Occupy Collin County

Webpage:
http://occupycollincounty.com/

Facebook:
Occupy Collin County on Facebook

Occupy Plano on Facebook

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/#!/OccupyPlano 

Occupy Texarkana Federal Court building action November 30th ! [photos]

A a small group of protestors held a demonstration Wednesday morning (Nov. 30) at the Texarkana Post Office and Federal Court building.
The group did "mic checks" throughout the demonstration from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.
The local protest was held in conjunction with a number of similar recent demonstrations including Occupy Dallas outcrying corporate and governmental corruption.

more great photos here

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/OccupyTexarkana

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/OccupyTXK 

What If They Sent in Social Services to Help Occupations Instead of Riot Cops to Bust Heads?

Cities are cutting back on vitally needed social services, while at the same time, buying expensive military gear for their police departments.

Occupations across the country have struggled to feed and shelter the least fortunate among us, and then faced often violent police crackdowns at great taxpayer expense. Pause for a moment and imagine what might result if mayors sent in social workers to help people rather than riot police to bust some heads?
In a society that tends to avert its gaze from the homeless, the hungry, the addicted and the mentally ill, the Occupy movement's compassion has become an albatross around its neck. “We don't exclude the people at the margins,” one protester at Occupy Oakland told me. “We invite them in and feed them.”

read on

Group Wants to UNoccupy UNT Students want occupiers removed from UNT's campus

View more videos at: http://nbcdfw.com.

A group of University of North Texas students want to clean up their campus, and that means kicking out the Occupy Denton group.

Occupy Denton is camped out in front of UNT's art building, and UNoccupy UNT wants them gone.

UNoccupy UNT says the protesters are creating a site for sore eyes.

"Walking by, you can smell them, and you see them. You can see the trash cans, but if you really take a closer inspection, you see a lot of really grotesque things," UNoccupy UNT leader Alex Delgado said. "They have clam chowder that expired in July that they are eating out of."

Delgado started a petition to remove the occupiers from campus

read on

Occupy Movement to gather at Texarkana post office

Occupy Texarkana will be holding a demonstration in solidarity with Occupy Dallas and the Occupy Wall Street movement as a whole on Wednesday, November 30th, 2011 from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. at the downtown Post Office in Texarkana.

This demonstration coincides with a general strike called for by the General Assembly of Occupy Dallas to protest unfair and abusive practices by corporations on both an individual and a governmental level, and the General Assembly of Occupy Texarkana joins in issuing this call and invites all who support the movement to participate throughout the day.

Literature will be available, and it is the hope of Occupy Texarkana to perhaps change perspectives regarding the Occupy Wall Street movement. Everyone is invited to participate, make their voices heard, or just to listen and learn what the movement is about.

Occupy Texarkana is committed to a peaceful demonstration and preemptively disavows any attempt to subjugate the message with violence or other inappropriate or illegal action. Proper permits have been obtained from both states and from the federal government.

read on 

Pre-Occupied The origins and future of Occupy Wall Street. by Mattathias Schwartz [New Yorker]

Kalle Lasn spends most nights shuffling clippings into a binder of plastic sleeves, each of which represents one page of an issue of Adbusters, a bimonthly magazine that he founded and edits. It is a tactile process, like making a collage, and occasionally Lasn will run a page with his own looped cursive scrawl on it. From this absorbing work, Lasn acquired the habit of avoiding the news after dark. So it was not until the morning of Tuesday, November 15th, that he learned that hundreds of police officers had massed in lower Manhattan at 1 A.M. and cleared the camp at Zuccotti Park. If anyone could claim responsibility for the Zuccotti situation, it was Lasn: Adbusters had come up with the idea of an encampment, the date the initial occupation would start, and the name of the protest—Occupy Wall Street. Now the epicenter of the movement had been raided. Lasn began thinking of reasons that this might be a good thing.

Read on

"Occupy Now" involved in anti-fur protest at Neiman Marcus? [cbs]

(CBS) DALLAS - It's already hard enough to get a handle on the goals of the Occupy Now protesters - but is it possible the movement also had a hand in an animal rights protest in Dallas on Black Friday?

Authorities said Friday's demonstration at the Neiman Marcus flagship store involved throwing paper cups of fake blood at window displays, and ended with two people in jail, CBS Dallas reported.

Neiman Marcus spokeswoman Ginger Reeder says the store by fur protesters every year on Black Friday. Reeder says People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is normally behind the protest, but this year a group calling itself Occupy Now was claiming to have organized it.

Members said they staged the protest with a group calling itself Animal Connection of Texas.

However, Occupy Dallas quickly took to its facebook page to claim Occupy Now was an offshoot group and that they were not responsible.

A police report estimates damage to the store ate around $3,000. According to the report the two people who threw the blood onto the building were arrested without incident.

They were charged with criminal mischief.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57332405-504083/occupy-now-involved-in-anti-fur-protest-at-neiman-marcus/

Occupy Everywhere: Michael Moore, Naomi Klein on Next Steps for the Movement Against Corporate Power [video]

Democracy Now

How does the Occupy Wall Street movement move from "the outrage phase" to the "hope phase," and imagine a new economic model? In a Democracy Now! special broadcast, we bring you excerpts from a recent event that examined this question and much more. "Occupy Everywhere: On the New Politics and Possibilities of the Movement Against Corporate Power," a panel discussion hosted by The Nation magazine and The New School in New York City, features Oscar-winning filmmaker and author Michael Moore; Naomi Klein, best-selling author of the "Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism"; Rinku Sen of the Applied Research Center and publisher of ColorLines; Occupy Wall Street organizer Patrick Bruner; and veteran journalist William Greider, author of "Come Home, America: The Rise and Fall (and Redeeming Promise) of Our Country." [includes rush transcript]

Here

Occupy Dallas needs volunteers !

On November 27th Occupy Dallas met to discuss the formulation of a more structured daily itinerary and creating a constant Occupy Dallas presence at Pegusus Park (Intersection of Main and Ackard). In an effort to further promote education, outreach and awareness, Occupy Dallas is asking for volunteers that will commit to helping provide coverage support in 2-4 hours shifts, Monday-Friday between ...the hours of 10:00am-11:00pm. The most immediate need is to secure volunteers to cover the 10:00am shift, beginning Monday, November 28th. In addition to providing a presence, volunteers will be expected to participate and/or facilitate scheduled activities.

