FPL Protest Trial UPDATE
Submitted by Anonymous on June 23, 2008 - 11:49am.
A verdict and sentencing was given Friday afternoon. 6 defendants with
the Earth First! movement from all across Florida and the U.S. were
found guilty of 3 charges: unlawful assembly, trespass, and resisting.
The sentence is a year of probation; no contact with the Palm Beach
Aggregates or West County Energy Center (WCEC) site; and $333 in court
costs. There will be a restitution hearing to decide if they will be
required to pay the Sheriff's decision to pay overtime, for which the
State is requesting $20,000.Justice for Javon Dawson!
Submitted by Anonymous on June 9, 2008 - 10:46pm.Not one more black life!
Uhuru Movement leads protest against St. Petersburg, FL police killing of 17-year-old Javon Dawson
Come out Sunday, June 22 to an informational conference exposing St. Pete's new waterfront stadium plan and its connection to the police containment and impoverishment of the African community. Sunday, June 22 at the Uhuru House, 1245 18th Avenue South, St. Petersburg.
The murder of Javon Dawson is tied to the city of St. Petersburg's plans for a new baseball stadium on the waterfront, part of efforts to gentrify and disperse the historically African community and turn St. Petersburg into an enclave for wealthy white people.
Dawson was gunned down in the back by St. Petersburg police officer Terrance Nemeth on Saturday night, June 7 at a high school graduation party.
Dawson had no police record, something the media always drags through the papers to try to slander the character of the victims and justify the crimes of the police.
Nevertheless the police and media are working overtime to criminalize the young man. The police insinuate that Dawson had a gun, even as all witnesses have stated that was clearly not the case.
CIW, Burger King reach agreement to improve farmworker wages, working conditions
Submitted by Anonymous on May 23, 2008 - 2:19pm.
May 23, 2008: Burger King campaign comes to an end with historic press conference, signing ceremony at US Capitol!
Click here for the joint press release from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and Burger King: <http://www.ciw-online.org/BK_CIW_joint_release.html>
After a year of escalating pressure by the CIW and its allies, the agreement extends Fair Food principles to the world's second-largest hamburger chain.
Orlando Food Not Bombs Members Found Not Guilty
Submitted by Anonymous on May 12, 2008 - 7:46pm.
Late this afternoon--May 9--a jury acquitted 5 members of Orlando Food Not Bombs--Ryan Hutchinson, Bryan Jones, Brett Mason, Eric Montanez, and Will Vertlieb--of charges they had violated a City of Orlando noise ordinance. The five were arrested in June of 2007 for drumming "too loudly" during a protest against the homelessness policies of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. (The State's Attorney dropped the charge against the 6th defendant, a juvenile, and refused to prosecute the adult defendants who were then prosecuted by the city prosecutor.) The protest took place outside of a restaurant where Dyer was having a campaign fundraising event. The defendants were able to reclaim their drums, which had confiscated as "evidence" by Orlando police, after their acquittals.
Activists Reclaim the Streets Against War
Submitted by marlon on May 5, 2008 - 8:20pm.
On May Day, international worker's day, activists in Sarasota held a Reclaim the Streets party to protest the US role in war at home and abroad. Protesters shut down the street outside Vern Buchanan's office in solidarity with workers all over the country who shut down ports and trucking routes in opposition to the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.
Between 100-200 people participated in the festival of resistance, dancing, drumming, breaking piñatas, drawing on the street, and chanting. Police responded by arresting two people and eventually forcing demonstrators out of the street. A spirited spontaneous march through downtown followed the street party.
Anti-war Protestor Arrested For Climbing Lightpole
Two Arrested During May Day Street Party
UPDATE: Charges Against Anti-War Protestor Dropped
More interviews, video, and eye-witness accounts will be added as they're posted.
CIRV Starts Second IRV Initiative, Moves to Ban Business and Corporate Contributions in County
Submitted by viva la revolucion on April 23, 2008 - 4:11am.SARASOTA COUNTY REGISTERED VOTERS: Download, Print and Mail your signature to CIRV! Get 5 of your neighbors to sign it (good excuse to meet your neighbors)!
The Coalition for Instant Runoff Voting (CIRV) in Florida has begun their second initiative in Sarasota County for Instant Runoff Voting (IRV). This new initiative will also limit contributions to "natural born persons," effectively excluding corporate and business interests from donating for county elections.
Earth Day Protest Against SAVE Act (video)
Submitted by marlon on April 22, 2008 - 10:11pm.Activists in Sarasota, FL storm congressman Vern Buchanan's office on Earth Day to demand he withdraw support for the SAVE Act.
Newtown Redevelopment Plan Begins this Week
Submitted by Isabel on April 4, 2008 - 1:50am.On March 14th and 15th, the Sarasota Housing Authority (SHA) held a
conference to educate residents and the public on the Newtown
Redevelopment Plan. William Russell, director of the Housing Authority
states that the plan will “replace 388 units of distressed public
housing with approximately 850 units of housing that will be one-third
public housing, one third affordable housing and one-third market
rate”.
The conference was organized by Janie Poe resident council president, Valerie Buchand, and the Orange Avenue, Courts, and Bertha Mitchell resident council president, Jackie Green. Both presidents are long-term Sarasota residents working to help families in public housing relocate and stay connected. In an interview two months ago, Buchand explained, “There is a lot more to moving a family out of the community than you may think.” Residents recieve Section 8 vouchers to move to other public housing. Buchand said, “some moved out of the city, some moved to other public housing, and some moved to Northport or Bradenton."
The conference was organized by Janie Poe resident council president, Valerie Buchand, and the Orange Avenue, Courts, and Bertha Mitchell resident council president, Jackie Green. Both presidents are long-term Sarasota residents working to help families in public housing relocate and stay connected. In an interview two months ago, Buchand explained, “There is a lot more to moving a family out of the community than you may think.” Residents recieve Section 8 vouchers to move to other public housing. Buchand said, “some moved out of the city, some moved to other public housing, and some moved to Northport or Bradenton."
All Power to Imagination! The Ivory Tower Meets Grassroots This Weekend at Conference on New College Campus
Submitted by A Roc on April 1, 2008 - 10:51pm.
Academia & Activism: The Unbridgable Chasm?
This is a source of constant debate amongst activists, academics and community organizers of all shapes and sizes. Do grassroots organizations have anything to learn from the Ivory Tower? Does the fact that an often-detached academia is two, five, ten years behind the times (when they don't miss the boat all together) make it irrelevant to movement? Does the nature of the division of labor in our society naturally create the unequal power relationship characterized by a 'vangard' of academics trying to direct the masses through policy and their 'superior knowledge'?!
There are no simple answers, and I will not pretend to try and tackle the issues here. Why would I when this weekend, there will be a powerful event in our own backyard that is down for the cause?
Anti-War Banner on US 41
Submitted by Isabel on March 24, 2008 - 3:38pm.
Film showing a banner drop on US 41 and Myrtle in Sarasota on the fifth anniversary of the occupation of Iraq.
Music by Snoop Doggy Dogg
