Charlotte Rallies, Protests & Marches for Justice for Trayvon Martin

JUSTICE FOR TRAYVON MARTIN!
STOP THE WAR ON AFRICAN-AMERICAN YOUTH!

TRAYVON MARTIN a 17-year-old African-American youth, was shot in the chest and killed at point-blank range by a vigilante on Feb. 26 in Sanford, Fla. Martin was unarmed as he was returning from a store when his young life was tragically cut short. The man who shot him, George Zimmerman — who lived in a gated community — has not been arrested as of this writing.

Thursday, March 29
Million Hooded March for Justice for Trayvon Martin
6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Marshall Park
E. 3rd St & S. McDowell St
Charlotte, NC

The march is in memory of Trayvon Martin.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57402215/outrage-over-trayvon-martin-shooting-spreads/

Sponsored by Nolimit Larry and Thug Ministries. More info:
http://nolimitlarry.com/newspost/million-hooded-march/

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Friday, March 30
Charlotte March & Vigil for Trayvon, Shaima and other victims of hate crimes

Attendees are welcome to wear a hoodie and/or a hijab in solidarity.
6:45 pm - start the march through uptown
7:45 pm - vigil will begin in Marshall Park, 3rd St & S. McDowell St, Charlotte, NC
Candles will be provided

Come out, march, light a candle, tell a story, sing a song or just quietly observe the moment. This is a space for people to peacefully mourn, share their anger, and give each other strength and hope in the long fight for justice.

***

Feb. 26: Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old Florida high school student, is found shot and killed, in Sanford, Fla., a community north of Orlando.
Several eyewitnesses report to police that they heard a scuffle, then a cry for help, and then a gunshot.

According to the Sanford police report, George Zimmerman, 28, a self-appointed neighborhood watch captain, is found armed with a handgun, standing over Martin, who is unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene. He has no weapons on him, only a pack of Skittles and a bottle of iced tea.

Zimmerman tells police he killed Martin in self defense. Taking him at his word, police do not arrest him, nor administer a drug or alcohol test. They also did not run a background check.

***

The body of an Iraqi-American woman who was found brutally beaten next to a note saying "go back to your country, you terrorist" will be flown to Baghdad.

Shaima Alawadi, 32, was taken off life support on Saturday, three days after her 17-year-old daughter found her unconscious in the dining room of the family's El Cajon home in suburban San Diego.

***

We will remember Trayvon, Shaima and the countless thousands of people who have been wrongfully murdered because of prejudice and fear. You know some of their names. Trayvon Martin. Shaima Alawadi, Sean Bell. Oscar Grant. Sakia Gunn. Brisenia Flores. Luis Ramirez. But many many more remain nameless, faceless victims of a corrupt, unjust society says some lives are just worth less than others.

Facebook Event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/193053040806585

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Tuesday, March 27
Harding University High School
2001 Alleghany Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28208
Students planning through Facebook
Also see this news story

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Sat., March 24
Hundreds gather in Charlotte in support of Trayvon Martin by DIANA RUGG / NewsChannel 36
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Hundreds of people, Skittles in hand, filled a northwest Charlotte church Saturday to rally over the case of a Florida teen shot dead by a neighborhood watch volunteer.

The Skittles – bags of rainbow-colored, flavored candies – have become a rallying cry for those who want to see the man who shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin arrested.

Martin was carrying a Skittles and an iced tea – but not a weapon – when George Zimmerman spotted him and called 911 in a gated community in Sanford, Florida. The two got into a fight before Zimmerman shot Martin. Zimmerman’s attorney said he shot Martin in self defense.

Zimmerman has not been charged, and that has sparked outrage and several rallies nationwide, like the one at Chappell Memorial Church Saturday.

“All you hoodies throw your hand up in the air,” said organizer John Barnett, referring to the hooded sweatshirt Martin was wearing when he was shot. Several people at the church wore similar hooded shirts in support.