The following schedule outlines the events planned during the hours of occupation at Pegasus Park:

Monday-Friday
10:00 am - 11:00 am Education
11:15 am - 12:00pm Peer to Peer Discussion
12:15 pm - 1:30pm Outreach (Four Corners Main and Ackard)
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Volunteer Presence in the Park
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Education
6:00 pm -General Assembly
7:00pm - 11:00pm Outreach Activities

Saturday Events
11:00 am - Education
12:00 pm - Lunch
1:00pm GA approved March/Event

Sunday
Noon-2:00 pm General Assembly

The following teams have been formed: Education, Demostration/Outreach, Communication, and Occupation Pegasus. Anyone interested in participating in the aforementioned activities can email at ODresponse@yahoo.com

Occupy Dallas calls for holiday season support of small businesses

Occupy Dallas demonstrators march to promote small businesses over nationally owned chain stores for holiday shopping, after being evicted from City Hall park days earlier.
Occupy Dallas demonstrators marched in downtown Dallas, promoting small businesses over nationally owned chain stores for holiday shopping.
Occupy Dallas regroups, after being forced from City Hall park days earlier, and stages a march and demonstration in downtown Dallas. Focusing on corporate greed and corruption and crooked politicians, the small group chose to promote independently owned small businesses as an alternative to corporate owned national and international businesses. Demonstrators sang Christmas carols as they marched, accompanied by a trumpet player, and ended the short march at Pegasus Plaza where they plan on maintaining a constant presence, although they are prohibited from setting up tents or overnight sleeping. Since being forced out of City hall park the group has split into two groups, Occupy Dallas and Occupy Now, and efforts are underway to find a common ground to regroup as one again. The two groups met at Pioneer Plaza and exchanged greetings before going their separate ways. Occupy Now holds daily general meetings at Main street park, several blocks east of Pegasus Plaza.

more photos here 

Downtown Neimans Now a Little Less Festive After Protestors Throw Fake Blood on Windows

Make sure you know that there are now 2 separate local Occupy groups one known as "Occupy Dallas " and one know as "Occupy Now" this was an event of the "Occupy Now" group. This "split camp" is what the article is talking about.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/OccupyNow/302718846423919


A few minutes ago, Occupy Dallas posted to its Facebook page a note that two of its former members -- which is to say, the group of protesters who split the camp before Dallas Police broke it up last week -- were arrested for decorating the downtown Neiman Marcus with a little fake blood. We're trying to confirm the arrests with DPD, but as you can see from Leslie's freshly snapped photo, yup, some of its holiday windows are now a little less festive.

Ginger Reeder, veep of corporate communications for Neimans, reminds us today: Every Friday after Thanksgiving, animal-rights activists pay a visit to Neimans locations across the country. This year was no different, except this time, in downtown Dallas, they were joined by members of OccupyNOW, who posted to their Facebook page this morning the heads-up that they were celebrating "National Buy Nothing Day with Animal Connections of Texas [by protesting] at Neiman Marcus for Fur Free Friday on behalf of the 5th grievance of OWS."

Update at 1:35 p.m.: DPD spokesman Sherri Jeffrey confirms that "two people were arrested for criminal mischief," but that police "can't confirm their affiliation with anything." Sgt. Steve Toth told Leslie that the incident occurred at around 11 this morning, and that animal-rights protestors have disavowed their association with the act of vandalism; they told the officer that "this was probably done in a moment of desperation" by the Occupiers who'd hitched a ride.

Update: According to the police report, the two men involved -- 21-year-old named Matthew Markovitch and 19-year-old Zechariah Thomas Vasquez -- did around $3,000 worth of damage. 

read on 

Occupy Dallas Not Occupying Pegasus Plaza Group maintaining a presence during public hours

Occupy Dallas has been kicked out of their camp near City Hall, but that doesn't mean they are packing up and leaving downtown Dallas.
The protesters are now setting up a new base at Pegasus Plaza, right in the heart of downtown, at the intersection of Akard and Main streets.

Occupy Dallas won't actually be camping in the park, because that would put them in violation of the law.  To stay out of jail, the protesters will occupy the park when it's open to the public -- between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Outside of those hours, Occupy will have protesters walking the sidewalks near the park, but not inside it.
read on

Occupy Dallas " It's a new day!" Declaration of the Occupation

"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream." – John Lennon

November 23, 2011
“It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day…”

Introduction

“What is Occupy Dallas?”

#OccupyDallas is a movement in the city of Dallas, Tx that began when 1200 individuals marched from Pike Park to the Federal Reserve Bank on Oct. 6th, 2011. They stand in solidarity with Occupy Wall St—also known as #OWS—and wish to draw public attention to the social inequality, economic injustice and political corruption affecting the 99%. The saying “99%” refers to citizens of the United States who make less than the top 1% of wage earners. #OccupyDallas is only one of 2,609 cities across the world participating in globally organized demonstrations.

OccupyDallas attends state, national and international conferences regularly. On a state level, conference calls are used to coordinate efforts and create a cohesive message throughout the state of Texas. Information is passed from state to state usually through the use of e-mail lists, social media and by phone. International Assemblies are held throughout the week which are hosted by the Indignados/M15 movement in Spain through the use of a communications program called Mumble.

Current Events: On November 16th at 11:46 at night an e-mail was released by Mary Suhm, a City Manager of Dallas, indicating she had given the police permission to clear out the encampment behind City Hall. Over 150 police officers, 15 horse mounted officers, a police helicopter, an LRAD weapon and 70 Police SUVs were involved in the removal of the OccupyDallas camp. At the heart of the encampment, riot police found 5 women and 12 men holding American flags and reciting the pledge of allegiance.

