A-Infos (en) US, New Haven, CT. notes from FTAA consulta - November 2nd – Why are we here? Cause the FTAA sucks.

[Worker <a-infos-en@ainfos.ca>]

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Notes: S. S. with additions by New  Haven Autonomists
Introduction - Security Blurb - Agenda Review
  > Consulta Reviews: Louisville, KY: pre-liminary discussions and
meetings, logistics planning Pittsburgh, PA: report on POG website,
padded contingent discussion, similar to Louisville Denver, CO:
discussion of mass action framework, more about logistics, legal, medical
Chicago, IL: goal consensed - shut down meetings, morning action November
20, flyers to be made for AFL-CIO and local communities, call for national
   work stop on November 20th, discussion of idea of putting forth demands
Ruckus Camp: no specific proposals, led into conference calls Kirksville
(Great Plains Anarchist Network): will be a call for a black bloc, autonomous actions

Bay Area: consensed to mass action framework, call for the 20th
Lansing, MI: More workshops than a consulta
Spokes call #1: Mass action day? Focus on the 20th - questions with
relation to AFL-CIO, whether or not to have DA during permitted march
Spokes call #2: 7 AM on the 20th – AFL not liking break off actions, seem
to be cooler with actions earlier in the day on the 20th – 19th possible
target Gala for the American Business Forum

Next spoke calls: Tuesday
Consulta in Baltimore, MD and Gainesville, FL next week
Spokes in Miami 18th, 19th, and 20th

Miami organized more on county system, 50% foreign born, 70% can speak a
language other than English, many speak English as a second language, high
   percentage of Latino and black population, march not really in
residential  area, convergence point near shopping area, lots of
international banks and  other such stuff
Transportation: Public bus system, metro rail – most likely to use bus
system
Attitude of community to this: usually corporate media propaganda leading
up to actions, probably a lot of stereotypical views, hard to judge,
generally Miami has a conservative climate, somewhat of a lack of well
developed support infrastructure for actions and organizers

Recent ordinance, puppets? Stuff to bring? Actual contents of the
ordinance  fluctuating, has not been passed yet

Convergence center has been secured – Northeast 11th Street and NE 2nd Ave
   – 27,000 square feet – will probably be center for legal, media, and a
ton  of other stuff
Hopefully not everything will be there – but difficulty finding other  spaces
Police have been doing a lot of war game type crowd control stuff
Thinking of using Tasers – (made by Taser International – www.taser.com/
pdfs/m26brochure.pdf)
Timoney – who ran police force during 2000 RNC will be running this Fence
being build around corporate area: www.premierglobalproductions.com

FTAA IMC - www.ftaaimc.org
Medic stuff: Tali Pocket – talipocket@riseup.net
Legal: lack of radical collective in Miami, concern about legal support if
   mass arrest should occur – affinities should be tight and have legal
support

-Question about geography in relation to ease shut down? In relation on to
   detentions – in particular to ease of control for police – lots of
drawbridges - North-south streets wide, east-west streets smaller,
particularly outside of downtown
-Local education efforts: 2 major local education efforts, also outreach
by  AFL-CIO, door knocking and outreach being put together by UNPJ,
gardening  outreach efforts

Estimated size of convergence / action:
Police estimate 70,000, public official estimate 70,000-100,000 – concerns
   about government using inflated estimates as scare technique and to use
ability to declare action a failure

Scenario information:
19th – American Business Forum, meeting at Hyatt, gala out somewhere else
(Coral Gables?), gala afterwards
20th – ministers meeting at Hyatt Intercontinental Convention Center
Convergence at 7AM for mass DA (location TBA) – (possible locations:
Biscane Park, *Civic Center Park*, 3rd NW and 8th)
AFL CIO rally starts at 12, march at 2 PM – 5PM
21st – continued meetings, or not . . .

