ALL Out to City Hall: Tuesday October 25th

Last week on on October 4th, we successfully blocked City Council from expanding gang injunctions to Deep East and West Oakland and from hastily imposing youth curfews and anti-loitering laws. City Council has moved this suppression policing package to the Public Safety Committee, which will meet on Tuesday, October 25th. It’s up to us to stop them.  

Time and time again, we show up to City Hall & show City Council what real people power in Oakland is. Each time we mobilize we get even stronger. We are so close to a victory that will no doubt seriously shift power in our city, so that we can build the city we want & need.

Please come out to the Public Safety Committee meeting & tell council:

We cannot police our way out of poverty!

Our Oakland, Our Solutions!

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25TH

5:30PM

OAKLAND CITY HALL – 14TH & BROADWAY

Video Of the City Council Meeting

Click Here to watch footage of the City Council meeting. The public comment session starts at 2:20 and a presentation by Stop the Injunctions Coalition starts at 3:40.

Also, check out Beyond Gang Injunctions, a recent community discussion on why some organizers in the coalition are a part of this fight, produced by the National Radio Project.  Click Here to listen.

PACK CITY HALL! Urge the City Council to De-Fund Gang Injunctions in Oakland and Support Our Communities

We’ll likely be going on the agenda at 7pm.  Stop the Injunction Coalition folks and lots of community supporters will be there from 5pm on.  Come on out, sign a speaker card and step up to the mic to tell the City of Oakland why we are against gang injunctions!

14th and Broadway, Downtown Oakland.  CITY HALL

On May 17th, City Council will receive informational reports from the City Attorney’s Office & the Oakland Police Department. Afterward, they will vote on whether or not to defund the gang injunctions.

WE NEED EVERYONE TO CONTACT THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS. WE NEED EVERYONE TO COME OUT.

Click here to tell your council members to stop the injunctions:https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=208970569133592#!

This is a chance to stop the injunctions in their tracks and start building the safe & healthy communities we want to see. We MUST hold ourselves and our elected officials accountable by voicing our demands throughout this week and at City Hall on May 17th.

Friday May 6th: PACK THE COURT!!!

PACK THE COURT!!!

FRIDAY, MAY 6th

2:00pm

1225 FALLON ST., DEPT. 1
***Check our Facebook event page as the location will likely be changing***

Now, more than ever, we need folks to turn out & pack the courtroom. Everyone that has contributed to the work, showed up at City Hall, kept track of the struggle via Facebook or our blog, commented on any of the articles covering the injunctions, or supported us during our Week of Action–NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO CONTINUE TO SHOW YOUR OPPOSITION TO THE INJUNCTIONS & SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH THE INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED.

   The Court will be hearing final arguments on “Phase One” of the proposed Fruitvale gang injunction. The Court is considering issuing an injunction against five defendants as well as the “gang” of Fruitvale Nortenos, sued like a labor union (as an “unincorporated association”). The defense team is representing two of the defendants in jeopardy — Javier Quintero and Abel Manzo. Three other defendants, who were served with documents but who have not been able to participate in their legal defense, also face an injunction (these are Alberto Acosta, Antonio Lambaren, and Joey Anthony Martinez).

This will be a critical moment, not only for Abel and Javier, but also for the entire Fruitvale community. Judge Freedman will likely decide on the size of any injunction (400 blocks? 40 blocks?). He will decide on the terms of the injunction (no wearing red? no graffiti, even with permission? no drugs, legal or illegal?). Whatever decision he makes, he needs to know that the community is watching.

FREE JAVIER!!! FREE ABEL!!! STOP THE INJUNCTIONS!!!

RSVP here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=188465891200010

Tuesday May 3rd: PACK CITY HALL!!!

PACK CITY HALL!

TUESDAY, MAY 3rd

5:00pm

Oakland City Hall (14th & Broadway)

Come out to the next full City Council Meeting where “gang” injunctions will be on the agenda. This City Council Meeting is just a few days before the judge is scheduled to make a ruling on Phase 1 of the Fruitvale injunction case. Now, more than ever, we need EVERYONE to turn out in solidarity with those enjoined, their families, friends, and neighbors as we continue in the struggle to stop the injunctions.

OUR STRENGTH IS IN OUR PRESENCE AND WE KNOW WE CAN WIN!

SHOW UP EARLY AT 5PM TO SIGN A SPEAKER’S CARD!!! You can also sign up to speak online at: http://www.oaklandnet.com/cityclerk/speaker_instructions.htm  If you need to come late, that’s ok–PLEASE COME!!!