Police Chief Brown of the Dallas Police Department has defending the action claiming that no extra tax dollars were spent during the raid and that these precautions were necessary to protect the officers.
The Cause
Despite what appears to be a common media gaffe, Occupy Dallas has clearly outlined the reason for their presence several times. OccupyDallas demonstrates for the following reasons:

Social Issues:

Unfair treatment and discrimination against individuals based on Gender, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Race, National Origin, Physical Ability or any other factor that minimizes any person’s individual worth
The commoditization of individual privacy
Profit driven news sources with individual agendas
Narrow definitions of what constitutes a family;

Political Issues:

Widespread deregulation that has eliminated common sense regulations that have insured long term prosperity and protection from predatory business practices
A Tax code that is cumbersome and rife with loopholes and language that favors an economic minority at the expense of the majority of wage earners
A Supreme Court decision that has put into place the unprecedented concept of extending first amendment protections to political donations
Jeopardizing the future of social security through investiture and privatization schemes
By reducing funding to our education system our future generations are provided a lesser education that previous generations received because of increased class size and reduced resources
Because of decreasing funding individuals are saddled with higher student loan debt
A political system where even the most perfunctory tasks of government are partisan battles;

Economic Issues:

A general degradation of the employer and employee relationship namely
a. the practice referred to as “dead peasants” insurance policies where by companies profit from the death of individuals.
b. the elimination of traditional pension and retirement arrangements in favor of 401 (k) investment vehicles.
c. outsourcing of jobs
d. eliminating paid sick leave
e. eliminating paid maternity leave
f. relying on part-time workers rather than investing in full time employees
g. scheduling work hours to insure that employees cannot obtain offered benefits
h. failing to provide a livable wage
i. reducing and eliminating employer based health care coverage
Incredible income disparity between management and employees.
Active discouragement and intimidation of unionization of the workforce
Instituting illogical accounting practices
Engaging in unethical business practices that jeopardize the long term financial stability of the country
Viewing financial profit as more important than the individual worth of a people.

In addition, OccupyDallas has strategically targeted a variety of financial institutions throughout the city. OccupyDallas has outlined in various actions, blogs and news articles the following:

Due to the irresponsible and criminal actions of a few giant multinational financial institutions, the late 2000’s will forever be remembered as the age of the Great Global Recession. The United States government gave billions and billions of dollars to these crooked financial institutions claiming they were “too big to fail” and that their demise would crash our economy for sure. A portion of the tax dollars that had been given to these banks landed back in the pockets of the same politicians in the form of campaign contributions. In a similar fashion, the executives of these banks gave themselves exuberant bonuses and used taxpayer dollars to buy private jets, fund luxurious retreats and even to pay for country club memberships.

Where do we go from here?

By consensus of the General Assembly of Dallas, OccupyDallas has decided to continue with a 24/7 protest. We feel the forced removal of our camp violated the agreement with City Hall. The raid did however give our organizers enough time to contemplate a better alternative to staying put out of sight. The following is a description of how our occupation will continue:

A single city block has been selected at the heart of downtown Dallas. It has been strategically chosen due to it’s relevance to our cause. This city block has four intersections and each intersection has four corners. The 16 corners of this block will now be occupied.

This occupation will be unlike others. We will not sleep. There will no longer be a distinction between an occupier and a supporter. All supporters that join us on a daily basis will be occupiers. Utilizing crosswalks and sidewalks our occupiers will not be subject to selective enforcement of sidewalk codes by the Dallas Police Department. This more visible public display will help highlight Mayor Rawlings and City Manager Mary Suhm’s wasteful use of DPD resources.

We will have mobile power units that can be used to charge cell phones, laptops and power 24/hr live streaming broadcasts. Occupiers will come and go as they are able; some will rotate in designated shifts. All protesters will carry signage relevant to our cause. We will hold teach-ins at parks located in the heart of downtown to educate the people about corporate greed and political corruption among other things. We will continue to collect donations for our cause from citizens of the city to feed our occupiers and winterize our movement.

Where our occupation behind city hall was concealed and motionless, our occupation in the heart of Dallas will be jubilant and animated. Before, where we were unknown, we will now be outstanding and recognizable. Our message will be clear and concise. Our ranks will swell and our voices will be heard.

To those that wish to hide the atrocities committed by our government and our global financial institutions, let it be known: We will out you. We will expose you as the enemy of JUSTICE and EQUALITY.

We will not go home!

The location for our Occupation of Downtown Dallas will be announced on Wednesday, Nov. 23rd.

Thank you.

###

If you would like to donate towards food or winter gear, you can do so online here: https://www.wepay.com/donate/131845?ref=widget&utm_medium=widget&utm_campaign=donation

If you would like more information regarding the Occupation of Downtown Dallas, e-mail us here: OccupyOps@gmail.com

Press Release: OccupyDallas to host Thanksgiving lunch

OccupyDallas to host Thanksgiving lunch

Dallas, TX, November 21, 2011 — One week after the police raid on their camp, members of OccupyDallas will be hosting a Thanksgiving Day lunch at Pioneer Plaza. The meal is being coordinated with supporters and will be served at 11:30 a.m. Thursday.
Since city manager Mary Suhm rescinded her agreement with protesters and ordered the police raid which saw 18 arrested for a ‘missing curfew’
charge last Thursday, the OccupyDallas movement has continued moving forward. The group has continued to hold their General Assembly meetings in downtown parks and marched Saturday to support other movements who were also raided by police last week. During Monday’s assembly the protesters reached consensus on a proposal to begin occupying at a new location downtown. They have not announced the location or when they will begin this new occupation.
Thanksgiving Day will mark the beginning of the eighth week since protests began and will involve a community meal at 11:30 a.m. followed by a group discussion on the future of the movement.
For more information, contact Michael Prestonise at 214-293-0548 or news@occupydallas.org. More information, including additional multimedia content, can also be found at www.occupydallas.org.

The OccupyDallas movement began Thursday, Oct 6 with a march from Pike Park to the Federal Reserve building. Over 1,000 people gathered to protest corporate greed and money influencing the government. The movement included more than 100 members occupying City Hall Park in downtown, with hundreds more joining in for marches to various corporations and banks throughout the city. On Thursday, Nov 17, Dallas police raided the camp and arrested protesters. The group has since gone mobile and continues to protest downtown. OccupyDallas stands in solidarity with similar Occupy movements happening across the nation and the world, including the original Occupy Wall Street protest that featured tens of thousands of marchers and continues to grow.

