Tag: May Day 2012

#OWS May Day 2012

It’s May, the season changes and Occupy Wall St is back with a call for a national general strike on May 1.

On May 1st,

We will celebrate a holiday for the 99%. We will come together across lines of race, class, gender, and religion and challenge the systems that create these divisions. New Yorkers will join with millions throughout the world – workers, students, immigrants, professionals, houseworkers. We will take to the streets to unite in a General Strike against a system which does not work for us. With our collective power we will begin to build the world we want to see. Another world is possible!

We call on everyone to join us: No work! No school! No shopping! Take the streets!

#OWS is calling for us to do two things to commemorate the day:

 

  • Don’t like what you do? Don’t do it. Take one day to do something you love instead.
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  • Love what you do? Do it for free. Take it to the next level and bring it to the public.
  • If you’re in New York City, Los Angeles, Houston, Boston, Chicago, #OWS will be there with art, entertainment, education and peaceful occupation for closed and abandoned homes and the occupation of our country. No action in your city or town? Start one. All it takes is a few people in a park with a couple of homemade signs.

    Here are some of the May Day 2012 events in some of the major US cities:

    New York:  

  • 8 AM: Bryant Park will be the site of a “Pop-up Occupation” featuring free food, a free market, free services, skillshares, workshops, teach-ins, speak-outs, public art, performances, discussions and direct-action trainings.
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  • Noon: Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello leads a guitar workshop and rehearsal for the Occupy Guitarmy.
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  • 2 PM: March to Union Square led by Tony Morello and the Occupy Guitarmy where they will hold a concert.
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  • 5:30: March to Wall Street with a coalition of organized labor, immigrant rights groups and faith-based activists.
  • Oakland:  

  • Occupy Oakland is planning to occupy the Golden Gate Bridge at 6 am followed by a series of direct actions facilitated at three announced strike stations: the anti-capitalist station at Snow Park, the anti-patriarchy station at 1st & Broadway and the anti-gentrification at 22nd & Telegraph.
  • Los Angeles:  

  • Occupy LA is organizing a “4 Winds” People’s Power Car and Bike Caravan through sprawling of Los Angeles that will culminate with Direct Action in and around the downtown Financial District. Here’s a map to find a “wind” near you.
  • Boston:  

  • Noon: Major groups will assemble at City Hall Park.

     

  • 7 PM: Groups with gather at Copley Square Park to put on costumes, puppets and face-paint and receive instructions on their respective roles in the “funeral procession” that will proceed through areas of wealth and commerce.
  • Chicago:  

  • Noon: Groups will gather at Union Park for a march to Federal Plaza.
  • Portland, OR:  

  • 7:30 AM Student activists are planning on massing at the headquarters of the Portland Public Schools to protest budget cuts and the falling quality of our schools and to attempt to nonviolently shut down work for the day.
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  • 3 PM: A family friendly event at South Park with a march at 4:30.
  • Tuscon, AZ:  

  • 9 AM: A march for immigrant rights in Tucson will move from Greyhound Park parking lot to Armory Park for a noon rally with speakers, music, entertainment and info booths.
  • If you can’t strike, there are other things you can do:  

  • Don’t shop.
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  • Wear a button, a hat or a tee shirt.
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  • Donate to May Day 2012