RSVP to the event here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=210602138964089

Coverage of the Bike Rides against Injunctions

Last Tuesday, March 2, two bike rides traversed the North Oakland and Fruitvale “safety zones” to protest the injunctions in Oakland.  Over 30 riders biked through the North Oakland “safety” zone, stopping at just a few of locations in North Oakland that have been part of Oakland’s radical organizing history, such as the stoplight at 55th and Market (read the article to find out why stoplight is so rad!).

The North Oakland ride was a real fun evening that generated lots of conversations with folks on the sidewalk, traveling in cars and waiting at bus stops.  Good outreach, sharing of history, and unpoliced movement in the streets.  It also gave us some first-hand examples (*ouch*) of what better ways Oakland could use our money: fix the roads, fill the potholes!!! Let’s really make safer streets for all!

Please email stoptheinjunction@gmail.com if you have any photos of the Fruitvale or North Oakland rides that you want to share.

Last stop at the It's All Good Bakery, former headquarters of the Black Panther Party (Oakland chapter)

Read Oakland North’s coverage of our North Oakland “safety” zone and Black Panther Party history ride here.

Youth Moblize to Stop the Injunctions in Oakland

Friday, March 4th: Youth walkout, occupy streets, march to City Hall, and rally to stop the injunctions in Oakland. After a week of action to stop the injunctions youth took to the streets to challenge those that say Oakland youth are apathetic towards the violence in our communities.

From Cairo to Madison to Tripoli–thousands of people are standing up for what matters most to them and their cities. It’s now time for OAKLAND and the larger BAY AREA to rise up and demand what our communities really need!!!

We need EVERYONE to rally against the injunctions. Right now our power is in our presence. Please bring as many people as possible with you!

There will be organizers of all ages from all over Oakland,
including Professor Angela Davis, speaking out against the injunctions.
There will also be theater and performances!

FREE CHILDCARE WILL BE PROVIDED, FOR MORE INFO, EMAIL US: stoptheinjunction@gmail.com

This rally is part of a week of action to stop gang injunctions.
Please join us for any of the other events leading up to the rally too!!!

Week of Actions: : Our Oakland, Our Solutions- What we want instead of the Gang Injunctions – Mon. February 28th – Fri. March 4th

Day #1: Mon. 2/28/11

Decriminalizing Our Youth and Our Communities:

We Denounce Violence, Stand Up for Education, & Demand Community Self-Determination!

Press Conference @ 10:30am

At: Fremont Federation of Schools (47th and Foothill)

Day #2: Tues. 3/1/11

Youth Empowerment-In Your Face:

Lifting Up Our Voices!

Bike Ride through the “Safety Zones”

-Fruitvale Ride Beginning At: East Side Cultural Center (2277 International) @ 3:30-5pm

MAP OF FRUITVALE ROUTE

-North Oakland Ride Beginning At: Bushrod Community Center (Shattuck and 59th ) @ 5:30-7pm

MAP OF NORTH OAKLAND ROUTE

Day #3: Weds. 3/2/11

Each One Teach One:

Community, Education, & Resources for Our Schools and Neighborhoods!

All Day Teach-ins

At: All High Schools in Oakland

Youth Concert @ 7-9pm

At: East Side Cultural Center (2277 International)

Day #4: Thurs. 3/3/11

STOP ALL VIOLENCE:

Healing Wounds of Oppression!

Vigil @ 5:30-7pm

At Lake Merritt Pavilion

Day #5: Fri. 3/4/11

Stand Up-El Pueblo Unido Jamas Sera Vencido:

Gang Injunctions are Ineffective, Harmful and an Attack on Youth!

Rally @ 4-6pm

At: City Hall

UPDATE: Public Safety Committee Meeting 2/22

Thanks to all that turned out last night as we packed City Hall with youth, parents, elders, teachers, organizers and community members from all walks of life! Special thanks to United Playaz and the Oakland Education Association for showing up and opposing the gang injunctions!

For those that didn’t stay until the bitter end, here is how it turned out:

We made 50+ presentations on every angle of the injunctions.  Nancy Nadel was the first Councilperson to speak, and she stated that she is against the injunctions.  Kaplan spoke next, and stated she had questions about the lack of City Council authorization for the injunctions.   Larry Reid refused to comment.  Pat Kernighan then stated that she wanted to see how the injunctions worked out, and would re-evaluate in a year.

Kernighan also stated that she did not want to see any new injunctions until the first two could be evaluated. Then, Nadel made a motion to schedule a vote on the injunctions.  Kaplan seconded.  But Reid and Kernighan voted “no,” so there is not yet a vote scheduled regarding authorization/deauthorization of the injunctions.

VIDEO: Public Safety Committee Meeting 2/22

We can claim some victories: We came out in great numbers to show our opposition and voice our own solutions to harm & violence in our communities, Kernighan doesn’t want to see any new injunctions until the ones on the table can be further evaluated, and Nadel is the first Councilperson to go on record against the injunctions.