Digging for Truth in the Tyquan Rivera Case
On Jan 31st, a police office was shot in the back of the head while on duty in the city of Rochester. Tyquan Rivera, a 14 year old Rochester youth, turned himself in to police custody and is awaiting trial for the crime. As the corporate media and city officials work to take questions about police-community relations (in other words police brutality) in the inner-city off the table (Commentary by Howard Eagle), evidence is appearing that this case is far from simple.
- Police entered the house where Tyquan Rivera was present by pushing themselves through the front door, without a warrent.
- The person witnessed Tyquan get punched and kicked by the police repeatedly, and saw him fall down the stairs after a police officer came up the stairs after him.
- Police then left the house without arresting or charging any of the people present. Tyquan went to get a gun, and fired into the group of police officers as they were going away.
With all that has been reported by the corporate media about the shooting, none except this radio station, have bothered to talk to an eyewitness. Yet they have made multiple judgments about the character and guilt of the young man, basically trying and convicting him in the media.
RIMC Newspaper Out -- Help Us Share it
The first edition of the Rochester Indymedia's newspaper was released last week. It contains several stories posted on the website that we wanted to bring to a larger audience. Take a look, print it out and share it with all your friends! (color version, black and white version)
From the paper:
This paper is the first of many that Rochester Indymedia plans to publish and distribute to the community. We're starting this project because the articles contained inside are both extremely important and highly underreported by the so-called "mainstream" press.
Running through this edition is a theme of local people standing in solidarity with others facing and resisting state violence. This wasn't a concious choice on our part, it reflects work being done right now in Rochester and upstate NY. People are organizing to support others struggling against injustice and they are making the links between what's happening in Oakland, Palestine and Greece and the what's happening here in Rochester.
The newspaper is anti-copyright. Please make as many copies as you'd like and pass it out to as many people as possible. If you would like to be involved in future editions of the paper, send an email to rochesterindymedia@rocus.org.
UR Occupation Ends: Students Negotiate with Administration and Declare Victory
Just before midnight in the last few minutes of February 6, the occupation and sit-in of the Goergen Biomedical and Engineering building at the University of Rochester organized by UR Students for a Democratic Society ended in what students and supporters (1 | 2) are calling a victory.
According to the UR-SDS occupation blog, students and community members, “…spoke for peace and solidarity with the Palestinians and we were heard. UR-SDS and friends declared victory to our occupation just before midnight Friday when we signed a joint statement of understanding/plan of action with [College Dean of Students Matthew Burns] where we found common ground on addressing our demands in a substantive manner.â€
Throughout the day, hundreds of students entered the building engaging in discussion and offering solidarity. A group of over 75 people stayed throughout the evening until negotiations concluded with at least 50 people vowing to spend the night and face the consequences if the university failed to negotiate with them.
While the efforts and intentions of the students and community members should be applauded, it has yet to be determined if the document signed will actually lead to substantial change within the university or if the students will have to take greater risks to get results if the administration defaults on its modest promises.
Indymedia Coverage: UR-SDS Occupies University of Rochester in Solidarity with People of Gaza | Gaza Solidarity in Rochester and Western NY | Worldwide Protests Escalate in Response to Israel's Ground War on Gaza | Gaza Massacre: actions and information
Video: IndyTV: U of R SDS Sit in for Gaza | Interview with SDS member after a discussion with the dean of students
Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
Additional Information: CounterPunch: At a Campus Sit-In Against Israeli Occupation | UR-SDS Declares Victory in less than 9 hours | UR-SDS Occupation blog | The Sitch's Occupation blog | Local Media Coverage | Civil obedience in Rochester- the story of the "occupation" | RiseUpRochester.org: Hate in the Tunnel at the University of Rochester | Glasgow University Goes Under Occupation!
Indy TV #23: Erin Bullock of Mudcreek Farm on Community Supported Agriculture
Erin Bullock, a Fairport native who recently returned to the area, is initiating the first season of Mudcreek Farm, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Project located in Victor, NY this spring. In this week's episode of Indy TV, Erin explains what a CSA is and how it works. Erin began with an explanation of how CSA's are of mutual benefit to both farmers and consumers:
Click here to watch full episode
UR-SDS Occupies University of Rochester in Solidarity with People of Gaza
Students from the University of Rochester and members of the local Rochester community will be occupying the atrium of Goergen Hall on the River Campus of the University of Rochester (275 Hutchinson Road) today for peace and in solidarity with the people Gaza and in opposition to U.S. support for the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and the recent atrocities in Gaza. The action, organized by U of R Students for a Democratic Society (UR-SDS), will begin on the afternoon of Friday, February 6 and will last until the University of Rochester administration meets the demands.
The student occupation will feature a number of informational and peaceful consciousness raising events such as public talks, teach-ins, and sit-ins. The action was inspired by a wave of student occupations that occurred in 16 universities in England (1, 2) following the Israeli assault on Gaza.