The People's Response "occupies" George W. Bush speech in Irving, TX 11/17/2011

The People's Response, CodePINK Women for Peace, and the Dallas Peace Center held a silent vigil outside the Irving Convention Center where former president George W. Bush spoke on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011,

Codepink Dallas "Occupies" Donald Rumsfeld Plano event!

The Dallas Peace Center, CodePINK Women for Peace, and Veterans for Peace confronted former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at the Spring Creek Campus of Collin County Community College on Friday, Nov. 18, 2011.

Occupy Dallas Presses On Despite City's Eviction Protesters March, Rally Saturday As Movement Tries To Put Together Common Message

 


Occupy Dallas protesters were evicted from their campsite behind City Hall early Thursday morning, but it seemed to not put a damper on the movement.

Saturday saw another day of marching, music and protesting for Occupy Dallas.

"We're trying to re-form, let the city know we're still going to be here, we're still going to do demonstrations, and just because we don't have tents, doesn't mean we don't have a movement," said Cordell Cameron with Occupy Dallas.

"Basically we're here to say you can knock down our tents, you can take our signs, you can do whatever it is that you like to shut us down or to kind of infiltrate or disrupt, but we're here," said Veronica Navarro with Occupy Dallas.

Many said the end of the tent city was not such a bad thing for their mission.

read on

Occupy Dallas is back with downtown protest march

DALLAS — Occupy Dallas protesters got close to the CityLights festivities downtown on Saturday.
About 100 people marched from their original camp at Pioneer Plaza to Main Street Garden Park, the site of an evening tree-lighting ceremony.
It's the first big Occupy Dallas demonstration since the city cleared out the group's campsite at a park near City Hall two days ago.
Demonstrators said that while the city took their camp away, they're still here and not going anywhere

read on

Shepard Fairey Joins Occupy! See What HOPE Has Become.. { check out new hope poster)

Shepard Fairey, the artist most known for his portrait of Barack Obama which went viral during the 2008 Presidential campaign, is using his art to shine a light on the Occupy movement. After seeing his new poster supporting the movement, above, and reading the accompanying excerpt on his website, obeygiant.com, we spoke with Shepard to discuss the movement as well as the picture in more detail.
Check out our exclusive with Shepard:
I stopped by Occupy in New York after everybody was displaced from Zuccotti Park, I gave some stickers out and expressed my support.

Read more: http://globalgrind.com/news/shepard-fairey-joins-occupy-see-what-hope-has-become#ixzz1eAkrAqGV

"Occupy Dallas" projected onto Verizon bldg in NYC on Thursday night Brooklyn Bridge march

More on this amazing feat on Maddown MSNBC Friday night here

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Occupy Dallas regroups today for 12 lunch and 1pm march

March Against Cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security!

#OccupyDallas, the United Steelworkers Local 9479, North Texas Jobs With Justice, Texas Alliance of Retired Americans, and all like minded labor unions and progressive organizations call for a MASS MARCH and DEMONSTRATION on November 19, 2011.

Working class individuals of Dallas-Fort Worth, and associated labor organizations will march in solidarity with ALL workers internationally, to highlight the ills of an economic and political system that continues to exploit and oppress the peoples for the profit of a select few individuals. The time to fight US Austerity is NOW!!!

WORKERS UNITE AGAINST CUTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, AND MEDICAID!!

In the United States, as in states all across the planet, we suffer under austerity measures that put forth a seemingly never ending attack on workers, their families, and the institutions that benefit all individuals in a positive manner. This attack comes at the hands of corrupt governments, a globally oppressive economic regime, and environmentally destructive policies, that will leave society in shambles if we fail to stand and unite together in the fight for social justice and economic equality.

Join the Workers and the People in a sign of strength and unity as we march for power; People Power.

Meet at Pioneer Plaza in Dallas, TX on November 19, 2011 @ 1pm. Be prepared to take to the streets, to let your voices be heard, and to demand that the government give in to the demands of those who will no longer allow it to rule in the interests of corporations and the elite.

We will have a march through downtown, stopping at Main St. Garden Park for speakers and Chants.

Bring water, signs, banners, bullhorns, and a strong will, and your friends and family!!

Email peoples.assembly.dallas@gmail.com or occupydallasoutreach@gmail.com for more information.

In DFW, Ben & Jerry's founders dish out support for Occupy protesters

         HIGHLAND VILLAGE -- Ben Cohen, half of the idealistic entrepreneur team behind Ben & Jerry's Homemade, was supposed to start a busy Thursday in North Texas dispensing free scoops of ice cream to Occupy Dallas protesters.
But Big D police cleared the City Hall park before a lick of Chunky Monkey could be handed out. Occupy Dallas then asked Cohen, through the local Ben & Jerry's franchisee, Hunter Rose, to bring ice cream to the more than 50 demonstrators at Lew Sterrett Justice Center. But arranging permission to drop off the desserts, let alone scoop out single portions inside the Dallas County Jail, was insurmountable at short notice, Rose said.
Cohen's partner, Jerry Greenfield, says he too supports the Occupy movement, though he is not as active as Cohen. Both are 60.

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/11/17/3534943/in-dfw-ben-jerrys-founders-dish.html#ixzz1e4EKiXqg

Occupy Donald Rumsfeld in Plano tonight!

Hold Donald Rumsfeld Accountable

because the effects of war crimes last forever

Come to a silent protest at Collin County Community College Spring Creek Campus which is hosting Donald Rumsfeld, former U.S. Secretary of Defense and master mind behind the War on Iraq. Shouldn't we be arresting him instead of paying him speaker fees?
He is here to plug his book, Known and Unknown: A Memoir. Known: We do not condone his policy, his book, or his actions! Unknown: Will you join us in holding him accountable for his actions? WEAR WHITE!
When: Friday, November 18, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Collin County Community College Spring Creek Campus, 2800 E Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano, TX
Meet at the East Entrance where the flags are (MAP)
Contact: Adrian Sierra, 972-371-2403 
For additional information contact Leslie cell is 214-437-6047.

Occupy Dallas Members Evicted, But Still Here

DALLAS, TX (KERA) - Occupy Dallas members evicted from their base behind city hall say they're not going away. KERA's Bill Zeeble has more on the large police effort to dismantle the camp, and the discord among some city officials questioning the move.

