Occupy activists go to trial Stop Foreclosures Now!

This is the statement that I wrote up for the 7 of us protesters that were arrested last Oct. for Occupy Mpls. We will have to see what happens tomorrow, but if we have to go to Court just to make a point about this, it is one more soap box to yell from. So here goes:

Call for support of Occupy Mpls activists as US Bank activists go to trial.

The first group of occupy protesters to be arrested locally will be going to court this week, starting Monday July 30th^th at 9am at the Hennepin County Government Center (also known as the building attached to the people’s plaza). 7 activists were arrested at a demonstration outside of the US Bank branch in downtown Minneapolis last fall, where they were protesting foreclosures and homelessness. US Bank foreclosed on 25,000 homes in Minnesota alone in 2010, forcing families into the streets. On October 20^th 2011, 100+ protesters occupied the intersection of 2^nd Ave and 6^th St in front of the bank where several of them pitched tents and occupied them, demanding that housing is a human right. They are now facing criminal charges of obstruction of traffic.

Anti War Committee member Misty Rowan, who is one of the defendants, had this to say about the coming trial “It’s unfortunate that we live in a society that treats protesters like criminals for speaking out and calling attention to such practices, when the real criminals are the big banks that are forcing people out of their homes after being bailed out with our tax dollars. Its time to stand up and fight back. They can arrest us but they can't stop us. Because you cannot evict an idea whose time has come.”

Supporters are asked to fill the courtroom on Monday July 30th^th to show solidarity, and to call and demand that they drop the charges against the US Bank activists! (phone numbers below)

Housing is a human right!