Occupy Sandy volunteers feeding FEMA volunteers following Hurricane Sandy By Nolan MacGregor, Nate Perkins, and Chase Wilson Last year, Occupy Wall Street emerged from the labyrinth of concrete and steel that is New York City. Three weeks ago, Hurricane Sandy made landfall. In the wake of the storm which left millions without power, thousands without…
Category: Headlines
Portland Police Stepping into Eviction Role with Both Feet
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Story and photos by Pete Shaw Just after her husband had driven away to take their granddaughter to school on November 6, Heather Sirotak found herself confronted by 40 officers, some brandishing guns. Prior to entering the house with the aid of what she described as a battering ram, Sirotak said she heard one “bellowing”…
A Contemplation on the Building Blocks of a Successful Movement
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By Gina Ronning The Portland Action Lab is currently embarking on what is sure to be a difficult conversation exploring group purpose, structure, and other aspects of self-evaluation. This dialogue is a crucial component for any group in assessing success and goal achievement. How meaningful this discussion will be is entirely dependent upon the level…
Student Union United in Condemnation of Portland Police Chemical Weapon Attack
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Story and photos by Pete Shaw Seventeen students converged on City Hall November 7 for a press conference to discuss the damage they recently endured at the hands of the Portland Police department. Their message to both the cops and City Council was that they will not be intimidated and intend to keep fighting. On…
Chemical Weapon Attack & Heavily Militarized Presence Demonstrates Police Immune from Austerity Cuts
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Story by Pete Shaw “I love these people more than anything.” Those words were uttered by a young man who was smiling beneath red and watery eyes at the end of the November 3 action to end austerity cuts. He was among the fifteen or so people directly pepper sprayed by the Portland Police during…
Protestors March Against Austerity, Get Pepper Sprayed By Police
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Yesterday, a coalition of labor, education, anti-war, and community organizations took to the streets to protest against national, state, and local austerity measures that seek to put the burden of the financial crisis on the working class with budget cuts. During the march, the police indiscriminately pepper sprayed the front of the protest when it…
Solidarity Against Austerity on November 3rd: We the People Are Who Matter
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By Pete Shaw On a summer Monday I was walking through downtown Kenton, excited at the thought of picking up John Coltrane’s Interstellar Space which was awaiting me on the hold shelf of the Multnomah County Library branch on North Denver Avenue. When I got to the library, however, it was closed. I later found…
Supporters Rally to Defend Homeowner Against Unjust Eviction
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Story and photos by Pete Shaw “Five months later I am still in here, but now I’m not just fighting the developers and lenders. Now we have to face the city who is threatening to take my home.” Alicia Jackson spoke those words from her porch this morning, seven hours after the eviction notice delivered…
Grand Jury Resistors In Jail For Contempt Of Court
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Story and photo by Pete Shaw “To live outside the law you must be honest.” –Bob Dylan I am not sure why I am thinking of these words right now. I am trying to come up with some coherent thoughts, some wisdom about Leah-Lynn Plante, the courageous young woman cited for contempt of court on…
Workers Rally for Paid Sick Days Now!
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By Pete Shaw In this campaign season, as candidates and a compliant corporate media again do everything possible to avoid real policy issues, it is guaranteed that, in lieu of substantive discussion, every stump speech will trumpet assurances that we are the greatest nation since Sliced Breadistan. So here’s a quick question: what is the…