Dallas Police Chief David Brown says fears of escalating violence among Occupy Dallas members was the tipping point. He was also concerned about dirty, unsanitary camp conditions, complete with human waste. A city ordinance prohibits sleeping on public property from midnight to 5:00 a.m.

He says that's why city Manager Mary Suhm gave him the go ahead to tear the camp down early Thursday morning. Hundreds of Dallas Police Officers showed up with SUVs, horses, squad cars, and more.


read on

Scenes from The Occupy Dallas Eviction

slide show from eviction

City Hall's statement on Occupy Dallas eviction

n the early morning hours, city spokesman Frank Librio issued the following statement about the eviction of Occupy Dallas protestors from their campsite at City Hall.
Police plan a 10 a.m. news conference.

The City of Dallas has made every effort at each juncture of the Occupy Dallas situation over the past six weeks to support the group's ability to express its First Amendment rights. The City's approach and response to this situation have been cited by observers to be a model for other cities experiencing similar circumstances associated with the Occupy movement. Occupy demonstrations have occurred over many weeks and led to erection of encampments in many cities, including Dallas. Generally, overnight camping and sleeping in public are not allowed on public property and are not associated with First Amendment rights. However, the City of Dallas worked with Occupy Dallas' legal representatives to reach an agreement which allowed the encampment behind City Hall, for a limited period of time, as long as conditions of the agreement were in strict compliance.
Despite repeated attempts by the City asking for compliance, some individuals associated with Occupy Dallas have violated the agreement. Criminal offenses have also occurred and are documented in the attachment.

read on  

Occupy Criminal Allegations

Press Release: City Manager orders raid of OccupyDallas camp

Dallas, TX, November 17, 2011 — Police officers in riot gear raided the OccupyDallas camp early Thursday morning after City Manager Mary Suhm rescinded the agreement with protesters and ordered evictions. Members of the camp who have been protesting for over 42 days were given no notice from the city before police strategically surrounded them.

                In an excessive show of force, mounted officers on horseback trotted onto the scene while police sport utility vehicles lined the streets. Jonathan Winocour, the lawyer working with OccupyDallas, was sent a fax at 11:46 p.m. from the City Attorney's office informing him of the city's intention to forcibly remove the peaceful protesters. Minutes after Winocour relayed the message to protesters, the members of the media were warned to leave by police loudspeaker. They were relocated across the street while the police loudspeaker issued a statement to the remaining OccupyDallas members. The protesters were given 20 minutes to collect their personal property and vacate the park.

                After the 20 minute deadline had expired, police officers carrying shields lined the sidewalk and began moving into the camp. They searched each tent before arresting those who had chosen to stay. In total, 17 protesters were arrested for refusing to leave the park.

                The raid on the camp comes less than 24 hours after Winocour met with city officials who assured him that there were no plans to evict the protesters. Protesters were warned by members of the media that police officers were being briefed and prepared for the raid on the camp.

OccupyDallas advisor Glynn Wilcox was shocked to discover that City Manager Suhm failed to notify Mayor Rawlings and the members of the City Council of the police action. The raid comes on a day which has been planned as a National Day of Action across the country.

                For more information, contact Michael Prestonise at 214-293-0548 or news@occupydallas.org. More information, including additional multimedia content, can also be found at www.occupydallas.org.

Occupy Dallas Becomes the Latest Target for Eviction

Taking a page out of other cities' books, police in Dallas launched a 1:00 a.m. raid on the local Occupy Wall Street protest Thursday morning, removing tents and arresting about 20 people. The camp, which was relatively small compared to some other cities, was cleared out in less than an hour with little resistance.

About 100 people had been camped out in City Hall Park a few days before, but police showed up around midnight local time and announced that protesters would have to leave or face arrest. Most went voluntarily and only about 20 or 30 remained when police in riot gear moved in, going tent to tent to seek out and remove stragglers

read on

Overwhelming police presence 'unnecessary,' Occupy Dallas lawyer says

DALLAS — Before scores of police officers moved in to dismantle the Occupy Dallas campground early Thursday morning, Jonathan Winocour, an attorney representing the protesters, advised them to leave peacefully. He said the overwhelming police presence was "unnecessary."

"Frankly, it's a grossly disproportionate use of threatened force for this situation," he said. "It's very aggressive, in-your face policing. This is reminiscent of some nascent police state; that's a little scary."

read on

In yet another midnight police raid, Occupy Dallas eviction under way

"Dozens of Dallas Police officers holding shields, batons and wearing helmets about to enter the #Occupy camp," tweets WFAA (Dallas, TX) reporter Jason Whitely.

By various reports, about 50 Occupy Dallas protestors are gathered. Police are in riot gear.

Media were ordered by police to move away from the camp (at a distance that would make direct observation impossible), or face arrest along with protesters, according to various sources.

The camp wasn't all that big, compared to other cities, really. One WFAA reporter says she's covered the Dallas police department for 8 years, and she's never seen this scope of police action. Describes it as an "unusual show of force." So does a city councilwoman, according to local NBC affiliate reporter Amanda Guerra.

Dallas councilwoman Angela Hunt says police response is "vast overkill." says council received notice just before 12am

The Occupiers must have had something really dangerous on-site, like books.

http://boingboing.net/2011/11/16/police-raid-occupy-dallas-in-f.html

As it happened: Police raid Occupy Dallas

As Occupy Protesters' Camps Are Broken, Pause to Consider What They've Accomplished

​Wait. The "occupy" part of Occupy may be over, but that's not the story. The story is what the movement has accomplished already.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has evicted Occupy from Zuccotti Park. Our own mayor is making it plain that the Occupy Dallas camp behind City Hall is soon to go. A story in The New York Times reveals that that the Occupy eviction actions around the country are concerted, if less than meticulously coordinated.
The story reports: "Portland's mayor, Sam Adams, said the United States Conference of Mayors had organized two conference calls 'to share information about the occupying encampments around the country.' He said participants on the calls were eager for advice on how cities were handling demonstrations."

read on

Protestor Accused of Assaulting Cop Now Accused of Punching a Fellow Occupier

Earlier this morning, Occupy Dallas posted to its website an item headlined: "OccupyDallas supporter assaulted." That supporter: Glynn Wilcox, who was among those who helped hash out the agreement between City Hall and the protesters that allowed them to camp out behind Dallas City Hall.

