so wish Ziggy Vouraun could come too. So be generous, we would do a GREAT JOB between live streaming, videoing and putting this all in writing .......  

Help me get support to prevent homelessness via the foreclosure moratorium, speak about the need for the Financial Transaction Tax/Robin Hood tax anduse the media to exposure this cynical ploy by RT Rybeck!!   Minnesota pioneered the foreclosure moratorium movement back in the Depression; we can so do it again.

Here you can help by putting in a few keystrokes!  http://signon.org/sign/41-million-reasons-for?source=c.url&r_by=260770.

Signing the petition will give a kickstart to a national demand, done via each state.

 http://www.opednews.com/articles/State-wide-Foreclosure-Mor-by-Virginia-Simson-120618-544.html

008RNC Redux! http://www.occupyhomesmn.org/nonviolent-cruz-family-supporters-targeted-with-riot-charges-weeks-after-arrests/ three arrestees at Cruz house charged with third degree Riot gross misdemeanor. 3rd degree riot (gross misdemeanor) / Obstructing legal process / Disorderly conduct / Presence At An Unlawful Assembly / Trespassing. Bankster criminal ops continue unhindered with state, local & federal protection from bullies wearing nice clothes ....

Occupy Homes protesters charged with rioting

By Gregory Pratt Fri., Jun. 29 2012 at 2:29 PM

Occupy Homes

Several Occupy protesters have been charged with rioting for their demonstrations at the Cruz family home.
Local protester Nick Espinosa, who made a name for himself by dropping pennies on Tom Emmer and glitter-bombing politicians across the county in addition to his work with Occupy Minnesota, was charged yesterday with third-degree riot (a gross misdemeanor), interfering with a peace officer, trespassing, disorderly conduct, and presence at unlawful assembly.

Espinosa did not return phone calls seeking comment but Occupy Homes released a statement blasting the city attorney for "escalating" charges against the protesters.
Initially, the protesters at the Cruz family home were charged with simple trespassing.
"These charges are a clear and disgraceful attempt to suppress the Occupy Homes movement and 'make an example' of anti-foreclosure organizers who were arrested while non-violently protesting an unjust eviction," Occupy's statement read. "City Attorney Susan Segal, appointed by Mayor RT Rybak, has also made it a point to aggressively prosecute other political defendants, including a group arrested while protesting US Bank's foreclosure practices last fall."
Despite the new charges, Occupy says it will continue its protests.
"This attempt to silence and stifle anti-foreclosure organizing will not deter us from fighting for our homes, our families, our neighbors, and our futures," Occupy said.
It is unknown at this time how many other protesters were hit with the new charges. Espinosa is one and the group acknowledges that "at least three arrestees (though likely more)" have been affected.
Related coverage:
-- Gary Schiff wants city of Minneapolis to send Cruz home police bill to PNC Bank
-- Police efforts at now-foreclosed Cruz family home cost taxpayers $42,429
-- Occupy Homes activist Nick Espinosa helps save his mom's Mpls home from foreclosure
-- Occupy Homes can't defend Cruz family home from third eviction attempt
-- Occupy Homes successfully defends foreclosed Mpls home against 4 a.m. eviction raid [PHOTOS]

Nonviolent Cruz Family Supporters Targeted with Riot Charges Weeks After Arrests

Posted on June 29, 2012 by beckyz803

Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan steps on peaceful protesters outside the Cruz home May 30. Fourteen were arrested that night, and so far at least three have received riot charges.

Yesterday, several activists with Occupy Homes MN discovered that the City Attorney has decided to escalate charges following their arrests defending the Cruz family home. Prosecutors at the City Attorney’s office originally charged the group of Cruz family supporters with trespassing, and have now moved to significantly more serious charges including 3rd degree riot–a gross misdemeanor which carries a sentence of up to one year in prison and a $3,000 fine.

These charges are a clear and disgraceful attempt to suppress the Occupy Homes movement and ‘make an example’ of anti-foreclosure organizers who were arrested while non-violently protesting an unjust eviction. City Attorney Susan Segal, appointed by Mayor RT Rybak, has also made it a point to aggressively prosecute other political defendants, including a group arrested while protesting US Bank’s foreclosure practices last fall.

As of now at least three arrestees (though likely more) are charged with the following:

• 3rd degree riot (gross misdemeanor)
• Obstructing legal process
• Disorderly conduct
• Presence At An Unlawful Assembly
• Trespassing

Instead of prosecuting the criminal fraud of the bankers that crashed our economy, or working to give relief to families devastated by the foreclosure crisis, our tax dollars are being spent to evict families at the banks’ behest, and to intimidate and prosecute neighbors fighting to keep more vacant homes out of their communities.

The fight to defend the Cruz family from a wrongful and unnecessary eviction has garnered support from hundreds of thousands of supporters around the country with solidarity actions in over a dozen cities, and has sent a message to big banks everywhere that we won’t stand by and let them steal our homes.

This attempt to silence and stifle anti-foreclosure organizing will not deter us from fighting for our homes, our families, our neighbors, and our futures.

We shall not be moved.

For more updates and ways to support the defendants, follow www.occupyhomesmn.org, http://www.facebook.com/OccupyHomesMN and www.twitter.com/OccupyHomesMN.

Please donate to our legal fund here to help cover the costs of this attack on our movement.

Thanks for your support,
Occupy Homes MN

Foreclosure Moratorium Flyer
Please sign and SHARE

 

Sitting on millions of dollars while people are being evicted is unacceptable. Be transparent with the National Mortgage

Settlement and put a moratorium on foreclosures & evictions until the process is up, running, and proven to be working

for at least one month.

There has been at least $280 million available but on hold for over 6 months.  This money was obtained to keep people in their homes and as relief for victims of corrupt banking practices by Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and GMAC/Ally Financial.

