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People’s Convention Focuses Occupy Florida Groups’ Efforts

In Events, Travel on December 18, 2011 at 1:28 pm

Contributed Report.

Representatives of 17 different Occupy Florida movements gathered for three days last week in front of Orlando City Hall to discuss plans and programs to move Florida’s Occupy groups forward together.

Called the “People’s Convention of Florida,” the gathering, Dec. 9–11, was the first such state-wide gathering of Occupy groups in the U.S., and the first step in coordinating and supporting Occupy Florida while strengthening each city’s group.

The People’s Convention was structured as a two day-long general assembly and work-group sessions, followed by an all-day assembly on Sunday when the attendees (showing extraordinary perseverance and patience) managed to debate and approve a long list of demands and solutions aimed at addressing various social, political and economic ills ranging from homelessness to banking malfeasance to pollution and environmental destruction and of course, the political process.

What was notable was that, while no one tried to create an all-inclusive document describing the diverse points of view of all occupiers, the various work-groups were able to create lists of specific issues and suggest specific remedies, something lacking in Florida movements’ efforts so far.

There were also calls for more direct actions; not all the attendees felt that political actions or even precise definitions of problems and solutions could bring change. Occupiers who felt that demonstrations, marches, flash mobs and other public events made plans to cooperate on a state-wide level.

The themes of the event were unity and cooperative effort. Everyone worked hard to hammer out the right language to express issues and goals that all could agree upon, and it was hard work. The final general assembly started early Sunday and lasted until late in the evening, with only a few short breaks.

The proposals agreed upon by the assembly will be sent to each city’s G.A. for discussion, modification and possible ratification. Then, probably, the proposals will return to the People’s Convention website for fine-tuning and another vote.

Saturday, Dec. 10, was Human Rights day. The day’s activities ended with a reading of the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights and a group singing of John Lennon’s “Imagine.”

Sunday, Florida’s weather gave its vote of approval to the Convention. The day stayed comfortably warm and rain-free until a few minutes after the final thanks and good-byes were said. Then, as everybody dispersed, the rain which had held off all day finally came pouring down.

While no firm date has been set, it is certain that another state-wide Occupy gathering will be scheduled in the next few months, likely before the start of the 2012 State legislative session in April.

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Open Letter Guide to the People’s Convention of Florida

In Events, News, Travel on December 10, 2011 at 11:51 am

By: Dani Bronson and Mike Madison

The People’s Convention of Florida will be held Dec. 9-11 at Orlando City Hall in Orlando, Fla. According to the People’s Convention, 17 Occupies in Florida have confirmed that members are en route and the list includes Orlando, Bradenton, Tampa, Key West, Sarasota, St. Pete., Miami, Daytona, Naples, Tallahassee, Palm Beach, St. Augustine, Space Coast, Jacksonville, Tavares, Melbourne and Gainesville.

While Occupy focused, the general public is invited to take part in the conversation. The overall purpose of the convention is “to develop a list of desired changes that will resonate with any ethical person.” This list of desired changes, dubbed The People’s Plan, will be hand delivered to the State Capitol during the march on Tallahassee by those who wish to participate on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 (the first day of the year’s Florida legislative session).

While every day of the convention has a specific itinerary, each has it’s own broader objective:

Dec 9th:  Objective: To get know each other, make signs for Saturday, and just generally unwind with fellow occupiers. It is an optional day because many people cannot make it on Friday due to work or school or kids, etc.

Dec 10th: Objective: Discuss and synthesize proposals for Sunday’s GA. Dec 11th: Objective: GA at City Hall to reach consensus on proposals discussed Saturday.

Open Letter News will be hitting the road to bring you coverage of the events and the People’s Convention of Florida as a whole.

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Voices of the Arrested: Cari Welsh Questions Police Priorities and Details the Riverfront Arrests

In Editorials, Police Watch on December 9, 2011 at 3:43 pm

By: Cari Welsh

On the afternoon of Thursday, Dec. 1, Tampa police arrested a woman who had handed off a gun to a man who used it to shoot Dontavious Clark, 22, several times after a verbal altercation.   SWAT went in to search the Robles Park address, but the suspect, Darnell Ammons, remains on the loose.

That same day, protesters of Occupy Tampa, a movement in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street, had planned and announced ‘Public Space Liberation Day.‘  Protesters met at Curtis Hixon Park, shared stories about why they ‘occupy’ and held  a ceremonial General Assembly meeting. They then marched over to Riverfront Park and held an AIDS vigil for World AIDS Day, and began planning to use Riverfront Park as a place to peacefully assemble and reach out to the local community. The announcement to ‘liberate the park’ was sent out a week and a half prior, on Nov. 21, giving the police, city council and media plenty of notice to ask questions or begin negotiations. On the night of Dec. 1, however, more than two dozen Tampa police invaded the small encampment, which consisted of three tents, one canopy, several cases of bottled water, and about 50 quiet protesters. Rather than continuing the search for Ammons, who should be considered armed and dangerous, Tampa police focused on arresting peaceful, unarmed protesters. It leaves one to wonder, where are the priorities? Protecting the community, or protecting Wall Street?

After protesters thoroughly mic checked Tampa police, officers arrested the 26 occupiers on the hill. Mike Madison, Open Letter News.

Upon arrival, Capt. Dugan announced that anyone who did not leave the park would be arrested for trespassing. Several protesters obeyed and left the park to remain on the sidewalk. Individuals from independent media, the New York Times and WMNF News were told they had to leave as well. 26 protesters remained, sitting in a circle with arms linked together. While police encircled them and waited for orders, they began chanting, “We are unstoppable, another world is possible!” After several minutes, the chanting stopped and individual protesters used the people’s mic for various messages to Tampa police, such as, “we’re fighting for your pensions too. You are the 99%,” “I recognize the divinity in you. In Lak’ech” and, “You don’t have to do this, just walk away!” Capt. Dugan tried using a megaphone to repeat that all protesters would be arrested for trespassing as well as resisting arrest if they didn’t leave, but protesters began singing in unison, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “This Land is Your Land,” and other songs one by one. Several hours passed, as the officers stood around shining lights in the protester’s faces, video recording and sometimes smirking as the protesters held their ground.

Finally, one by one, the police began grabbing the protesters, handcuffing and escorting them to the various vehicles used in the operation ranging from police cars to modernized vans. Some of the protesters were roughed-up during their arrests, even though they were peacefully non-compliant. I was one of eight females placed inside one of the vans, segregated from the males, where there was little room to move and no air circulation. On the way to jail, we continued singing, if for no other reason than to heighten our spirits after being caged like animals. We could hear the males’ voices on the other side of the van; a reassuring feeling that they were okay.

            It wasn’t the first group arrested from Occupy Tampa, in fact, Tampa protesters have experienced heavy police harassment since the group’s inception in early October. The group is under constant surveillance by officers on foot, in unmarked cars and even gets regular hover visits by police helicopters. Interestingly, it took over 13 days to capture armed robbers who have been accused of robbing 7 small businesses beginning on Nov. 21. Yet, protesters have been unsuccessful, but for one night, at sneaking by the city ordinance that bans sleeping in public parks. If police spent as much time watching the community as they do watching protesters stand around and talk, more crimes could be prevented.

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