And according to the account, written by Occupy Dallas spokesman Michael Prestonise, and subsequent interviews, Wilcox was assaulted by none other than Stephen Benavides, the very man charged with assaulting a public servant and resisting arrest after that off-duty Dallas Police officer appeared to shove him from the planter at the downtown Bank of America.

According to Wilcox, Prestonise's account and the Dallas Police report, several Occupiers and their attorney, Jonathan Winocour, were meeting at BuzzBrews in Deep Ellum Tuesday evening -- just an informal, what's-next planning session. But at some point their "political discussion" (per DPD's account) turned into a full-blown argument, which turned into an assault on the Commerce Street sidewalk. Says Wilcox: "It just went down the rabbit hole pretty quickly."

read on

Statement from Stephen Benavides About 11/15/2011 Assault on Occupy Dallas Protester

Action Alert : Arrest Bush Thursday in Las Colinas! 11/17/11, 5:00pm

What? Protest to call for the arrest of George W. Bush for war crimes and candlelight vigil to remember the war dead.
When? Thursday, November 17, 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Where? In front of Irving Convention Center, 500 Las Colinas Blvd, Las Colinas, TX.
Why? We must hold government officials accountable for illegal actions, so that subsequent administrations won't commit the same crimes. Accountability deters recidivism!

On Thursday, November 17, George W. Bush will be speaking at the Irving Convention Center at a fundraiser for Real Choices, a group whose mission statement says, "Who can save one life?" Please join us at 5:00 pm for a peaceful, nonviolent, silent protest reminding people of the thousands of lives that have been lost due to the policies of the Bush administration and to call for the arrest of George W. Bush for war crimes.

We will be doing street theater, reprising the "March of the Dead (http://theragblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/medea-benjamin-death-marchers-haunt-new.html)," in respect and mourning for those killed at the hands of the Bush administration. All you need to bring is yourself, DRESSED IN ALL BLACK (or as dark as possible). We will provide everything else: the white death masks and placards with names and ages of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan to wear around our necks, as well as signs and banners which speak to our message: ARREST BUSH; WAGING WARS OF AGGRESSION IS ILLEGAL UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW; MR. BUSH - TURN YOURSELF IN!; BUSH CHOSE DEATH FOR 5,000 AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND THOUSANDS OF IRAQIS; GOT HYPOCRISY?; TORTURE IS ILLEGAL; TORTURE IS IMMORAL; TORTURE IS NOT A FAMILY VALUE; ARREST CRIMINALS - DON'T PAY THEM TO SPEAK; IRAQ: HOW MANY LIVES?; WAR IS TERROR; WE ARE THE 99% AND WE DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!, etc.

As it grows dark, we will have a candlelight vigil (materials provided), followed by some chants and song.

There is no public parking anywhere near the convention center, so you can either: 1) meet us at 4:30pm at the Corner Bakery (118 E John Carpenter Fwy # 100, Irving, TX) for last-minute briefing and to consolidate cars (which will then park in the parking garage), or, 2) just park in the parking garage at the convention center and then join us outside in front of the building (we will be out there by 5:00pm). Try to make it by 5:00, but if you have to be late, that's okay, just drive directly to the parking garage and then come outside to meet us
.
Co-sponsored by CodePINK Greater Dallas and the Dallas Peace Center.
Contact: jharris866@aol.com; ttrr@sbcglobal.net


View Larger Map

ACTION ALERT : Silent Protest of Donald Rumsfeld at Collin County Community College Spring Creek Campus this Friday at 6 pm

********ACTION ALERT, ACTION ALERT**********

Silent Protest at Collin County Community College Spring Creek Campus this Friday at 6 pm. Come out to protest the hosting of Donald Rumsfeld (former U.S. Secretary of Defense and master mind behind the War on Iraq) here to promote his book 'Known and Unknown: A Memoir'......... Known: We do not condone his policy, his book, or his actions! WEAR WHITE And see you there at 6PM SHARP!!! Keep the PEACE!!!



View Larger Map

Occupy Dallas Can Stay if They Don't Break Any Laws Future violations could result in eviction

View more videos at: http://nbcdfw.com.

Occupy Dallas may be permitted to remain at the camp adjacent to City Hall through the Dec. 14 agreement, the group's attorney, Jonathan Winocour, said Wednesday morning.

Winocour met with city lawyers again Wednesday after a federal judge refused to grant Occupy Dallas a restraining order on Tuesday to block the city from evicting them from the camp.

read on

Press Release: OccupyDallas supporter assaulted

Dallas, TX, November 9, 2011 — Among the issues facing the Occupy movement across the country, the actions of the radical few who seek to incite violence against fellow protesters and police officers is one which is continually denounced. The non-violent nature of these peaceful protests remain a key to their success in raising awareness of the corruption on Wall Street.

     During an off-site dinner meeting at a local cafe in Deep Ellum Tuesday night, supporter Glynn Wilcox was physically assaulted by Stephen Benavides, despite attempts to bring calm to the aggressive situation. The unofficial gathering at BuzzBrews centered around discussion of the issues facing the OccupyDallas movement. As a dozen members of the group, including supporters Wilcox and attorney Jonathan Winocour, engaged in conversation, an argumentative Benavides approached and began criticizing them for their involvement. "You're not a part of the 99%" shouted Benavides. He went on to demand the expulsion of two members of the Media work group on the grounds that they were 'elitists' and criticized them for inadequate food preparations at the camp.

     As Wilcox and the other members present attempted to de-escalate the situation, Benavides lunged forward and violently assaulted the supporter. After striking him in the face several times, Benavides turned and ran from the scene. The police were called immediately and several statements were made by witnesses.

     This episode of violent rage highlights the issue of radical individuals attempting to incite violence among fellow protesters.

The members of OccupyDallas continue to denounce violence as a method of protest and voted weeks ago that any show of violent force was grounds for immediate expulsion from the camp. Files have been charged against Benavides for assault by Wilcox. Another member has also filed charges against Benavides for making threats of violence.

