POG G20 Resistance Update #7

Five weeks to go till the G20 summit rocks Pittsburgh and we like where things are at. Yes, there are, and will be, the usual attempts to intimidate, the government psychological operations, the further unfolding of the Miami Model, anything they can think up legal or not to divert attention from organizing against the G20 and expanding our confrontation with those institutions and relations that make our lives unlivable.

Weekly Updates:

Five weeks to go and we like where things are at. Yes, there are, and will be, the usual attempts to intimidate, the government psychological operations, the further unfolding of the Miami Model, anything they can think up legal or not to divert attention from organizing against the G20 and confronting those institutions and relations that make our lives unlivable. But locals are making a serious effort for this mobilization and the pieces have one by one fallen into place. Now is the time to get involved in organizing efforts.

Confirmed Closures/Rescheduled Events During The Summit: West Mifflin Area School District, City Charter High School, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, The First Lutheran Church, Duquesne University, Robert Morris University Downtown, Point Park University, The Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, Community College of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh Symphony, Pittsburgh Penguins, and a whole slew of small businesses and large corporate businesses. On Wednesday the Pittsburgh school board will discuss whether to close down ALL public schools in the district.

Perhaps most importantly for those who may be coming from out of town Amtrak is suspending service in Pittsburgh starting Sept 24 through the end of the summit.

Expected Security Perimeter

Based on publicly announced info we expect the perimeter to extend as a two-staged bubble outside the David Lawrence Convention Center from 6th Ave to 16th St, and from the river to Liberty Ave. During the Thursday events we believe they’ll attempt a complete shutdown of Liberty Ave and the 16th Street Bridge.

Permits Being Denied For Point State Park

Several local and national organizations want to use Point State Park for a concert-festival on Sept 23, and a couple separate camps throughout the week. This location is the only one downtown that would be able to fit the 8,000-10,000 they’re hoping their largest event will attract. The city has denied the permit - get this - because the police have applied for a permit to use the park. Those already excluding locals from much of downtown are ensuring there’s literally nowhere to gather. This is of course enraging, but not surprising. The state does this so that our movement’s time and focus is taken up with weeks of back and forth in media and court fights. This is valuable time we could otherwise be using to focus on the G20. Just one more reason a lot of folks don't bother with getting permits.

City Considering Banning PVC/Chain/Wood

We’re a bit embarrassed to even have to report it, but Pittsburgh is considering one of those anti-protester laws to deal with the scourge of PVC and wood. In the past these kinds of ordinances have unfortunately had a significant impact on those who want to create larger visuals to get their message out. As one commentator put it, “so I may not be able to march with a flag if it’s on a piece of wood over a certain diameter but as far as the laws in PA are concerned it’ll still be a-ok to go walk around outside the summit perimeter carrying a rifle with a flag on the end of it.” Yep. It’s pretty silly if you think about it. Supposedly the ordinance is aimed at those individuals who plan to break the law by locking down. The hope is, apparently, that those individuals will now be dissuaded by the fact that possession of the instruments they’d planned to use to break the law would, also, be illegal.

In truth these laws are less about stopping lockdowns than they are about creating pretexts for raids and otherwise illegal searches as part of a larger pattern of police repression. This is why it’s pointless to look to the law for guidance. If they think your rally will be too effective they will deny the permit, if they think your civil disobedience could actually make a difference they will try to outlaw even planning it. Look to your own heart, ask yourself what kind of response you think the G20 deserves, make plans, and make it happen.

Cops Never Learn

The ACLU has filed a federal lawsuit after Univ. of Pittsburgh police arrested a man for using his cell phone to record police actions. The man had been charged with violating Pennsylvania wiretapping laws because he declined to get officers' permission. Here’s hoping the likely payday, which ultimately will come from students’ tuition, is put to good use. www.post-gazette.com/pg/09226/990776-53.stm

We Couldn’t Think of a Witty Headline For This Idiotic Story

The media is salivating for things to kick off. Tired of waiting, KDKA radio took it to the next level recently when they published a story under the headline “G20 Protesters Start Early”, noting that someone had wrote “Destroy the G20” on a downtown sign with what looks (to us, from the picture they posted) like a sharpie. Oh, the humanity. Local Mayor Ravenstahl so helpfully commented “it was bound to happen.” We hear next week this crack investigative team will be venturing into local bars to report the latest news on who to call and who broke up with whom from the restroom walls. www.kdkaradio.com/G20-protesters-start-early/4911836

KDKA stoops even lower

The sharpie story was intense, but you wanted more? You got it. KDKA “reporter” Marty Griffin has really brought his game to the next level, producing what may come to be taught in journalism classes around the country as a quintessential example of what not to do if you wish to retain any pretense of objectivity or personal dignity. Using an “anonymous” police source as cover, he reported claims that G20 protesters are stockpiling feces, are responsible for a piece of graffiti reading “we the people”, and are camping in a park. http://kdka.com/video/?id=61180@kdka.dayport.com

Police to Get Money, Some Cops, and Additional Protest Opportunities

Much has been made over the last few months over the cities efforts to bring in outside police and how they will pay for it. Direct summit costs to the city are estimated at $19 million, and an agreement has been reached that our bankrupt state and federal government will cover all but $2.7 million of that. The city and county will apparently be left to shoulder the rest. Attempts to secure outside police have been substantial though less successful. Out of the 100 departments approahced, we have info on the decisions 15 have made. Some supporters have mentioned that with thousands of violent police coming from other nearby areas, perhaps those same nearby areas would be also be appropriate venues for demonstrations.

Outside Protest Opportunity of the week:

Monroeville: Though possessing only 50 officers in total, Monroeville plans to send a significant number of those officers to Pittsburgh. The city, meanwhile, is ironically where some corporations such as Bank of NY/Mellon plan to relocate their downtown workers and is home to a large number of banks and security companies.

An invitation from newly forming Rhythms of Resistance

Rhythms of Resistance or just RoR is a network of percussion bands that play at demonstrations and direct actions that fall within the broad definition of 'anti-capitalist. Since RoR London was formed in 2000, various sister-bands throughout Europe (and even the rest of the world) have been spawned, not always sharing the same name, but mostly the same ideology.

Some locals are initiating a similar effort for the G20. They are "looking to start up a loud, mobile, high energy percussion group playing Brazilian and Carribean carnival rhythms. "Our goal is to provide a festive atmosphere and some energetic background music to social change events around Pittsburgh. Musical experience is preferred, but not necessary. Email sambanesis@gmail.com or call 412.926.0778 for info." Rock on RoR!

Updates from the PGRP:

Housing: To volunteer housing space, or to request housing space if you’re coming from out of town, go to the housing page at resistg20.org. The earlier you get your request in the easier it’ll be for those folks to plan. If you’re a local please consider opening up your place to folks from out of town.

Convergence Space!!!! The lease has been signed on a large convergence center in Pittsburgh’s East End. It will be available for use starting this coming week and is expected to open a couple of weeks before the G20.

Outreach: Local outreach is going to print with a new 4-page newspaper on the G20. The 4,000 copies will be available for use in door-to-door outreach and for general distribution. The paper covers what the G20 is and the connection between local issues and the G20 alongside a schedule of events.

Action Days: Calls to action have been released for Tuesday and Friday. They’re available online at resistg20.org. Calls for Wednesday and Thursday actions are forthcoming.