1. Divestment: We demand the University of Rochester to adopt the "UR-Peaceful Investing Initiative" which institutes a peaceful investment policy to the university's endowment which includes divestment from corporations that manufacturer weapons and profit from war. (For example, the U of R invests in General Dynamics which manufactures weapons to maintain a 41-year occupation of the Palestinian territories and wars which slaughter Palestinian civilians by the 100s)
2. Humanitarian aid: We demand that the University of Rochester commit to a day of fundraising for humanitarian aid in Gaza within the next two weeks, as part of an ongoing commitment to provide financial support for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
3. Academic aid: We demand that the University of Rochester twin with the devastated Gaza University and provide the necessary academic aid (e.g., recycled computers, books, etc.).
4. Scholarships: We demand that the University of Rochester grant a minimum of five scholarships to Palestinian students every year.
Additional Information: UR-SDS occupation blog | Friends of Peace: UR-SDS announcement and needs | UR SDS web page | UR SDS Letter to UR Administration | From the UR Campus Times: The U.S. assault on Palestinian peace and democracy
Women's Reproductive Rights Champion, Bill Baird, Speaks in Rochester
Bill Baird came and spoke at an event on the January 22, 2009 celebrating the anniversary of Roe v Wade. Roe v Wade was the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Although I am a long time pro-choice activist, I am embarrassed to say I did not know much about Bill Baird. I would like to share with you what I learned.
Rochesterians Examine the Crisis in Palestine
Israel's twenty-two-day attack on Gaza which left over 1,300 Palestinians dead and more than 5,000 wounded, has brought world wide attention to the criminal occupation of Palestine. In the wake of the attack, Rochesterians are working to analyze the situation. Check out the links below for two excellent analyses of the current crisis.
In an interview with IndyTV, Aunali Khaku, of Physicians for Human Rights, and Imran Rafi, of the Islamic Medical Association explain the roots of the middle east conflict.
Judith Bello discusses how the anti-war movement has struggled to come to grips with the situation in Palestine.
A Shift in Organizing: Rochester Antiwar Activists Utilize the “Spokescouncil†Model
Antiwar activists in Rochester are experimenting with a different model of organizing for March 19, 2009, the sixth anniversary of the illegal war and occupation of Iraq (1, 2, 3, 4). It’s called a spokescouncil and it’s been around since at least the start of the global justice movement in Seattle in 1999 (1, 2).
According to Wikipedia, a spokescouncil is a “…collection of affinity groups and clusters (a collection of affinity groups), who meet together for a common purpose, often civil disobedience. A ‘spoke’ is short for a ‘spokesperson’, selected by each affinity group or cluster to represent them in the spokescouncil. The council usually makes decisions via a consensus decision making process.â€
In recent years of organizing for March 19, activists and other concerned individuals have generally come to meetings hosted by larger, antiwar organizations such as Rochester Against War (RAW) or Metro Justice (MJ). Decision-making processes, goal setting, and strategy and tactics for March 19 were usually directed by those organizations while other organizations were asked to join the effort. Those that had alternative ideas were asked to subsume their goals for the larger organization’s goals in the spirit of unity in order to maintain a consistent message and accompanying action(s). This year could be a break from that type decision-making and organizing model for something different and as of yet, untried in Rochester.
Indy TV # 21: Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) in Rochester Area
The New Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) began meeting in Rochester only about 3 months ago. In this short amount of time, several regional high school and college campuses have started chapters or have begun the process of becoming formal chapters, and a number of successful demonstrations/ events have been organized by Rochester area SDS chapters.
This week on Indy TV, Maggie Spallina of Rochester SDS and Ryan Acuff of University of Rochester (U of R) SDS, join us to elaborate on what SDS is, it's use of participatory democratic decision making, and some of the many projects these groups are currently engaged in.
Rochester SDS meets every Wednesday night (7pm) at the antiwar storefront at 658 Monroe Ave.
The U of R SDS meets every Thursday (9pm) at the Ruth Merrill Center, Wilson Commons, U of R Campus.
More info at:
www.studentsforademocraticsociety.org
EMERGENCY RALLY AND SPEAK OUT against police brutality
In the early hours of New Year's Day, 2009, BART police officers responded to a call that fights were breaking out on the trains. After gaining control of the situation, a number of African American men were detained, and cuffed.
Oscar Grant, age 22, was one of these men. Video footage has surfaced of what happened next: Two officers hold Grant face-down with his hands behind his back and a third reaches into his holster, draws his gun, and shoots Grant in the back from point blank, and kills him. We all know that, historically, crimes such as these have ended with police officers getting off due to the lies and half-truths told by fellow officers, and a lack of witnesses to testify to the truth of the matter. That will not happen this time around.
JOIN US TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST HEINOUS POLICE BRUTALITY AND TO DEMAND JUSTICE.
Where: The Liberty Pole (East and Main St., Rochester, NY)
When: Friday, January 9th at 5pm
This event is endorsed by Rochester Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Activists Against Racism Movement (AARM).
If you are interested in helping organize or want to speak or sponsor this event, please contact Tim at tim.adams (at) gmail.com or call 585-739-0376.
Video: Oakland, Ca Fruitvale Bart Station Shooting. Full Video and interview with Karina Vargas | New Footage of Oakland Man Murdered By BART Cop
Additional Information: BART Police Shoot and Kill Man at Fruitvale BART Station | Rally and Rage Over BART Police Murder of Oscar Grant