     For more information, contact Michael Prestonise at 214-293-0548 or news@occupydallas.org. More information, including additional multimedia content, can also be found at www.occupydallas.org.

Occupy Dallas, city officials to meet.

DALLAS (AP) - Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings says city and Occupy Dallas officials will meet after a federal judge cleared the way for the city to close the demonstrators' campsite near City Hall.

Protesters failed to get a temporary restraining order Tuesday to prevent the closure. The mayor though said no action would be taken Tuesday at Occupy Dallas.

Rawlings says city attorneys will discuss the "next steps" with the group's legal representation Wednesday. He says public safety and health conditions are a "paramount concern."

The city last week alleged protesters violated an agreement allowing the campsite. The city noted reports of an alleged sexual assault of a child at the site, the removal of a baby over possible endangerment and trespassing arrests.

Occupy Dallas officials say protesters are abiding by the deal.

Dallas mayor says no immediate action on Occupy activists after judge OKs eviction

DALLAS (CNN) -- A federal judge in Dallas dealt yet another blow to the Occupy movement Tuesday, denying the group's request for a temporary restraining order to prevent eviction from City Hall property.
U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle's decision meant City Hall was effectively free to forcibly evict the encampment members as of 4 p.m. CT (5 p.m. ET), when the current agreement between the protesters and City Hall expired.
Texas Mayor Mike Rawlings issued a statement saying no action would be taken Tuesday.
"City attorneys will discuss the next steps with this group's legal representation (Wednesday)," Rawlings said in the statement.

read on

Personal account from Occupy Dallas camp: “Now, I get it” from Pegasus News

DALLAS — An astute and intuitive friend, Justin Nygren, teased me with the prospect of personally visiting the Occupy Dallas encampment in order to perhaps get to some truth about it all. Presumably, this was to either verify or cut through some of the clearly dubious, de-personalized, media-hyped rhetoric these folks were being branded with. Putting real faces with real names on a situation like this could be enlightening. So I spent a few days talking with people at Occupy Dallas.
However, I still remained conflicted. My heart identified with the real life stories unfolding and the tangled frustrations people have when they feel they been marginalized to the point of having almost no control regarding some powerfully negative factors which are shaping their lives. However, my head insists on taking the more logical approach to it all, attempting to evaluate the reasoning, purpose, and net effect of this well-intentioned, yet outwardly confusing group.

read on

Clock ticking on Occupy Dallas encampment

DALLAS — For 40 days, we've watched them camp behind City Hall.

Occupy Dallas protesters have grown in numbers as tension built with police. Last week, city officials told them to clean up their act or lose their campsite.

A judge allowed them to stay through the weekend, but Occupy's time could be running out.

At a hearing Tuesday morning, the group hopes to secure a restraining order to keep the city from kicking them out. As the demonstrators conduct goes back to court, there's impatience at their camp and inside City Hall.

read on

Will Occupy Dallas Stay at City Hall? Will Its Case Be Heard in Federal Court? Who Knows!

​Right now we were supposed to be at the Earle Cabell for a federal hearing over Occupy Dallas's camp-out behind Dallas City Hall. Alas, that was not meant to be: Friday's agreement, which said the Occupiers could occupy City Hall's bathrooms and kept the city from making good on its threat to fold the tents come 5 p.m. last Saturday, was extended for another 24 hours, meaning campers can sleep soundly on City Hall property for at least tonight.

But there's yet another catch, which could mean this case will drag on longer than a quick hearing tomorrow morning, kick-off scheduled for 9. First Assistant City Attorney Chris Bowers and Occupy Dallas attorney Jonathan Winocour explain.
"The issue is whether the plaintiffs have a claim under federal law," Bowers tells Unfair Park. Which is why, according to protocol, the first order of business tomorrow morning will be determining whether federal court even has jurisdiction over the case. This, after the city moved the case to federal court Friday afternoon in response to amended petition by Occupy Dallas which alleged First and Fourteenth Amendment rights violations. Got that?

read on 

Voters ...

‘Occupy Dallas’ Fighting To Stay At Campsite

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Protesters from the ‘Occupy Dallas’ camp are taking their case to court on Monday. After city officials threatened to force them out of downtown Dallas last week, protesters filed a temporary restraining order. This allowed the group to stay at the campsite.
The protest group is now fighting in court in order to continue living at their camp – where they have been for about five weeks. Their first campsite was located in Pioneer Park and they have since moved to Dallas City Hall.
read on

Occupy Dallas Can Stay Put, Temporarily and Conditionally, Pending a Hearing on Monday

​This afternoon, U.S. District Judge David Godbey helped City Hall and Occupy Dallas come to a verbal agreement that protestors can not only keep camping outside City Hall, but can also use City Hall restrooms and keep their current signage -- two issues disputed in the lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order filed by Occupy Dallas's attorneys Wednesday night. This peace-keeping arrangement, discussed during a closed-door teleconference between Godbey and attorneys from the city and Occupy Dallas, expires Monday at 4 p.m., when either Godbey or another federal judge will hear the case that will potentially determine whether the encampment can continue.

"It's just like a semi-permanent structure. It's a kind of restraining order that isn't a restraining order," said Occupy Dallas attorney Jonathan Winocour, sarcastically referencing his clients' contention that language such as "semi-permanent" makes sections of the contract vague and difficult to follow. "It's a 'win' insofar as it's unlikely that we're going to be moved out by 5 p.m. Saturday."

read on 

Occupy Dallas says thanks to veterans !

DPD Chief Puts Officer Who Shoved Protester on Restricted Duty, Opens Investigation

This morning, Brantley spoke with ​Stephen Benavides, the protester who spent several days in jail on charges that he assaulted a police officer and resisted arrest. We also posted that video now making the rounds in which Benavides can clearly be seen being shoved off a planter by an off-duty Dallas Police officer working for Bank of America. Moments ago, on its Facebook page, the department addressed that video. Here is the statement in full:

Last night, the Dallas Police Department discovered a new video of the Occupy Dallas demonstration that occurred on November 5, 2011. The video shows a Dallas Police Officer, who was working off-duty for Bank of America, push a demonstrator off a planter in front of the building. Chief David Brown has ordered the officer placed on restricted duty and initiated a formal investigation into the officer's actions. The restricted duty assignment will also prohibit the officer from working off-duty employment until the departmental investigation is complete.

read on 

City Hall Stephen Benavides, Protestor Accused of Assaulting Police, Says, No, the Cops Got Rough

Stephen Benavides, an organizer with the United Steelworkers, was one of eight arrested Saturday at the Occupy Dallas protest at the downtown Bank of America tower during Bank Transfer Day, aimed at encouraging the use of not-for-profit credit unions over for-profit banks.