Help us get this money working and stop foreclosures & evictions until it is.  Let’s prevent homelessness  For further information:  Please contact USuncutMN@gmail.com and/or see Virginia Deoccupy Homelessness Simson’s Facebook page.  Petition can be accessed at http://signon.org/sign/41-million-reasons-for?source=c.url&r_byS=260770

www.ag.state.mn.us/Consumer/PressRelease/120209NatMtgSltmnt.asp
www.propublica.org/special/where-are-the-foreclosure-deal-millions-going  
Article on how to obtain a state-wide foreclosure moratorium can be found at and what YOU can do is on:  
 www.opednews.com/articles/6/State-wide-Foreclosure-Mor-by-Virginia-Simson-120618-544.html 

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Occupy Minneapolis ARREST report; Scott

Hello everyone,

 

Yesterday several OSP activists were present for the Re-Occupy event at Peavey Plaza and Loring Park in Minneapolis. As planned, members of OSP Tactical contributed to this event by providing non-violent bodyguard protection for citizen media. Unfortunately, that protection definitely turned out to be needed, as Minneapolis PD attacked not only citizen media but even the mainstream press:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=s2uDcMI71rs

 

Once again, the bodyguard tactic was a success- every media person with a bodyguard was able to avoid arrest and keep filming despite multiple arrests going on all around them.

 

The first action I participated in was the march to the home of US Bank CEO Richard Davis. The callous indifference of some members of the 1% was on full display on a Mazda Miata we passed in Mr. Davis' neighborhood. In the midst of the most protracted economic crisis in many decades, the owner of this vehicle still displays a bumper-sticker with the phrase "will work for hundreds of thousands of dollars."

 

When we reached the mansion belonging to Mr. Davis, there were twenty-two police squad cars, a police SUV and a paddy wagon in the immediate vicinity. I think we all know that you or I would not receive protection like that if we requested it!

 

Later that day at Peavey Plaza, we were informed that the police had dusted off an obscure ordinance from the early 70s to ban us from having any structures up in Peavey Plaza despite a prior court ruling that such structures were protected speech. The courts have already ruled that Occupy can put up tents in public spaces for the purpose of protest- the city can prevent us from sleeping in them, but not from putting them up. However, the Minneapolis PD apparently decided that their "public nuisance" ordinance trumped both the First Amendment and the courts.

 

When the police arrived to enforce this ordinance later that evening, we began to march through the streets carrying the tents in protest. Occupy marches in the street have always previously been tolerated by the Minneapolis PD. We reached Loring Park, where we found out that three Occupiers had been cited and released on arbitrary charges such as riding a bicycle in an area designated as a walkway. We were informed that the police intended to evict us from Loring Park, and there were a number of squad cars present.

 

We decided to march back to Peavey to try to re-claim that space. This was when we began using bodyguards for citizen media. I was watching out for Nick Rogue of Rogue Media, and one other member of OSP Tactical was watching out for an OSP livestreamer. (I'm not using names here because I haven't asked them if that would be okay.) At Peavey, there were approximately thirty police on foot in the vicinity of the Plaza, along with three mounted police, many squad cars and a huge mobile command center.

 

After they informed us again that we would not be allowed to have tents in the park, we once again resumed marching. At a certain point, the police began to form a "kettle." This is a police tactic where all escape routes are blocked off so protesters can either be trapped in one place or subjected to mass arrests. One of the prime duties of a non-violent bodyguard is to keep the livestreamers from getting caught in a kettle. I was able to spot the kettle forming and keep Nick Rogue on the outside of it so he could keep filiming.

 

At this point, the mounted police suddenly flanked the marchers and blocked off the street, and the other police attacked the march from behind. One officer assaulted the Channel 5 cameraman as he was doing his job, destroying a video camera worth tens of thousands of dollars. Another video camera belonging to citizen media was also destroyed. Eleven Occupiers were arrested, and several sustained minor injuries from being tackled and slammed to the ground.

 

Nick Rogue showed great boldness in getting extremely close to the arrests in order to document what was happening. One mounted officer repeatedly rammed into him with her horse to try to intimidate him into moving away- the horse was actually so close to him at one point that it started trying to eat his hair, and he was only able to keep filming by holding on to a lamp-post with one arm. I confronted her verbally and insisted that she stop bumping the horse into him. Once he had the footage he needed, we got out of there.

 

The rest of the night was a vigil in front of the jail until we had succeeded in bailing out all of our arrested comrades by about six AM.

 

The events at Re-Occupy demonstrate that the determination of authorities to crush dissent extends even to physically assaulting members of the mainstream media and destroying their equipment. The importance of the bodyguard initiative for our own media is also going to be increasingly important as we move on into the spring.

 

I'll close with a brief anecdote about our presence at this event. At one point when conferring with another member of OSP Tactical on the street, I heard one member of Occupy Minneapolis say to another: "Oh, those guys are from Occupy Saint Paul?"

 

The other guy replied "They're all over the place, there's a ton of them here tonight!"

 

In reality, there were only several of us, but I believe we made a real and valuable contribution.

 

Here is some more of Nick Rogue's footage:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_iOXECa1Rw&feature=player_embedded

 

You can find photos of the arrests here:

 

http://www.occupyminneapolis.mn/

 

Thanks for your time,

Tall Scott 

OFF TO DC! to help Monique White fight foreclosure and help us get JOBS!

Yes, the SEIU bus leaves tonight at 7 pm and I'll be on it!

I hope to make contacts that will help us defeat US Bank in their foreclosing Monique's property.

#Occupy has a great future ahead of it if we can show the banksters they can be defeated!

To offer help, please contact us at USuncutMN@gmail.com as we put together a sucessful campaign that all can use!