K.J. Webb was one of them. The 16-year-old Mallard Creek High School sophomore said his civics class discussed the case, and that made him want to attend the rally. He called the shooting unfair.

“For the simple fact that he shot him even though he was no threat,” said Webb. “All he had was skittles and a tea.”

A woman taped a sign to Webb’s shirt just before he spoke to NewsChannel 36. It said, “Please don’t shoot, I have a future.”

Webb said he doesn’t often feel like the target of discrimination, but he also knows to be careful about how he is perceived.

“Especially in stores, not to keep my hands in my pockets and my hoodie on, or look extra suspicious,” he said. “It makes me feel set apart.. makes me feel like I have to be different .. like I can't be myself,” he said of the practice.

Another man at the rally, Joe Guzman, said he knows what it feels like to be targeted. Guzman said he was shot 16 times when New York police opened fire on his friend, Sean Bell, as Bell left a bachelor party on the eve of his wedding in November 2006.

“It’s gonna happen again and again and again, and its gonna keep happening,” said Guzman, who now lives in Charlotte.

Friday, one police officer involved in Bell’s shooting was fired and three more resigned – more than five years after it happened.

Guzman believes the national attention brought to that case – and to Martin’s – eventually brings justice.

“The mass numbers, they have to respond to it. They can't just let it go, push it under the rug, it can't be done,” he said.

Zimmerman’s case is expected to go to a grand jury, which will determine what charges, if any, are filed. Saturday, an attorney for Martin’s family said he is confident Zimmerman will be arrested.

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If you know of any events planned for Charlotte, NC in support of Justice for Trayvon Martin, please contact us so we may share the info charlotteaction [at] gmail.com

For a list of actions across the U.S. see
International Action Center

March 31: Occupy Charlotte March, Rally, and General Assembly

Occupy Charlotte Facebook

Saturday, March 31st — March, Rally, and General Assembly

Meet at 12pm on The People’s Lawn (600 E Trade St) to march with members of Occupy Charlotte to the Duke Energy building where we will join activists from other organizations for a rally and press conference. After this event, please return with us to The People’s Lawn for the Occupy Charlotte General Assembly.

Greenpeace, the organizer of the Duke event named “Occupy Duke,” says this: “We will be having a rally and press conference to call on Duke Energy to quit coal and supply NC with clean, affordable and safe energy now! Speakers representing different interests including environmental, public health and economic justice will call out Duke Energy for their dirty rate hike and demand more for NC.

Speakers include:
Rev Kojo Nantambu, Charlotte NAACP
Hector Vaca, Action NC
June Blotnick, Clean Air Carolina
Monica Embrey, Greenpeace NC
Craig Glisson, Occupy Charlotte
Ken Davies, Green Party – Charlotte Chapter

Saturday, March 31st
1pm: Rally!
2pm: Press Conference
Duke Energy Headquarters (550 S Tryon, Charlotte, NC 28202)

Oppose Transit Fare Hikes, Occupy Government Center Plaza

Occupy Charlotte Press Release, March 26, 2012

The Occupation of Government Center Plaza

Members of Occupy Charlotte will be bringing attention to the Public Hearing on transit fare increases by Occupying Government Center Plaza on Wednesday, March 28th beginning at 6am.

Occupy Charlotte, which is part of the Occupy Wall Street movement, is a community group fighting for political and economic justice at the local, state, national, and international levels.

Public transit should be fully funded. But raising fares for riders is not the answer. CATS expects a 3% drop in ridership if fares are increased, which will lead to more traffic congestion and carbon emissions in Charlotte, a city which already has the 10th worst air quality in the United States. As part of our Occupation of Government Center Plaza, Occupy Charlotte members will host a discussion at 4:30pm to talk about alternatives to raising fares. We will also be encouraging community members to speak at the Public Hearing at 5:30pm.

Please join us anytime Wednesday, March 28th at Government Center Plaza (600 E. 4th St.)