But while the other protesters were jailed on the misdemeanor charge of "improper use of a sidewalk" (Schutze: WTF?), Benavides was charged with assaulting a public servant and resisting arrest. We first wrote about him back in 2009 when he served as the chair at UNT's ACLU student chapter, pushing to allow same-sex couples to run for homecoming court. He bonded out Wednesday on the felony charge, and he spoke Thursday afternoon with Unfair Park about what he says was supposed to be a peaceful protest gone very, very wrong.

"When we left that day, the intention was not to have a confrontation with the police," he says. "When everything happened, it was just a complete shock."

read on

Best Video of Dallas protestor being pushed by Dallas Police officer

Suhm's "Very Disappointed" By Turn of Events as Occupy Dallas, City Head Back to Courthouse

Below you'll find the original agreement the city of Dallas and Occupy Dallas entered into last month after that trip to the courthouse that was all fist-bumps and high-fives. Problem is, the agreement is affixed as an exhibit to even more legal docs Occupy Dallas's attorneys took to the courthouse late yesterday -- the protesters' response to the city's response to Occupy Dallas's treatment of the campsite behind City Hall, wherein City Manager Mary Suhm and First Assistant City Attorney Chris Bowers give the Occupiers till Saturday at 5 p.m. to straighten up or get out. So much for good vibes; the relationship's gone sour.

The Occupiers' attorney, Jonathan Winocour, wants a judge to keep the city from booting the campers come Saturday evening. Says the request for a temporary restraining order, "harm is imminent because the City has unambiguously threatened to take action to forcibly 'evict' Plaintiffs from an area their use of which is effectively licensed through the settlement agreement." Winocour reiterates what Occupy Dallas media contact Michael Prestonise told Unfair Park yesterday, insisting the terms of the city's agreement are "ambiguous."

Winocour tells Unfair Park that "what turned this around was the letter the city decided to release Tuesday night. It was always the understanding of the Occupants that the license the city granted us was to use this public park overnight. They expanded the contours of the ordinance. It was always our understanding that was unrelated to the exercise of First Amendment rights outside the park. So if they're engaging in protest outside Bank of America or Chase, it's protected speech, and the arrests that have taken place at these public protests are entirely unrelated to the occupancy, if you like, or to the physical location behind City Hall -- the camp. The sentiment from the camp is there's an artificial linkage ... to the arrests."

read on

Occupy Dallas Applies For Restraining Order Against City’s Eviction Threat

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Occupy Dallas took their defense to the courtroom Wednesday, seeking a temporary restraining order against the city’s ultimatum that they clean up their campgrounds by Saturday at 5 p.m. or face eviction.
On Tuesday, City Manager Mary Suhm and First Assistant City Attorney Christopher Bowers sent a stern warning to the group, threatening to sever Occupy Dallas’ settlement agreement with the city if it didn’t correct a number of violations.
That settlement allows the protestors to set up an encampment in a grassy area to the south of City Hall, and without it, police will move in and remove tents and “other obstructions” that protestors set up on city grounds.

read on

Occupy Dallas's Application For Restraining Order Against City

About that 'use of sidewalk' criminal charge against Occupy Dallas protesters arrested on Saturday

Occupy Dallas supporters have criticized Dallas police for what they say was an overly aggressive response to Saturday's protest at the Bank of America building downtown.

Dallas police arrested eight people, including seven on a rather odd-sounding charge of "use of sidewalk." According to the Texas Transportation code, that violation basically says that pedestrians cannot walk on a road if a sidewalk is provided and accessible.
It's tough to draw any clear conclusions from several videos of the protest posted online. Dallas police are continuing to review the incident.
Here's the exact wording of the law that could apparently land you in jail for walking in the street:
Sec. 552.006. USE OF SIDEWALK. (a) A pedestrian may not walk along and on a roadway if an adjacent sidewalk is provided and is accessible to the pedestrian.
(b) If a sidewalk is not provided, a pedestrian walking along and on a highway shall if possible walk on:
(1) the left side of the roadway; or
(2) the shoulder of the highway facing oncoming traffic.
(c) The operator of a vehicle emerging from or entering an alley, building, or private road or driveway shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian approaching on a sidewalk extending across the alley, building entrance or exit, road, or driveway.
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 497, Sec. 3, eff. June 11, 2001.

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/11/about-that-use-of-sidewalk-cri.html 

The Time Has Come for Occupy Dallas to Get Organized, and Maybe Some Plumbing

OK. Uncle. I give. And it wasn't the public urination. I do that all the time.

Three things made me decide it's probably time for Occupy Dallas to de-occupy. First: allegations that a minor was sexually assaulted in one of the tents the Occupiers have pitched according to their agreement with City Hall.
Second: the story about the homeless couple raising their child in one of the tents the occupiers have erected as per their deal with City Hall.
Third: the fact that they even have a deal with City Hall.

read on

After criticism from Occupy Dallas, Atkins' website comes down

If you try to visit Council Member Tennell Atkins' website this morning, you'll get the following message:
"This Website has been shut down by developer. For information call 713-995-0907 or 713-249-3735."
Not terribly interesting except for this. Atkins has been critical of Occupy Dallas, saying the protest movement is straining police resources.
That prompted the movement to do a little research on the councilman and send him a letter criticizing his website. The key quote is buried in the full letter, which is on the jump.
But the gist is they think Atkins is in the corporate camp.
"We are here to protest multinational corporations that are buying out our politicians in order to subvert the democracy for their own personal gain....Why does the banner at the top of your page show photos of corporations instead of the people who voted for you?"
Not long after the letter went out, the website came down.
Who took it down and why, we don't know.

read on