[Peace-discuss] AWARE meeting parking, and, "No to Israeli Occupation of Palestine" 40-year solidarity protest on Sunday 6/10, say 4pm?

[Stuart Levy]

A confluence of two events tomorrow:

According to a note from the IMC steering committee (passed along
by Barbara Kessel), the police will be holding some sort of an
exercise tomorrow (Sun 6/10, noon-8pm), and they'll block off
parts of Elm and Broadway.  "Any groups planning Sunday meetings
or events should be aware of this and have alternative parking plans."

I've no idea what the police exercise might be for.
But Bob Illyes suggested at the Farmer's Market today
that it might be worth staging a protest, on the IMC grounds,
on Sunday afternoon.


It turns out that tomorrow is an apt time to hold a demonstration.
Several groups, including United for Peace and Justice,
Peace Action, a wide coalition called endtheoccupation.org,
and I don't know who all else are organizing nationwide events
on June 10 & 11 to protest the Israeli occupation of Palestine,
which has now gone on for 40 years.

Included below is a note from Peace Action, who are holding an event
tomorrow in Chicago.  I'm not proposing trying to attend that,
but would anyone be interested in holding signs on the IMC grounds
tomorrow before the AWARE meeting, say around 4 PM?


Given that the police will have the streets blocked off, we
wouldn't likely get much traffic.  Though we may get to talk with
some police.

If anyone else is tempted by this idea, can you think of any
suitable signs?  The endtheoccupation.org site includes a
striking poster which I'll try to print a couple copies of; at
   http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=1290
it's the "11x17 inch mobilizing poster", with a photo of
a massive tank with gun aimed at two fleeing small boys.


Here's the note about the Chicago event:

> Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2007 16:56:38 -0400 (EDT)
> From: "Kevin Martin, Peace Action" <Peaceact at mail.democracyinaction.org>
> Subject: Join Peace Action for a March Against the Israeli Occupation of
>  Palestine Sunday, June 10th!
> To: slevy at new.math.uiuc.edu
> 
> 
>    Dear Stuart,
> 
>    On June 10 and 11, people around the world are joining together in a
>    global Day of Action as "The World Says No to Israeli Occupation" to
>    mark the 40th year of Israel's illegal military occupation of the
>    Palestinian West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem.
> 
>    [1]Peace Action stands against military occupation anywhere.  Sunday,
>    June 10th, we will be marching with the [2]U.S. Campaign to End the
>    Occupation, and over 300 other participating organizations, to say NO
>    to military occupation in Palestine.  Meet us at the fountain in front
>    of Union Station at 1 p.m. to begin the march.  We'll have the Peace
>    Action banner as well as literature for distribution.  We need
>    volunteers to help get the word out!
> 
>    On Monday, June 11, hundreds of grassroots lobbyists will participate
>    in a Congressional lobbying day for peace in the Middle East.
>    Lobbyists will meet up for a lobbying day training at the Lutheran
>    Church of the Reformation, 212 East Capitol Street, in walking
>    distance of Union Station and Capitol South metro stops, from
>    8:30-10:30AM. At the training, they'll brief you on legislation of
>    interest, on how to lobby, and give you time to meet up with others in
>    your state's delegation to plan out your meetings.
> 
>    Come out and support an end to occupations everywhere with Peace
>    Action! Remember, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
>    everywhere."  Martin Luther King.
> 
>    Sincerely,
>    Kevin M. Martin
>    Executive Director
>    Peace Action
> 
> 
>    END THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION MARCH:
> 
>    Sunday, June 10th
>    1 p.m.
>    UNION STATION
> 
> 	 Look for the Peace Action Banner!