For more information, please see our website: www.OccupyClt.net

Media contact for this event: Scottie Wingfield, 484-941-4722

April 14: Protest DNC - National Organizing Meeting in Charlotte

National Organizing Meeting of the Coalition to Protest at the DNC
Saturday, April 14 @ 9am
Charlotte School of Law
(2145 Suttle Avenue, Charlotte, NC)
On April 14, the Coalition to Protest at the DNC will be holding a national organizing meeting in Charlotte, NC.
This will be an opportunity for organizations from across the country to come together to discuss what struggles will be bringing them to the streets of Charlotte in September, to discuss what kinds of action we want to organize in the build up to and during the convention, and how to plug in more to the work to build for the demonstrations.
We’ll also be joined by organizers from the Coalition to March on the RNC in Tampa, FL who will be sharing plans and preparations for protests when the Republicans meet there one week prior to the DNC.
Even if you or your organization is not yet a part of the Coalition to Protest at the DNC, we invite you to come out to this meeting to learn more and find out how you can get involved.
For more information, please send us an email at info@protestdnc.org, find the event on Facebook.
Join the Coalition To Protest At The DNC

Nov. 17: Occupy Charlotte March on Bank Of America HQ

In solidarity with Occupy Wall Street's call for a Day of Action to close down Wall Street we will march to Bank of America.

Thurs., Nov. 17

5:00 pm
Meet at Occupy Charlotte encampment

600 E. Trade St

March to Bank Of America

100 N. Tryon St

Charlotte NC

Facebook event page for Occupy Charlotte Nov. 17 protest

Occupy Charlotte General Assembly meetings daily

Daily

Occupy Charlotte General Assembly

lawn of Old City Hall
600 E. Trade St.
Charlotte, NC

NEW TIMES:
Sunday - Friday 7:00 pm
M/W/F 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Saturday - 3:00 pm

Click here for more Occupy Charlotte events

Join the Occupy Charlotte movement and get involved!
Occupy Charlotte Facebook page

Every Saturday: Occupy Charlotte Rally & Protest March followed by General Assembly

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Occupy Charlotte Rally & Protest March
followed by General Assembly

3:00pm

Old City Hall lawn
600 E. Trade St.
Charlotte, NC

Some chants from the Oct. 15 Occupy Charlotte march:

WE are the 99%!
YOU are the 99%!

The banks got bailed out - we got SOLD OUT!

How do we fix the deficit?
End the Wars & Tax The Rich!

This is what democracy looks like!

The People United Will Never Be Defeated!

Join us at Occupy Charlotte & get involved!
Occupy Charlotte Facebook page

Community Rally "No to UNJUST evictions! REOCCUPY OUR HOMES!"

No to UNJUST evictions!

October 31, 2011

Stonewall Jackson Homes
5751 Airport Rd
Charlotte, NC 28208

In June 2011, the company TriTex bought the Stonewall Jackson Homes Community. Now they are trying to evict us all, to sell the property. At the same time, when they bought the property, they stopped giving tenants 12 month leases. If they knew at this time that they were going to sell the community, why didn’t they let us know? They waited until the beginning of October to tell us we had 30 days to leave. Included in this mass evictions are families with leases that have not expired. This is a violation of the law. Now they are kicking everyone out with no options on where to go. This is a violation of our human rights! REOCCUPY OUR HOMES!

Enough with the attacks on poor families!
Enough with the attacks against immigrant families!
Let us say NO to the abuses & YES to our dignity!
Let us say NO to the abuses & YES to our children!
They will not evict my family nor my neighbors’ families!

UPDATE: We've decided to cancel the protest. The tenants will be able to stay. Thanks to everyone who put in hard work to help these renters. Thanks to everyone who supports them. Thank you Creative Loafing for such a great article. This definitely helped.

In 2 weeks, we will hold a party to celebrate this great victory and to acknowledge the hard work that these tenants put in and their development as great leaders for their community.

