[Marxism] IWW victory in Providence

[Greg McDonald <sabocat59@xxxxxxx>]

IWW continues organizing and free speech fight in Providence

Source URL: http://www.iww.org/en/node/3593
Created Aug 20 2007 - 4:43am


RECENT UPDATES

I.W.W. Victory: Jacky's Galaxy Discontinues Business With Dragonland  
Trading Inc.

On Thursday August 16, 2007,  "Jacky Ko", members of the Industrial  
Workers of the World and their respective lawyers appeared in  
Superior Court in Providence. Under oath, Ko stated that he no longer  
does, nor will he ever again, knowingly do business with Dragonland.  
Considering Ko stated this under oath, the IWW considers this  
sufficient evidence of Ko's divestment.

Furthermore, New Buffet restaurant in Providence confirmed that they  
have also divested in Dragonland. This is a clear and absolute  
victory for the IWW, union rank and file at Dragonland and Alexandra  
Svoboda, who was brutalized on the picket line. Alex will undergo her  
third surgery tomorrow at RI Hopital and will be operated on at least  
one more time.

The IWW plans to march, permitted, on August 26th to protest police  
brutality and violation of civil rights and to celebrate the recent  
victories of the IWW and workers everywhere. The Providence branch of  
the IWW is currently seeking a permit for the march.

Alex has just finished her third operation and awaiting a fourth.  We  
don't know yet how the latest operation went.  We'll keep you informed.


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

WHERE TO SEND DONATIONS

This is the paypal e-mail address we are using for her support funds:  
albiorix80@xxxxxxxxx
If sending mail, please send it to

Providence GMB:
PO box 5795
Providence R.I.
02903

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

20 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT ALEX SVOBODA!

Join Alex’s union  the IWW. For more information on the Industrial  
Workers of the World visit HYPERLINK "http://www.iww.org [1]" http:// 
www.iww.org [2]. For more information about how to join the local  
Providence IWW contact Mark Bray at HYPERLINK  
"mailto:albiorix80@xxxxxxxxx [3]" albiorix80@xxxxxxxxx
Attend solidarity actions organized to support Alex, including the  
Anti-Police Brutality March on Sunday, August 26 at 1:30 at the North  
Providence City Hall
Make a donation to support Alex. There are three ways to send  
whatever funds you can:
Providence IWW GMB, PO Box 5795, Providence, RI 02903
Or contact Mark Bray at 201-669-0714
For readers wanting to use PayPal, you can address contributions to  
the account named  HYPERLINK "mailto:albiorix80@xxxxxxxxx [4]"  
albiorix80@xxxxxxxxx
Call your local representatives voicing your outrage over the North  
Providence Police’s brutal attack on Alex.
Write letters of support for Alex addressed to:
North Providence Mayor: Charles A. Lombardi, North Providence Town  
Hall, 2000 Smith Street, North Providence, RI 02911 - Telephone:  
(401) 232-0900, ext. 226  Fax: (401) 232-3434
Police Chief: Ernest C. Spaziano, North Providence Police Department,  
1967 Mineral Spring Ave., North Providence, RI 02904 - Business line:  
401-233-1433  Fax number: 401-233-1438
North Providence Police Department Professional Standards Unit, 1967  
Mineral Spring Avenue, North Providence, RI 02904 - (401) 233-1433  
Ext. 114  Confidential Fax (401) 233-1425
Attorney General Patrick Lynch, 150 South Main St., Providence, RI  
02903 (401) 274-4400
Governor Donald L. Carcieri, Office of the Governor, 222 State House,  
Providence, RI 02903-1196
Contact friends, associates or organizational affiliates and urge  
them to write letters as well
Do you have connections to national groups? If so, urge them to  
support Alex by writing a letter
Put an announcement about Alex’s situation on a listserve you belong to
Download flyers from the website and distribute them; Ask local  
organizations to distribute them. To download flyers, visit HYPERLINK  
"http://supportalexsvoboda.blogspot.com/ [5]" http:// 
supportalexsvoboda.blogspot.com/ [6]
Download the petition on the website and get signatures
Table at local events with literature and the petition; Notify the  
providence GMB about events where we can table
Make an announcement about supporting Alex’s case at a meeting or  
public gathering
Write a letter to the editor to your local newspaper or media outlet
Make a donation to help with legal fees
Pass the hat, take up a collection at your place of worship, union  
hall, school, etc.
Organize a fundraiser/ outreach event such as a dinner party, musical  
event, film or lecture
Offer to donate your skills (artistic, writing, music, research,  
outreach, canvassing, phone banking, etc)
Ask a band or entertainer to donate proceeds of a performance to Alex
Check the website often for updates and events!
Ask friends and associates to do all of the above!
******************************************************************
LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR ALEX AND THE I.W.W.

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to express my concern and outrage over the North  
Providence Police Department’s handling of the August 11th protest  
organized by the Industrial Workers of the World on Mineral Spring  
Ave. The responding officers’ over-reaction and escalation of this  
situation that resulted in such a serious injury to a non-violent  
peaceful protestor will not be tolerated by those who hope for and  
actively work toward a better community.

It is no doubt that officers face many difficult situations in the  
line of duty; however, the judgment exercised by the officers present  
during this incident clearly indicates a lack of education about  
basic civic liberties and training on appropriate responses to minor  
infractions.

