General Assembly Meeting Minutes 12/14/11

Passed Resolutions from this GA (also listed below)

Occupy Denver voted to put a notification on the website that we are accepting donations for Toys for Tots

Occupy Denver passed a proposal to respond to the DPD on twitter by saying – “We did not extend an invitation to meet on Monday. However, Occupy Denver is willing to meet you at a general assembly anytime between 10 and 2 tomorrow. Please let us know what time you would like to show up, we ask that you come without weapons”

Occupy Denver voted to divide into two groups for the night
1 group containing people who are willing to stay and prepare for the raid (in the afternoon)
1 group containing people to discuss where we go and what we do after the raid (in the evening)

Announcements

24/7 – we have an eviction notice
Tonight we will be digging in and fortifying – we are going to make it as big a pain in the ass as possible

Supplies Needed
Building Materials
Hammer and Nails
Duck Tape
The will have a 24 hour patrol – building and structuring

Outreach – event at the Gypsy House on the 19^th starting at 5pm
Information on the Occupation
4-6 person panel to answer questions
They are 4 other possibly venues for this type of event so that this model will continue

Film and Video working group
Looking for videos that speak to the movement
Please come and see Pat if you are interested in this group or have footage

Peace and NonViolence
Tomorrow we are going to have to work really hard to be non violent
The committee meets at 2pm on Sundays in the library – all are welcome
They are planning a march at 2pm to the Senates office tomorrow at 11

Police Chief Meeting
Commander Lopez has called to say that Chief White might not be able to make it
We stated that we would only be interested with the Chief of Police
DPD tweeted to Occupy Denver to invite us to meet with them on Monday
We have canceled the meeting

Today the lawsuit again the City and County of Denver was dismissed

March on Saturday focused on immigration issues
There will be a teach in panel on immigration from 11-12:45 and then we march
Please share this event

Outreach has heard Toys for Tots is going to be super short on donations this year
We are working on getting a campaign started
Please bring toys here for the campaign

There is an anti-capitalist march on Saturday going to the Cherry Creek Mall
If you are so inclined please join them after our Saturday March and Rally
Starts at 3pm

Family of Love was able to be part of an awesome field trip
A 5^th grade class came
They had a general assembly
Voted on two proposals
They would like to bring down cardboard scrap and their personal artwork to be displayed on the row
We will make a video about what it is like to be on the ground and why we do it
The why we do it part will include them – addressing that we will do this so that they don’t have the problems we are facing today

Please pass along the cry for help on the eviction – please share with your facebook, twitter and friends
CALL TO ACTION

Becca – ask me anything on Reddit – anyone who wants to go there and ask her a questions, any question, and she will answer it
Reddit does not share any personal information
www.reddit.com/r/occupydenver

We have been meeting with the Mayor
We met with them yesterday – they said they looked forward to working with us
When they saw the eviction notice
They went straight to the Mayor’s meeting
Saying they have betrayed our trust
This is beyond a first amendment issue THIS IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE
What good are they as a city if they will treat its citizens this way
They said they have to enforce municipal code
They said this is a shame and the saddest moment in our history

Tomorrow we are planning to use our get involved GA for a womens caucus
This is still planned
If there is not a riot police squad blocking us from the park (or even if there are)
we want to create room for the women and female identified people to have a space to talk
Please show up tomorrow at 7pm for the GA

Emergency Open Forum on the Eviction

The row has taken on a whole new personality in the last few weeks
The homeless people joining us have a new sense of dignity and responsibility
Motion made to stand in solidarity with them
This eviction is an attack on the homeless
We need Occupy Denver to stand in solidarity with those that stay in support of Occupy Denver

We need to prepare physically for the raid tomorrow with physical items but what we really need is MASS AMOUNTS OF PEOPLE

Legal line has been established
Call outs for bail money has been made

Trucks will be coming to remove supplies to safe houses

Get on your smart phones and call people – make call outs for people to join us
Please bring bricks, wood, anything to fortify

There is no division between homeless people and activists

We will not get enough people to defeat them
We should start small occupies all around the city
Ideas: banks, other parks
Spread the police thin

Move to talk about strategies
Call for a 7-8 million occupation on Washington DC this spring
Ask for discussion on this

Motion made to organize safe houses
Motion made to organize transport of belongings

Motion made to write your name on all of your belongings so that the police cannot say that those belonging are not identifiable

We need to ORGANIZE

Finance committee announcement on our paypal
Paypal puts certain limits on your accounts until certain things can be verified
Right now the money is not available

We want cash donations or check or money orders

Checks can be made out the Occupation Cooperative Fund

Dwayne will be here to take donations and will try to not be arrested

Motions made to gift paypal money to people whom can then gift us cash

We will have power in numbers – we need MASS PARTICIPATION

Those with vehicles will be meeting after GA to organize

Feedback from the row – they are adamant about staying put. We should do whatever we can do to help them
We need
nails
tarps
2×4’s
4×4’s
building materials
rope
duct tape
and PEOPLE

to help them to build up things up
24/7 will be doing this all night – if you want to help with the physical labor please meet with them after

After the eviction we need to start rebuilding immediately
we need to talk about where, how and when
we have opportunity to improve all of the camps we have had thus far
we have changed and adapted
we need to NOW ADAPT ON OUR OWN TERMS
we need to decide together what will be better and proactive

If we march tomorrow
we need to link arms
in groups of 3
and stay together
unless it is strategic

We are going to make a stand tomorrow
We also need to figure out what to what we will do next

Motion made to galvanize the tactics committee
Discuss tactics for the police presence
Discuss tactics for after the eviction
Discuss tactics for regrouping

We need to stress a maintained presence – we have no idea when the police will evict

Proposal made to spit into two groups
1 – of people that plan on getting arrested tomorrow
2 – another group to talk about rebuilding the camp

Proposals

Toys for Tots is short on toys – we are going to put a donation site here – we propose to put a notification on the website

Motion passes
33 Yes’s
0 No’s
0 Abstaining

Proposal to respond to the DPD on twitter by saying –

We did not extend an invitation to meet on Monday. However, Occupy Denver is willing to meet you at a general assembly anytime between 10 and 2 tomorrow. Please let us know what time you would like to show up, we ask that you come without weapons

Motion passes
25 Yes
2 No
3 Abstaining

Announcement – 24/7 is building this NOW – please bring down the supplies

We need cars – please talk to Sam as he has the nearest address

Proposal to divide into two groups
1 group containing people who are willing to stay and prepare for the raid (in the afternoon)
1 group containing people to discuss where we go and what we do after the raid (in the evening)

Motion passes
15 yes
0 No
6 Abstaining

Motion made to take pictures of the camp and our houseless protestors to be used as Christmas Cards for our officials

Meeting adjourned