For more information:
704.244.1100

#OWS VICTORY: The people have prevailed, gear up for global day of action

Posted Oct. 14, 2011, 8:51 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt

People power triumphs over Wall Street’s bid to end the protests mayor bloomberg and Brookfield Inc. back down on eviction world prepares for day of action Saturday October 15 in 950+ cities in 82 countries. We Are Winning!

NEW YORK, NY – Over 3,000 people gathered at Liberty Plaza in the pre-dawn hours this morning to defend the peaceful Occupation near Wall Street. The crowd cheered at the news that multinational real estate firm Brookfield Properties will postpone its so-called “cleanup” of the park and that Mayor Bloomberg has told the NYPD to stand down on orders to remove protesters. On the eve of the October 15 global day of action against Wall Street greed, this development has emboldened the movement and sent a clear message that the power of the people has prevailed against Wall Street.

“We are winning and Wall Street is afraid,” said Kira Moyer-Sims, a protester from Portland, Oregon. “This movement is gaining momentum and is too big to fail.”

“Brookfield Properties is the 1%. They have invested $24 billion in mortgage-backed securities, so as millions face foreclosure and eviction due to predatory lending and the burst of the housing bubble that Wall Street created, its not surprising they threatened to evict Occupy Wall Street,” said Patrick Burner, an organizer with Occupy Wall Street from the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn. “But Brookfield and Bloomberg have backed down and our movement is only growing as the 99% take to the streets world wide to call for economic justice.”

The early morning announcement from the Mayor’s office in New York came after 300,000+ Americans signed petitions to stop the eviction, and flooded the 311 phone network in solidarity with those in Liberty Square. At 6 AM this morning, 3,000+ New Yorkers, unions, students, and others joined the occupiers in the square to send a clear message to the 1% who want to silence this peaceful assembly of the 99%. Donations poured into the protesters from Italy, England, Mexico and many other countries by everyday people hoping to help the movement grow.

“For too long the 99% have been ignored as our economic system has collapsed. The banks got bailouts and we’ve been sold out, ” said Harrison Schultz, business analyst from Brooklyn . “Wall Street’s greed has corrupted our country and is killing our planet. But today we celebrate victory and vow to keep fighting for justice and change on Wall Street, and in over 100 cities in the US and over 950 cities globally.”

On October 15th, Occupy Wall Street will demonstrate in concert over 951 cities in 82 countries and counting as people around the globe protest in an international day of solidarity against the greed and corruption of the 1%.

Occupy Wall Street is a people powered movement that began on September 17, 2011 in Liberty Square in Manhattan’s Financial District, and has spread to over 100 cities in the United States and actions in over 1,500 cities globally. #OWS is fighting back against the corrosive power of major banks and multinational corporations on the democratic process, and the role of Wall Street in creating an economic collapse that caused the greatest recession in generations. The movement is inspired by uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia, Spain, Greece, Italy and the UK, and aims to expose how the richest 1% of people who are writing the rules of the global economy and are imposing an agenda of neoliberalism and economic inequality.

October 15th Call to Action

Posted Oct. 14, 2011, 1:07 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt

Over the last 30 years, the 1% have created a global economic system - neoliberalism - that attacks our human rights and destroys our environment. Neoliberalism is worldwide - it is the reason you no longer have a job, it is the reason you cannot afford healthcare, education, food, your mortgage.
Neoliberalism is your future stolen.

Neoliberalism is everywhere, gutting labor standards, living wages, social contracts, and environmental protections. It is "a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money." It is a system that ravages the global south and creates global financial crisis - crisis in Spain, in Greece, in the United States. It is a system built on greed and thrives on destablizing shocks.
It allows the 1% to enrich themselves by impoverishing humanity.

This has to stop!
We must usher in an era of democratic and economic justice.
We must change, we must evolve.

On October 15th the world will rise up as one and say, "We have had enough! We are a new beginning, a global fight on on all fronts that will usher in an era of shared prosperity, respect, mutual aid, and dignity."

