Updates 4/4/12

Hello everyone.


Things are calming down a little bit on the home front here. My little brother is taking his medicine and napping often. Hopefully we keep moving forward with this, and he gets better very soon.

I'm going to try to add links to some of my more important news findings, to make it easier for the OWSJ to cite them. Off we go:



-- Occupy San Francisco was evicted from their hold-out at the vacant Archdiocese on Monday night. Police were concerned the protesters may throw bricks or other items, but that was not the case. Several protests barricaded themselves in bathrooms or hid on the second floor, while one jumped from the roof and was arrested on the ground. Occupiers say that the eviction doesn't matter. They were successful in Occupying the building, and the movement will spread. Police have been fighting what they call the Occupier's "squatting" since winter began. There are two links with this story.

http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2012/04/occupy-squatting-presents-new-conundrum-sfpd

http://inthesetimes.com/uprising/entry/12984/occupy_sf_evicted_from_vacant_building_but_members_say_occupations_will_spr/



-- The DA in Oakland is being accused of an abuse of power by Occupy Oakland. The DA has been using a heavy-handed approach against Occupiers, banning them from visiting protests and adding more serious charges to cases that may not warrant it. Last month, we reported that some members of Occupy Oakland had been charges with robbery and a hate crime, for using the word "dyke" against the victim before her wallet was taken. The victim admitted that she used a racial slur during a confrontation with the Occupiers and shoved them, but the case is now moving to a jury trial.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20316726/occupy-oakland-accuses-da-abusing-power



-- A conservative group in Iowa is getting an earful for their use of the phrase "coming out." The University of Iowa Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Allied Union is not happy with the UI College Republicans, who are holding a "Conservative Coming-Out Week" to recruit more members. This isn't the first time the conservative group has been under fire. Their use of the phrase "coming out" has been questioned before, as are some of the "satirical" events they have scheduled for the week, including the "Animal Rights Barbecue" and the "Spontaneous Campout," which will be held where Occupy Iowa City's encampment was last year.

http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20120404/NEWS01/120404001/Iowa-GLBTAU-decries-Conservative-Coming-Out-Week?odyssey=nav%7Chead



-- A London Bailiff has finally been charged with assault and damage of property for assaulting two people and damaging the camera of a photographer in January. He will be in court on April 30. He was arrested on January 30th, but it took quite a while for the charges to come into fruition. The damages and assault occurred when police moved in to evict the Occupier's Bank of Ideas in London. (Author's note: When are they going to arrest the one that ran his car through a group of people? I'd like to see that.)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/apr/03/occupy-london-bailiff-charged?newsfeed=true



-- An article with a bit of satirical humor also displays a growing problem in China: the extreme class schedules students are expected to follow. A middle school in the Hunan province erupted after students were required to stay for a three-hour "cram session" at 7 p.m., even though their classes ended at 6. The power had gone out, and students were expected to continue their studies in the dark. Student destroyed and burned their books, with many offering the explanation of "We are tired." Students at the school pay extra for the required cram sessions, even though this means they only have Sunday mornings free from classes. The government actually bans these cram sessions on weekends and holidays, but the school's headmaster remarked that everyone does it, and it is no secret.

http://shanghaiist.com/2012/04/04/students_burn_books_to_protest.php



-- This article details another scandal involving police, in a situation somewhat similar to Trayvon Martin's. It happened in 2005, when Howard Morgan was shot 28 times by police. He was arrested during a traffic stop, when officers say he attempted to shoot an officer. He was shot 21 times in the back and 7 times in the front and survived. He has gone through multiple trials, at one point being acquitted but retried, which may constitute double jeopardy. No one has stepped in to help Morgan, and he is confused by the lack of support.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/11680969-452/mary-mitchell-chicago-has-its-own-trayvon-martin-like-scandal.html



***Solidarity***


To contact me, please email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.