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    PRESS ADVISORY: Statehouse Steps Occupied

    PRESS ADVISORY – Statehouse Steps Occupied
    Contact: media@occupyboston.org – 410.960.0647

    On April 4th, Occupy the MBTA, a working group of Occupy Boston, launched Camp Charlie, a ten day occupation of the State House steps to protest fare-hikes and service cutbacks on the MBTA. Having survived the depths of the recession, the 99% now faces additional taxes in the form of escalating T fares and the loss of essential transport routes. This is a further transfer of public wealth to the banks. These are the same institutions that were bailed out by the American taxpayer after being rendered insolvent by their own, criminal recklessness. The only debt in need of servicing is their debt to us. In a country that lavishes four billion dollars in subsidies on the oil companies, the relentless assault on public transport could not make less sense – ethically, environmentally, or otherwise. Camp Charlie will be a place for public debate, conversation, and outreach – a living testament to the refusal of the people to be further abused by a clutch of corporate interests, multinational banking cartels and consolidated oil interests.

    Press Release: Occupy Boston Dissolves

    *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, April 1 2012*
    Contacts: Media@OccupyBoston.org
    Twitter: @occupyBOS_media

    OCCUPY BOSTON REALIZES MISSION MISGUIDED, DISSOLVES

    In an uncharacteristically early morning meeting, the General Assembly of Occupy Boston voted to dissolve itself today, citing an introspective change of heart regarding criminal banking cartels, moneyed interests in politics, and the general lack of democracy both locally and around the world.

    “Three cheers for the current system!” cried John Perez, 26, smelling freshly showered on the way to his new job as an analyst for Citibank. “So what if 93% of the revenue generated by the so-called recovery went to 1% of the people? It’s time for me to get mine!”

    Ariel Plattus concurred, “I used to think that rewarding bankers with mountains of taxpayer dollars for destroying our economy might not make the most sense.” Plattus lowered her voice conspiratorially, “In fact, when I got involved with Occupy, I thought those corporations should be broken up and their executives thrown in jail. But then Tim Geithner made me realize that tax-dodging multinationals are part of America’s competitive advantage over other countries! We’re really lucky to have an elite cadre of greedy, unaccountable insiders robbing our grandchildren blind. Thank goodness none of them have been prosecuted!”

    Nearby, Rene Ford whistled a happy tune while straightening a new tie. “I used to be convinced that workers’ self-management was the only way towards building a sustainable, just economy,” Ford chirped, “but watching a private equity titan make a cool two-hundred million by destroying jobs and then clinch the Republican presidential nomination by piloting a raft of lies down a thick river of Wall Street cash — well, it really put things in perspective.” Ford stopped to hi-five Farhad Gradowski, who had his own reasons for voting for the dissolution. “I just realized that I hate helping people,” he said.

    After the assembly, Katie Cheeno could be seen laying out a veritable Wal-Mart’s worth of t-shirts, hats, and pins emblazoned with OBAMA 2012 on the lawn of Dewey Square. “The truth is that the President has delivered completely,” she said softly. “He understands what the people need, and that’s why he nominated another multi-millionaire Republican to the Federal Reserve after reappointing Ben Bernanke as a reward for his sustained refusal to do anything about unemployment;” and here, Cheeno paused, her voice growing husky as she gazed into the sun glinting off the Fed, “I just wish Barney Frank were running for re-election. He’s taught me so much about the power of elected officials to enforce the rule of law! And working with City Life/Vida Urbana, I have seen first-hand just how effective voting for rich people can be in stopping rampant, illegal foreclosures.”

    Watching the last of the freshly-scrubbed former occupiers make their way towards the subway, Rachel Ebrahimi looked on with approval. “Yup, we really learned something here. Namely that mutual aid, solidarity, and direct action are no substitute for pretending like a hopelessly corrupt, traveling media circus represents the interests of the people.” Setting fire to the previously-cherished plans for a local cooperative enterprise, Dan Oshinsky added, “After all, corporate leviathans are people, too.” Ebrahimi nodded, “Absolutely! God, I wish November was here already.”