Actions in NYC
October 15th: Occupy Banks from Mary Matthews on Vimeo.
Actions worldwide
Take The Square

EMERGENCY CALL TO ACTION: Prevent the forcible closure of Occupy Wall Street!

Posted Oct. 13, 2011, 2:14 p.m. EST by OccupyWallSt

EMERGENCY #OWS EVICTION DEFENSE:
Prevent the forcible closure of Occupy Wall Street

Tell Bloomberg: Don't Foreclose the Occupation.
NEED MASS TURN-OUT, SHOW UP NO LATER THAN 6 A.M.

This is an emergency situation. Please take a minute to read this, and please take action and spread the word far and wide.

Occupy Wall Street is gaining momentum, with occupation actions now happening in cities across the world.

But last night Mayor Bloomberg and the NYPD notified Occupy Wall Street participants about plans to “clean the park”—the site of the Wall Street protests—tomorrow starting at 7am. "Cleaning" was used as a pretext to shut down “Bloombergville” a few months back, and to shut down peaceful occupations elsewhere.

Bloomberg says that the park will be open for public usage following the cleaning, but with a notable caveat: Occupy Wall Street participants must follow the “rules”.

NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly has said that they will move in to clear us and we will not be allowed to take sleeping bags, tarps, personal items or gear back into the park.

This is it—this is their attempt to shut down #OWS for good.
PLEASE TAKE ACTION

1) Call 311 (or +1 (212) NEW-YORK if you're out of town) and tell Bloomberg to support our right to assemble and to not interfere with #OWS.

2) Come to #OWS TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT to defend the occupation from eviction.

For those of you who plan to help us hold our ground—which we hope will be all of you—make sure you understand the possible consequences. Be prepared to not get much sleep. Be prepared for possible arrest. Make sure your items are together and ready to go (or already out of the park.) We are pursuing all possible strategies; this is a message of solidarity.

Click here to learn nonviolent tactics for holding ground.

Occupy Wall Street is committed to keeping the park clean and safe—we even have a Sanitation Working Group whose purpose this is. We are organizing major cleaning operations today and will do so regularly.

If Bloomberg truly cares about sanitation here he should support the installation of portopans and dumpsters. #OWS allies have been working to secure these things to support our efforts.

We know where the real dirt is: on Wall Street. Billionaire Bloomberg is beholden to bankers.

We won't allow Bloomberg and the NYPD to foreclose our occupation. This is an occupation, not a permitted picnic.

Occupy Wall St

Oct. 15: Protest for Jobs, Housing, Education & Healthcare Not Corporate Bail Outs, Cut Backs, & Wars!

National Day of Coordinated Actions

On the 10th Anniversary of the U.S. war on Afghanistan:
Protest for Jobs, Housing, Education & Healthcare
Not Corporate Bail Outs, Cut Backs, & Wars!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Noon Gather at Charlotte Board Of Education
701 E Martin Luther King Blvd, Charlotte, NC
(next to Marshall Park)

March on Bank Of America

When the U.S. government began its attack on Afghanistan 10 years ago, President Bush called it a “war on terror.” It was followed by 8 years of U.S. war in Iraq and now war in Libya and drone wars on Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Sudan under President Obama. These are all wars for oil, resources and markets in the interests of corporate power.

At the same time, the U.S. government is carrying out attacks on working people within the U.S., cutting back on health care, education and vital services while bailing out the Wall St. banks and insurance companies. Every time people call for money for social services, we are told there is no money, but the government always finds money for its wars & corporate bail outs.

Join us in a march to demand an end to U.S. wars in Afghanistan & Iraq, an end to U.S. military aid to Israel, and an end to U.S. bombing and destruction in Libya and an end to the growing repression at home.

We will protest home foreclosures, corporate greed, and the billions spent on war that could be used for peoples' needs here at home instead. Each U.S. cruise missile being used to bomb Libya could pay ten teachers for a year here in the United States.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have the cost the U.S. more than $3.7 trillion according to the Cost Of War report issued by Watson Institute for International Studies.

