It appears I'm getting sick again. I'm trying to fight it off, but I don't really know how well you can fight swollen tonsils. Blech.
In other news, I really hope they don't blow up my university. I got an email earlier warning that they've accidentally ruptured a gas line and to vacate the immediate area and steer clear. Yay, construction. You think they would have marked where all the lines were, and possibly avoided them? *sigh*
On to the news.
-- Cases from the first mass arrest at OWS are heading to trial. While many of the cases have been dismissed or closed for various reasons, over a dozen head into court, hopefully within the next few months. The arrests stem from a late September march where police kettled and pepper sprayed many of the participants, gaining attention for Occupy. It's going to be June in a day, and these cases are from last September. (How's that for "speedy trial?")
-- 14 Occupiers were arrested in Minneapolis last night when they joined hands and refused to move in protection of a house in foreclosure. Roughly 100 protesters were involved in the event, which police broke up with large batons and physical force. Occupiers are questioning who police are serving by taking homes away from people and giving them to banks. 10 Occupiers were arrested on site, with another four being arrested as they gathered outside the jail in support of their detained peers.
-- The Denver camping ban is officially in effect, but it seems police are just as unhappy about enforcing it as Occupiers are about its passing. Police have been allowing a "grace period" to be sure that everyone knows about the ban, and are going to follow strict rules concerning citations. Here is a quote from one of their documents. They will not issue a citation if " a citation should not occur if an individual is in need of a homeless shelter or bed, expresses a willingness to accept homeless shelter assistance, and the officer is notified that shelter space is not available. " The police chief has stated that they last thing they want to do is arrest people for camping violations.
-- Los Angeles is apparently not willing to take the chance that Occupy may begin another encampment in their city. The Arts, Parks, Health, and Aging Committee (wtf?) has proposed a ban on all forms of overnight camping and pitching tents in city parks. The City Council will vote on the measure next week, and says that the measure is not meant to target Occupy, only to "merely clarify what camping is to include tents." (Riiight...)
-- Occupy Cal has changed up their lawsuit against UC Berkeley, this time demanding 15 million dollars in compensatory and punitive damages. The original lawsuit was filed in November, following the confrontation between police and protesters concerning tents. The lawsuit claims that the university held a "witch hunt" and used false arrests against protesters, and that they received physical and emotional harm at the hands of the school due to the denial of their constitutional rights.
-- Chevron held its annual shareholder meeting yesterday in San Ramon, California, but shareholders and executives weren't the only people in attendance. Occupy joined up with union members, community leaders, and disenchanted shareholders to protest against the oil giant, with over 150 people holding signs and chanting against the corporation's reckless behavior. 73% of shareholders in attendance at the meeting rejected a move to disclose more about the methods of hydraulic fracturing, aka "fracking." Chevron is facing upward of 43 Billion dollars in fines, stemming from instances of contamination, explosions, and tax-dodging in multiple countries.
***Solidarity***
To contact me, please email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.
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