    On Threatening Eviction


     
    This morning, Mayor Menino issued a midnight deadline for Occupy Boston to leave the Greenway. The articulated threat of eviction is a clear and present danger to the community we have built over the past ten weeks. We came to Dewey Square to practice true democracy and give visibility to injustice; we came to see if we could not–in providing for basic needs–maintain a standing indictment against their enforced deprivation within our broader community. With this commitment came hard evidence of economic suffering, evidence that we present at the doorstep of the Federal Reserve along with our democracy, our songs and our chants that echo daily through the financial canyon. Today, the city threatens that community. It threatens the library, where we hold our classes and discuss ideas. It threatens our food tent, which has served thousands of people many more thousands of meals. It threatens our medical tent, which has provided treatment and care to the sick and to the injured. Not only these, it threatens the lives of those of us who have no place else to go. The city has cited concern for our safety as the reason for forcing us back into the streets. But make no mistake; the city’s concern for our safety will disperse when we do.  We have therefore taken steps to ensure the safety of the infrastructure we have built, and to protect the most vulnerable among us in the event of the eviction. We are taking down the food tent, the medical tent, packing up our logistics supplies for safe-keeping and working with social service providers and other allies to secure shelter for our brothers and sisters most likely to experience homelessness if and when the city throws away their tents. We take action–today and always–in the name of economic and political justice, freedom of expression and our entire community.

    Press Release: Day of Action on December 3

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    OCCUPY MOVEMENT TO HOLD CITYWIDE DAY OF ACTION IN BOSTON


    Contact: street@occupyboston.org
    617.286.6805                                       

    Boston, MA [11/30/11] The Occupy Boston Movement is holding a city wide day of action this Saturday December 3, 2011. The day will begin at 10 am with neighborhood specific actions to engage the diverse populations of our city. These actions include, but are not limited to, a demonstration against the practices of the Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) Department at the JFK Federal Building on New Sudbury Street, a speak out on Climate Justice outside of the Park Street train station, and the dissemination of literature on the shortcomings of our health care system at Coolidge Corner in Brookline.

    Following the actions, participants will converge at Copley Square at 1:00pm for a general “speak out” featuring the voices of the 99%. The purpose of the day is to offer opportunities for meaningful actions to address economic injustice and to bring the community together to celebrate our strength and unity.

    WHAT: Occupy Movement Day of Action and speak out of the 99%

    WHEN: Saturday, December 3, 2011, 10 am

    WHERE: 10 am to 1 pm – Neighborhood specific locations (for detailed location information, please visit http://www.occupyboston.org/unity) 1 pm – Copley Square

    You are the 99%. Join us.

    ###

    Occupy Boston started in Dewey Square on September 30, 2011. It was directly inspired by, and we stand in solidarity with, our brothers and sisters at Occupy Wall Street in New York City. The continued occupation of Dewey Square—located outside of South Station in the heart of Boston’s Financial District—is one of more than 120 Occupy encampments in cities across the nation and is a symbol for people everywhere who support real and lasting change. While these different occupations share many goals and attitudes, they each operate independently, and there is no national organization that can speak for all occupations. For more information visit https://www.occupyboston.org/

    Thank You To Our Supporters

    Occupy Boston offers thanks today to all of our supporters, organized and independent, large and small, who have donated time, energy, and essential provisions over the 56 days of the occupation. We wouldn’t be here without you.

    Organizations that support, endorse, and stand in solidarity with Occupy Boston:

    American Civil Liberties Union
    AFGE District 2
    Ben & Jerry’s
    Bisexual Resource Center of Boston
    Boston Building and Construction Trades Council
    Bradley Manning Support Network
    Brookline PAX board
    Cohasset Democrats
    Community Labor United
    Gay and Lesbian Labor Activist Network
    Greater Boston Labor Council
    Greater Boston Young Democrats
    Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council
    Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers
    IBEW Local 103
    IBEW Local 2222
    IUE-CWA Local 201
    Lesley University Faculty Assembly
    Local 7 Iron Workers
    Massachusetts AFL-CIO
    Massachusetts Building Trades Council
    Massachusetts Jobs with Justice
    Massachusetts Nurses Association
    Massachusetts Teachers Association
    Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition
    MassEquality
    MassPoetry
    MassUniting
    Metropolitan Boston Building & Construction Trades Council
    NAGE
    National Association of Social Workers, Massachusetts Chapter
    National Lawyers Guild
    New England Regional Council of Carpenters
    North Shore Labor Council
    Right to the City
    SEIU Local 1199: United Healthcare Workers East
    SEIU Local 615
    SEIU Local 888
    SEIU Massachusetts State Council
    Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
    UNITE HERE Local 26
    United American Indians of New England
    USW Local 8751: Boston School Bus Drivers Union
    Western Massachusetts Jobs with Justice

    Contact us

    Occupy Boston Media <Media@occupyboston.org> • <Info@occupyboston.org> • @Occupy_Boston