In addition, over 5,000 U.S. soldiers have been killed and tens of thousands wounded. It is estimated that over 1,000,000 Iraqi civilans and at least 10,000, but possibly up to 30,000, Afghan civilians have been killed as a results of the wars.

We will gather at noon at the Charlotte Board Of Education and rally to save our public schools and teachers.

From there we will march through uptown to the square and rally in front of Bank Of America. This will be followed by a march to join our sisters and brothers at the Occupy Charlotte protest encampment (similar to the action planned for NYC).

This is a day of nationally coordinated antiwar actions in cities across the U.S. called by the United National Antiwar Coalition. Protests are scheduled across the country including New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Charlotte, NC, Portland, Minneapolis, San Francisco and Sacramento, CA.

This will be a peaceful, nonviolent protest and it is legal and all necessary permits have been obtained. Bring signs, friends and family.

For more information on the Charlotte protest
see the International Action Center of Charlotte's website at
http://www.charlotteaction.blogspot.com.

Facebook Event page

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=113705242071600

Over 500 join Occupy Charlotte Oct. 8 March on Bank of America HQ

By David Dixon

On Saturday, October 8, over 500 people of all ages and races joined together at Old City Hall and marched on Bank of America's HQ in uptown Charlotte, NC. The group Occupy Charlotte, part of the nationwide Occupy Wall St Movement, protested and spoke out against corporate greed.

Participants then marched back to Old City Hall for a General Assembly to form working groups and begin setting up the permanent Occupy Charlotte encampment.

Another Assembly of occupation participants was held at 7:00 pm where the working groups gave reports.

About three dozen protesters stayed at the encampment overnight and plan to  stay as long as it takes to achieve economic justice. They have vowed to stay for at least a year and will be a major presence during the Democratic National Convention.

Press Reports, Video & Photos:

Protesters set up 'tent city,' start weighing options for what's next
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/10/09/2677860/protesters-set-up-tent-city-plan.html

Protesters gather for 'Occupy Charlotte'
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/10/09/2676392/protesters-gather-for-occupy-charlotte.html

"Occupy Charlotte" protestors plan march to city council meeting
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/29428409/detail.html

"Occupy Charlotte" protests Bank of America
http://www.wcnc.com/news/131404033.html

WCNC Photo Gallery
http://www.wcnc.com/news/131404033.html?gallery=y&c=y

Occupy Charlotte Protesters March in Uptown (video)
http://www.foxcharlotte.com/news/local/Occupy-Charlotte-Protesters-March-in-Uptown-131401468.html

Several hundred people "Occupy Charlotte" uptown Saturday (w/ videos)
http://www.wbtv.com/story/15616216/occupy-charlotte-plans-bofa-protest

Spreading protests reach in No. 2 US banking city
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/49645--spreading-protests-reach-in-no-2-us-banking-city

Protests Emerge Around the U.S.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203476804576619440086145216.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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Occupy Charlotte Facebook page

Oct. 15: Occupy Charlotte General Assembly Meeting

Occupy Charlotte General Assembly Meeting

Sat., October 15, 2011

3:00 PM

Old City Hall lawn
600 E. Trade St.
Charlotte, NC

Occupy Charlotte Facebook page

Oct. 12: "Reality on the Ground: What About Human Rights"

Wed., October 12, 2011

6:30 PM

Mary Lou Leiser Smith
Edith Garwood

Covenant Presbyterian Church
100 E. Morehead St.
Charlotte, NC 28204

"Reality on the Ground: What About Human Rights"

Longtime educator and Middle East peace activist, Mary Lou is the founder and Coordinating Director of the Coalition for Peace with Justice. She also serves in a leadership capacity with other peace and human rights groups that support just peace efforts in Israel and Palestine. Her frequent travels to Israel-Palestine inform her work in education and advocacy of the dynamic changing realities that impact the prospects for justice and peace. Edie Garwood is Amnesty International's country specialist for Israel-Palestine.