Clearly, Alexandra Svoboda is not a criminal, but an activist, whose  
actions fall within the historic tradition of protest against  
injustice. That is not the kind of activity that should lead to such  
a serious injury or criminal charges. Ms. Svoboda is a social justice  
advocate and has a record of important community service. She is a  
good, dearly loved, peaceful member of the community who was brave  
enough to take a stand against injustice and inequality.

The pictures that capture this unfortunate incident are horrific. I  
find it nauseating to look at the photo of the one officer bearing  
his weight on what is clearly her grotesquely broken leg while trying  
to handcuff her. Instead, the humane thing to do would have been to  
find medical attention for this victim. I hereby demand that you take  
action against the offending officers; order a full-scale,  
independent investigation into the incident; issue a formal apology  
to Ms. Svoboda and all who were present that day; and dismiss all  
charges against Ms. Svoboda and fellow union organizer Jason  
Friedmutter.

In this digital age where news stories can be passed around the world  
in seconds quite literally, I can say in all honesty and conviction  
that THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING and looking upon the City of North  
Providence with shame. It is not too late to rectify this situation  
by holding the officers accountable for the abuse of power that was  
exercised that day and issuing a formal apology to Ms. Svoboda and  
all who were present at the demonstration that day.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,


**********************************************************
PETITION TEMPLATE


Mayor Charles Lombardi and Colonel Ernest Spaziano,

We, the undersigned, disapprove of the North Providence Police  
Officers’ handling of the demonstration organized by the Industrial  
Workers of the World on August 11, 2007. Two members of the IWW union  
were arrested during the incident while exercising their  
constitutionally protected rights of freedom to dissent and free  
speech. In addition to the blatant disregard for basic civil  
liberties on which America was built, I am outraged that the incident  
resulted in an eruption of police brutality and misconduct which  
caused such a severe injury to Alexandra Svoboda. We demand that you  
conduct a full-scale, independent investigation into the actions of  
the participating police officers; issue a formal apology to Ms.  
Svoboda and dismiss all charges against her and fellow union members;  
and take appropriate measures to make sure police brutality will not  
occur in North Providence ever again.

Sincerely,
The Undersigned

NAME ADDRESS PHONE/EMAIL





Please return completed petitions to: Support for Alex, c/o  
Providence GMB, PO Box 5795, Providence, RI 02903



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




MORE INFO:

CONTACTS FOR MAYOR AND POLICE CHIEF OF N. PROV:

North Providence Mayor:
Charles A. Lombardi
North Providence Town Hall
2000 Smith Street
North Providence, RI 02911
Telephone: (401) 232-0900, ext. 226
Fax: (401) 232-3434

Police Chief:
Ernest C. Spaziano
North Providence Police Department
1967 Mineral Spring Ave.
North Providence, R.I. 02904
Business line: 401-233-1433
Fax number: 401-233-1438



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

NEW ENGLAND CHAPTERS OF THE NATIONAL LAWYER’S GUILD CONDEMNS VIOLENCE  
AGAINST PROTESTERS IN NORTH PROVIDENCE

The New England chapters of the National Lawyers Guild, in Maine,  
Massachusetts and Connecticut, as well as the regional leadership,  
have joined with Rhode Island members to condemn law enforcement  
violence against protesters at an August 11 protest march in North  
Providence.

Last Saturday, a group of about 40 people were taking part in a march  
organized by the Providence International Workers of the World (IWW  
or “wobblies”) in support of HWH Trading Corporation warehouse  
workers. HWH, now called Dragonland, is a warehouse in Queens, New  
York, known for its sweatshop conditions and flagrant disregard for  
workers rights. Jacky’s Galaxie, a restaurant chain in Providence and  
surrounding areas, continues to do business with HWH, despite  
knowledge of the company’s illegal practices.

On Saturday, the peaceful marchers were walking down a side of the  
road and, when making their way to the sidewalk at the request of law  
enforcement, suddenly found themselves being pushed backwards by  
police. Alex Svoboda, a Providence wobbly, was violently pushed to  
the ground and sustained a broken leg, which had been bent in an  
awkward while she was pinned face down to the ground. Not only was  
Ms. Svoboda’s leg broken, but she required surgery for a burst blood  
vessel in her leg. Despite Ms. Svoboda’s significant injuries at the  
hands of law enforcement, she was subsequently arrested on multiple  
charges. Another wobbly was also arrested and two other marchers were  
pepper sprayed by the police.

The National Lawyers Guild condemns the violence shown by law  
enforcement towards these peaceful marchers who were exercising their  
first amendment rights in solidarity with workers. Rather than those  
who were attacked and arrested, it is the companies that provide  
sweatshop conditions for their workers and the companies that  
purchase goods from these vendors.

We call for all criminal charges resulting from this lawful march to  
be dismissed, and for those law enforcement personnel responsible for  
the injuries to Ms. Svoboda to be held professionally, and  
financially, responsible. Furthermore, we call on Jacky’s Galaxie to  
finally, and permanently sever its connections to HWH Trading  
Corporation and to commit to only dealing with vendors which have a  
demonstrated commitment to the rights of workers.

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

Source URL: http://www.iww.org/en/node/3593
________________________________________________
YOU MUST clip all extraneous text before replying to a message.
Send list submissions to: Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism