Occupy Redwood City

Occupy Redwood City was a collaboration that began with peaceful protests, demonstrations, and general assemblies in front of the historic San Mateo County Courthouse in Redwood City, California. The demonstration was inspired by Occupy Wall Street and is part of the larger "Occupy" protest movement.[1]

Occupy Redwood City
Part of the Occupy movement
Occupy Redwood City's logo
Date28 October 2011 – present
Location
Redwood City, California, United States

37.486944°N 122.229722°W / 37.486944; -122.229722
Caused byEconomic inequality, corporate influence over government, inter alia.
Methods
StatusOngoing
Arrests and injuries
Injuries0
Arrested0

The aim of the demonstration was to begin a sustained culture of direct action and local activism against income inequality as well as both corporate and government unaccountability in the communities of Redwood City and elsewhere along the Peninsula. Redwood City is the county seat of San Mateo County which is the site of some of California's worst examples of income disparity.[2][3]

Occupy Redwood City protests perceived corporate greed and social inequality, including opposing corporate influence in U.S. politics, the influence of money and corporations on democracy,[4] and a lack of legal and political repercussions for the financial crisis of 2007–2008.[5] Occupy Redwood City continues to meet on Fridays at 5:00 PM on Courthouse Square, with a general assembly following the rally.

As of June 2012, Occupy Redwood City had continued to engage in organized meetings, events and actions.[6]

Characteristics of the local Occupy group

In addition to the Friday protests in front of the historic San Mateo County Courthouse,[7] the group has two functional committees: a Media/Communications working group and a Planning/Events working group. They are currently starting a third working group to lobby local government entities to bank with local, community banks instead of large, national banks.

Chronology of events
  • On Saturday, September 17, 2011, Occupy Wall Street protests began in New York.
  • On Friday, October 28, about fifty people came together for Occupy Redwood City's first general assembly. A proposal to continue to meet weekly on Friday evenings was passed. A proposal to officially stand in support of Scott Olsen was also passed, while a proposal to take action against the controversial Cargill development was tabled after being blocked by two participants. Former Assemblymember Sally Lieber attended.[8]
  • On Friday, November 11, a small group of Occupy Redwood City members spoke out in honor of veterans in the downtown theater district.[9]
  • On Friday, November 25, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo visited Occupy Redwood City and participated in the general assembly.[10]
  • On Monday, December 5, an Occupy Redwood City protester delivered a letter to the City Council protesting outgoing mayor Jeff Ira's negative comments about the Occupy movement.[11][12]
  • On Tuesday, December 6, Occupy Redwood City joined with Occupy San Jose and other community activists to protest inside the downtown branch of Chase in an effort to stop a homeowner's impending foreclosure and eviction. The protesters won a two-month moratorium and a promise to work with the homeowner from the bank.[13][14]
  • On Saturday, December 17, about two dozen people from Occupy Redwood City, Occupy San Jose, Occupy Palo Alto, Occupy Half Moon Bay, and other groups marched into the downtown branches of the Big Four banks, urging customers and employees to move their money into credit unions and independent local community banks.[15][16][17]
  • On Sunday, January 1, 2012, Occupy Redwood City released a set of twelve resolutions for the New Year; together the resolutions represent the closest thing to a manifesto the group has released to date.[18]

See also

Related portals:

References
  1. "Occupy Wall Street lands on Broadway in Redwood City". San Jose Mercury News. 29 October 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012. The Occupy Wall Street movement has spread its wings to downtown Redwood City, where about 50 people gathered at Courthouse Square on Friday evening for a peaceful protest against corporate greed.
  2. "Economy: Income Distribution and Poverty (2008)". Sustainable San Mateo County.
  3. "Economy: Income Distribution and Poverty (2011)". Sustainability Hub.
  4. Adbuster.org (2011). "Adbuster's OccupyWallStreet page". Archived from the original on 2011-11-04. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
  5. "'Occupy Wall Street' to Turn Manhattan into 'Tahrir Square'". IBTimes New York. September 17, 2011. Archived from the original on May 21, 2012.
  6. "Occupy Redwood City Calendar". Occupyredwoodcity.org. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
  7. "Occupy Redwood City to Occur Weekly". Redwood City Patch. 5 November 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012. The 30-year-old county worker, the Raging Grannies, and the mother of a 3-year-old: they all are fed up with a broken economy and are losing faith in a country they once felt secure in.
  8. "Redwood City Jumps on Occupy Wall Street Movement". Redwood City Patch. 29 October 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012. From Wall Street to Courthouse Square, protestors have brought their grievances to Redwood City.
  9. "Occupy Redwood City Honors Veterans". Redwood City Patch. 11 November 2011. Archived from the original on 15 November 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012. A nation that continues to create veterans by spending billions on war and occupation while doing a deeply inadequate job of caring for them when they return is a nation that has forgotten its core values.
  10. "Eshoo Recommends Bars of Soap to Occupy Redwood City". Redwood City Patch. 2 December 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012. She was on her way out from the Century movie theatres when a group of protesters in Courthouse Square caught Congresswoman Anna Eshoo's eye.
  11. "Occupy Redwood City Asks Mayor to Go Easy on Usher". Redwood City Patch. 5 December 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012. Mayor Ira is either misunderstanding the motivations behind Occupy Wall Street or is unable to make the connection between the actions of the one percent and how they have affected people like us.
  12. "Interview with an Occupier Who Delivered a Statement to the Redwood City Council". Tumblr. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  13. "Occupy Protesters' Pressure Saves Woman's Home". Redwood City Patch. 6 December 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012. Takla's daughter, Anoushka, said this was a 21-month problem of the banks not willing to help or work with her mother, and they were finally able to come to a solution just days before eviction.
  14. "Bank targeted:Protesters storm Chase, focus on woman facing foreclosure". San Mateo Daily Journal. 7 December 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012. Takla was to have her home sold by the bank next Wednesday, Dec. 14 and decided to take drastic action to occupy the downtown Redwood City Chase branch on Broadway after meeting with supporters at her home at about noon yesterday.
  15. "Occupy events planned for weekend". Bay Area Reporter. 16 December 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012. The event isn't specifically LGBT-related, but Occupy Redwood City spokesman James Lee said there are connections, and they're not just related to banks.
  16. "Occupy Castro activists speak out against supervisor". Bay Area Reporter. 22 December 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012. The group marched to the branches of four banks downtown, "leading the public on a Big Bank Tour of Shame."
  17. "Opinion: Occupy Redwood City Storms Banks, Urges Locals to Move Their Money". Redwood City Patch. 21 December 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012. It is time for direct action, even here in Redwood City. It is time for citizens to take back their country from corporations and the 1% who do not represent our interests.
  18. "Occupy Redwood City Issues 12 Resolutions for 2012". Redwood City Patch. 1 January 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2012. Occupying isn't just about people camping out in tents in a public space, but about bringing people together to talk about issues that are important to them and to learn how we can support one another.
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