Dinner Available Before the Event
Covenant Connection Dinner: 5:30 - 6:30 pm
$6/adults; $4/children and youth; $20 family
Dinner reservations and cancellations needed by noon each Monday prior to the Wed. event
Phone (704) 333-9071

CODEPINK Weekly Peace Vigil Every Wed.

Peace Vigil

Every Wednesday

4:30pm to 5:30pm

7th St & Hawthorne Ln
Charlotte, NC

Sponsored by CODEPINK Charlotte

Oct. 11: Duke Energy Public Hearing on Rate Increase

Charlotte: Oct. 11, 2011, at 7 p.m.,
Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County,
Francis Auditorium, 310 N. Tryon St.

More info:
  
Duke Energy looks to justify rate increase to public, utility commission

Oct. 8: Today is the Day! Occupy Charlotte, Old City Hall @ 3pm

Today is the Day! Occupy Charlotte, Old City Hall @ 3pm
600 E. Trade St, Charlotte, NC 28202

Saturday, October 8, 2011

FaceBook Event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=169636109785623

Today at 3:00pm

Gather at 600 E.Trade Street and OCCUPY!

Get your small tents, sleeping bags, food, signs, camera, courage etc. ready and let's set up camp :3


IMPORTANT: Take these numbers with you! Do it.
National Lawyers Guild: (888) 654 - 3265
North Carolina National Lawyers Guild: (919) 967 1967

BATHROOM/NECESSITIES INFO:

Many public restaurants/bars/businesses are available for bathroom/food/drinks. Also there are grocery stores in the near area: Follow Trade St. east towards Kings Dr, make a right, the shopping strip will be on your right.

PARKING/TRANSPORTATION INFO:

Some free parking is available around Marshall Park, but very limited. If you get there early enough, you may be able to park for free. Also see time restraints at the said parking place.

If you are local, you can take the Lynx: http://www.charmeck.org/city/charlotte/cats/lynx/Pages/default.aspx
or you can take the bus:
http://www.charmeck.org/city/charlotte/cats/Bus/Pages/default.aspx

ALSO PARKING GARAGES:

Central Parking System
700 West Trade Street, Charlotte, NC

Central Parking System
531 West 4th Street, Charlotte, NC

E-Z Parking
312 W Trade St # 301, Charlotte, NC

Standard Parking
227 West Trade Street, Charlotte, NC

Stephanie Parking
123 South Church Street, Charlotte, NC

If these do not suffice, or fail, you can always use: http://maps.google.com/ to find information on parking and the surrounding area :)

!---------------------------------!

If you are not able to attend, please support us by donating food, water, medical/hygiene stuff and clean clothes!
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Also, please lurk:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Bank-of-America-Headquarters-Charlotte/253428618033129

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Charlotte/180107322067252

http://www.facebook.com/occupycharlotte

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Who: The 99% in Solidarity with Occupy Wall Street
When: 3PM, Oct. 8th 2011

We are union members, students, teachers, veterans, families, the unemployed and underemployed. We are all races, sexes and creeds. We are the young and the old. We are the majority! We are the 99 percent. And we will no longer be silent.

As members of the 99 percent, we will occupy Trade Street, Charlotte NC (Banking district) as a symbolic gesture of our discontent with the current economic and political climate and as an example of a better world to come. Therefore we invite the public, our fellow 99 percent, to join us in this peaceful protest.

This is a call for individuals and families, community and advocacy groups to stand in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street.

_______________
From OccupyCharlotte website:

In preparation for our gathering we would like to share some information. Since we are a leaderless peaceful gathering, you have the ultimate say. We can only help organize the day. While chaos is wonderful part of the creative process some people just can’t cope with it.

Our tentative schedule has changed a bit and probably will again and again since we all need to decide. Providing you with a tentative schedule will help a bit.

3pm Announcements General Assembly

3:30pm Safety and Twitter escorts

4pm March to Bank of America

5pm Volunteer Working Groups

5:30pm Open forum

Let’s not forget we are will be together regardless of our differences. Take care of each other! Also, remember we are practicing peace and we ask that there be no violence or destruction. Acquaint yourself with the guide to General Assembly.

