Picketing war profiteers on Armed Forces Day

MAP OF PICKET LOCATION:
http://sf.indymedia.org/news/2007/05/1733992.php


PRESS RELEASE

DEMONSTRATORS TO PICKET WAR PROFITEERS

Anti-war and labor activists are picketing at the Port of Oakland on May
19 to stop the shipping of war materiel to Iraq.
In addition to protesting the war shipments through the Port of Oakland,
the Port Action Committee is calling on the Port to raise revenues from
the $33 billion in goods shipped annually to spend on Oakland schools,
health care and social services.

The picket begins at 7 a.m. at the APL Terminal at 1579 Middle Harbor Road.
Supplies for the U.S. military ship from the Port of Oakland every day.
The shippers at Middle Harbor Terminal – American President Lines (APL)
and Stevedoring Services of America (SSA) – are both served by Eagle
Marine Services, which has a contract to run the Concord Naval Weapons
Station.

Oakland is the corporate headquarters of APL’s logistics division, which
brings in $975 million annually.

The demonstrators will be asserting their First Amendment right to hold
non-violent pickets at the Port. Four years ago at a picket of military
cargo, Oakland police fired rubber bullets and tear gas into a crowd of
500 demonstrators and longshore workers, arresting 32 and injuring 59
people.

The Port Action Committee commemorated that day with a rally in front of
the Port offices in Jack London Square on April 7. The rally was covered
by major TV, radio and print media (Tribune article
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/04/09/18393018.php
Chronicle
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/04/07/BAGJOP4RNO11.DTL&HW=PORT+prote:>)

Organizations involved include United for Peace and Justice – Bay Area;
Oakland Green Party; Veterans for Peace, Chapter 69 (San Francisco);
Veterans for Peace, National; Vietnam Veterans Against the War, National;
The Bay Area Labor Committee for Peace & Justice; Oakland Education
Association (OEA) and LMNOP (Lake Merritt Neighbors Organizing for Peace);
Northern California Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and
Socialism; War Resisters League; and Ella Baker Center.


*****************************
*****************************

PRESS RELEASE

COALITION TELLS PORT COMMISSION TO STOP WAR SHIPMENTS AND START SUPPORTING PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Oakland, CA, May 14, 2006: The Port Action Coalition announced that it will be appearing tomorrow, May 15, 4 pm, at the Oakland Port Commission hearing in preparation for the Coalition’s attempt to block war-related shipments from the Port of Oakland this coming Saturday, May 19th, Armed Forces Day. The Port Action Coalition will picket any ships at APL docks or SSA docks on Middle Harbor Road to protest their war profiteering and to highlight the $33 billion in business the Port does annually which should be tapped for revenues to support the Oakland public schools and Alameda County social services. At the Port Commission meeting, the Coalition will refute the Port's outlandish claims that it has the authority neither to regulate its tenants’ shipments nor to use Port monies for schools.

In light of the ongoing debate on the war and in anticipation of the May 19th demonstration, teachers throughout Oakland’s high schools will be showing “Sir! No Sir!” this week. It is the story of the massive GI Resistance to the Vietnam War which contributed directly to the withdrawal of US forces. Teachers will provide materials that reflect a broad spectrum of views on the war including some by Mumia Abu-Jamal, who has an appellate hearing on his case May 17th, and Malcolm X whose birthday will be celebrated May 19th.

The Port Commission meeting begins at 4 p.m. at the Port Headquarters in Jack London Square.

The Saturday, May 19, picket at the Port is scheduled to begin at 7 am to continue until 4 p.m.

The following is a partial list of Port Action Coalition sponsors: United for Peace and Justice--Bay Area; Oakland Green Party; the Bay Area Labor Committee for Peace and Justice; Veterans for Peace; Vietnam Veterans Against the War; Northern California Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism; Lake Merritt Neighbors Organized for Peace (LMNOP); the Ella Baker Center; Cindy Sheehan.


*****************************
*****************************

PICKET WAR PROFITEERS
7 a.m., Saturday, May 19
at APL Terminal at 1579 Middle Harbor Road
in the Port of Oakland
Meet at West Oakland BART station,
or, go directly to the APL terminal.
The Longshoremen show up for work at 7 a.m., so the more people who are there at that time the better chance they will honor the picket line.

MAP OF PICKET LOCATION:
http://sf.indymedia.org/news/2007/05/1733992.php