CRASH THE RNC
STAND WITH THE BAY AREA AND JOIN THE RESISTANCE IN ST. PAUL
Bay Area, Santa Cruz, and other Northern California radicals have banded together as “Unconventional Action (UA) in the Bay” and collectively chosen to adopt SECTOR 4 in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota — in alliance with thousands of others nationwide who are collaborating to swarm the Republican National Convention on day one, September 1st.
The RNC Welcoming Committee in the Twin Cities called for a Bay Area regional commitment for blockades, direct action, and other protest mischief at the RNC. We intend to give it to them. Our region has a strong history of resisting oppression at home and abroad. Now it’s time to stand up again.
UA in the Bay is calling on activists and radicals of all stripes — global justice, peace, equality, queer, environmental, public, militant, anarchist, socialist, NGOs, student groups, marching bands — to join us in holding Sector 4 in solidarity with those committed to crashing the corrupt spectacle that is the RNC. While we are excited about the possibilities for convention delegate blockades and autonomous direct actions in Sector 4, we are committed to a world-altering process that allows everyone to have a voice in envisioning that which we are collectively trying to create. It is important that individuals and groups who cannot risk imprisonment have the opportunity to participate in a meaningful way in anti-convention activities. With that in mind, UA in the Bay has designated several key spaces within our sector with the potential for both blockades and low-risk demonstrations.
SECTOR 4 is one of seven sectors that surround the Xcel Center, home of the 2008 Republican National Convention. Organizers from coast to coast representing a variety of different communities are adopting other sectors. UA in the Bay has done reconnaissance within our sector and identified several key points that allow for civil disobedience blockades and autonomous direct actions, as well as for safer non-arrestable forms of creative protest. I-35E, including off-ramps and overpasses, and three street intersections have been identified as critical points for kicking off the fun the morning of September 1st. Bring overpass banners, musical instruments, puppets, protest signs, and of course devices for creating hard blockades around the convention center if you so choose. Whatever you do, plug in with UA in the Bay and come prepared. Contact uainthebay [at] lists.riseup.net and let us know where you and/or your group might be interested in locating or roaming.
Join us in Sector 4! Our strength will be in our numbers and collective ingenuity as we crash the RNC party.
SECTOR 4 OVERVIEW MAP:
If you print the “original image” from link above, this is set up to print nicely to tabloid size (11×17). Can be printed to regular (8.5×11) as well.
GOP Express Shuttle System is illustrated on map with red areas (parking for delegate buses), yellow diamonds (delegate loading/unloading zones), purple lines (delegate pedestrian pathways to/from Xcel Center), green lines (roads closed to “non-credentialed” vehicles), and red lines (new interstate offramp and parking lot exit created just for RNC). Note that buses will be arriving with new delegates and leaving to go pick up more from area hotels over and over, so stopping a bus from leaving the area would have the same effect as stopping one getting there — less delegates reaching the RNC.
[GOP Express Shuttle System — Potentially outdated March 2008 proposal for delegate transportation, produced by the City of St. Paul in response to a Data Practices Act request in a lawsuit filed against them by the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. twincities.indymedia.org/files/rnc/gop_express_shuttle_plans.pdf]
FINAL ORGANIZING MEETING:
Sunday, August 10th, 3-7pm
Long Haul Infoshop, 3124 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
BENEFIT SHOWS:
#1: Thursday, August 14th, 8pm
The Eagle Tavern, 398 12th St., SF
#2: Saturday, August 16th, 4pm
Albany Bulb, Albany
(check UA in the Bay web page for updates)
BLOCKADE THE RNC:
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st
St. Paul, MN
Go to http://www.indybay.org/conventions2008 for more plus posters and maps.
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from earlier this summer…
*UA in the Bay to Join the Resistance Against the Republican National Convention in St. Paul
The RNC Welcoming Committee in the Twin Cities has called for a Bay Area regional commitment to direct action at the RNC.
With a strong history of resisting oppression at home and abroad, Bay Area anarchists, anti-authoritarians, and other radicals are banding together as “*Unconventional Action (UA) in the Bay*” in solidarity with those committed to shutting down the corrupt spectacle that is the RNC on September 1st.
Responding to the RNC Welcoming Committee’s “Swarm, Seize, Stay” strategy which involves dividing St. Paul into sectors to facilitate coordination of blockades and other creative resistance to the RNC, UA in the Bay has collectively chosen to adopt* SECTOR 4* in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota; and we fully support the St. Paul Principles as outlined at the NoRNC.org website.
UA in the Bay emphatically encourages others to join our call to lock down Sector 4! We believe it will be a critical sector to seize and hold. We welcome the participation of other regional clusters who would like to co-adopt, or that of affinity groups and individuals who would like to plug in without having to adopt their own sector. Our strength will be in our numbers and collective ingenuity as we crash the RNC party.
*7.27.08 Spokescouncil I:
*Those interested in participating in planning direct actions or otherwise demonstrating against the RNC in Sector 4 are invited to the Spokescouncil Against the Conventions, Sunday, July 27th, 11am-7pm at the Long Haul Infoshop (3124 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA). UA in the Bay is calling upon Bay Area and Santa Cruz anarchist, anti-authoritarian
affinity groups/smaller clusters to send representatives so we can accurately assess our strength and begin strategizing within SECTOR 4 to shut down the RNC. Individuals not associated with an affinity group are also welcome!
*8.10.08 Spokescouncil II / Skillshare / Benefit:
*Location, schedule, and events TBD at 7.27.08 organizing meeting. Stay tuned to http://www.indybay.org/conventions2008 for details.
We’re aware that meetings sometimes may be difficult to attend, so an alternative means of showing solidarity, commitment, and cluster strength has been borrowed from A Midwestern Cluster’s model.
*SOLIDARITY ASSESSMENT* (as outlined by A Midwestern Cluster):
A solidarity assessment is easy as vegan pie to create. Follow the instructions below and you’ll be done in no time.
Step 1: Get on a public computer.
Step 2: Create a brand new email.
Step 3: Write an email to uainthebay@lists.riseup.net expressing your affinity group’s/cluster’s solidarity and commitment to holding SECTOR 4, including an estimate of your numbers.
(Please do not include specifics. The internet isn’t a safe means of communication.)
TRUE COURAGE TAKES PLANNING. GET INVOLVED NOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS SEPTEMBER 1st and BEYOND.
Updates will be released as planning decisions are made by consensus at UA in the Bay meetings.
With love and solidarity,
UA in the Bay
uainthebay@lists.riseup.net
http://www.indybay.org/conventions2008