Important Announcements!

Did you start a Occupation Charlotte Facebook page to help organize the protest against corporate America ? The planning committee would like you to join the internet committee. The community needs people who are driven and motivated to help us. We want everyone in the process and are asking you to join the team ! Please contact us http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Charlotte/180107322067252
We need Twitter escorts , We have est…ablished twitter accounts to aid in the street protesting to avoid some of the incidents that happened in New York. If we can communicate we can take care of each other. A twitter escort will be linked by an twitter account so the group can communicate in mass. They will be responsible for maintaining safe passage at pedestrians cross walks and relaying information to the protesters as information develops. If you would like to volunteer please bring some comfortable shoes and sox and a cell phone that can access Twitter.

For more information and to stay informed visit:
Occupy Charlotte Facebook page

Coalition calls for collective bargaining for state workers

by AlanMWolf on 2011-02-21 newsobserver.com blogs

A coalition of labor, civil rights and religious groups rallied in front of the General Assembly offices today to call for an end to North Carolina's ban on public employees' collective bargaining and to resist balancing the state budget at the expense of public sector jobs and programs.

The rally drew about 100 supporters who listened to several speakers representing labor, churches and the NAACP, staff writer Craig Jarvis reports. About two dozen people staged a counter-protest across across the street in Bicentennial Plaza, shouting and chanting throughout the rally.

Both sides cited the public employees' union standoff in Wisconsin, where that state's governor has proposed to reduce public employee's pay and benefits and to limit their collective-bargaining rights.

"In North Carolina and the rest of the Southern states, we are denied collective bargaining," Saladin Muhammad of the International Workers Justice Campaign and UE Local 150 North Carolina Public Service Workers Union. "That came out of a period called Jim Crow."

Coalition members filed into the Legislative Building to present copies of the call for a repeal on the bargaining prohibition to the offices of Sen. Phil Berger, pro tem of the Senate and to Rep. Tom Tillis, speaker of the house. Tillis briefly greeted rally leaders and agreed to schedule a time for a more substantial meeting.

North Carolina and Virginia are the only states that have a complete ban on public employee collective bargaining.

Randy Dye of Pittsboro, one of the counter-protesters, said the network of Triangle conservative organizations only heard about the rally 24 hours earlier, and didn't have enough time to mount a larger presence. "We wanted to face off with them," he said.

The conservative protesters carried signs reading "Unions -- Too Big, Too Costly" and "Wisconsin: Pass the Bill." They shouted "freeloaders!" and chanted "U.S.A"

The other side countered with their own chants, including "People's budget! People's budget!"

ACT NOW: Wisconsin Gov. Plans to Eject Protesters from Capitol

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The Capitol Belongs to the People!

Urgent: Protesters Inside Wisconsin Capitol Need Your Support

Gov. Starts Punitive and Restrictive Measures

The Wisconsin Finance Committee Announces Plans to Eject Protesters this Sunday at 4 P.M.

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For 12 straight days peaceful protesters: high school and college students, families with children, workers from all of the unions including teachers, state workers, nurses and firefighters have continued a 24 hour presence at the Capitol.

The presence of the people inside is the only way to insure that the politicians and the bought and paid for Governor Walker heed the democratic will of the people.

The Capitol belongs to the people! We built it: we paid for it.

On Friday night, police were ordered to lock doors at 9 P.M. and to restrict people from bringing in bedrolls, blankets and air mattresses to make it more difficult for people to maintain their 24 hour people's lobby.

Prior to this, loudspeaker systems boomed all night long forcing people including the police to wear ear plugs.

None of this has daunted the spirit of those who are participating in the occupation.

But they need your support.

Many inside are prepared to go to jail if need be.

The time is critical-let Governor Walker, the Koch brothers and his rich cronies and all the politicians know that the whole world is watching!

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