------------------------

Updates / Proposals from existing blocks and clusters
-APOC: APOC Block, meet night of 18th in Miami to work out
-Medics: securing clinic space other than convergence, many medics
confirmed so far, more always good, help with supplies & funding always
very good
-FTAA IMC: separate IMC space, public terminals at the convergence space,
donations are of course useful, www.ftaaimc.org
-Padded Block (POG): in response to lack of action infrastructure, high
chance of police action, special spokescouncil on the 19th
-Eco Bloc: evolved into “Earth Cluster” with Eco Bloc, Green Bloc, Pagan
Cluster, and some assorted affinities – guerilla gardening spaces,
community solutions forum
-Gapatistas: action and teach-at the GAP, hold media captive during teach
in while they wait for the strip show
-Black Bloc – announced at Chicago consulta, will focus on fence

-FTAA DA listserv – get yr ass on it
-Housing is a big issue – use all available contacts you have with people
in Miami

-Worcester Global Action Network propose northeast regional discussion on
December 6th
www.wogan.org - woganemail@yahoo.com

Existing Questions:
-Shut down vs “derail”? did not seem to be much an issue among people
-Where to assemble? One location, multiple locations?
-Action on the 19th / 20th? Many people won’t be there on the 19th –
Questions about conflicting with the AFLCIO march on the 20th
-Jail solidarity parameters? What are people planning? How much time &
energy are people ready to put forward? What is the level of preparation
both by legal support and by the legal oppressive apparatus?
-Support walkout / solidarity actions: Chicago call for one hour work
stoppage on November 20 – solidarity action in Boston on the 20th – people
   from autonomous caravan report that numerous local actions have been
planned in New Hampshire, Montreal, etc
-Transportation
Buses from Philadelphia: phillyresistsftaa@hotmail.com
-Street solidarity agreement: specific principles related to practices of
solidarity and tactics in the streets
-Convergence space, spokes councils?
Motion to endorse idea of separate space for spokes council is possible,
if  but not is infeasible. Childcare to be at separate space

***We consense to support a call for solidarity actions and the national
call for one-hour work stop and school walk-out.

Breakout Report backs:
-Media: Fraternal Radical Order of Media Police proposal, “shit list” of
corporate media not talk to, creative disarming of new vans mufflers,
black  faxes to news stations, net strike at key pages, guide to how to
talk the  media – pdf on FTAA IMC website with news contacts list,
timeline of  Timoney Lies, making issues of police tactics and the
militarization of the  police
-Transportation: buses from Philadelphia and NYC, concerns with the
logistics
***We consense to bring Street Solidarity agreement to spokes council with
   the exception of the jail solidarity section, which should be decided
upon  at the spokes council is Miami (2 stand asides)
-http://www.uproot.info/streetsolidarity.htm
- Proposed to avoid actions that intentionally draw police attention to
Overtown (not consented upon because of various concerns and lack of time)
----
***6:30 PM Consensus
We consense to put the emphasis on concrete physical disruption as opposed
   to symbolic action, and put out a call for ideas if fence should come
down,  including what to do in regards to the Intercontinental Hotel. We
support  creativity and diversity of tactics. (3 stand asides)
----
Resources/Contacts:

Mid-Atlantic Consulta to discuss DA Tactics in Miami: Nov 7-8 all day,
Baltimore, MD, www.maconsulta.cjb.net
No FTAA Towson - www.noftaatowson.cjb.net
www.ftaaresistance.org
www.organizepittsburgh.org
FTAA Indymedia - www.ftaaimc.org, imc-miami-ftaa@lists.indymedia.org
Direct action listserve: ftaa-da-subscribe@riseup.net
Street Medic Funds: talipocket@riseup.net, 617.875.7052
Tasers may be used in Miami: www.taser.com/pdfs/m26brochure.pdf
Low-cost buses from Philly: phillyresistsftaa@hotmail.com
----
Come to the Northeast Miami follow-up:
Report Back/ Now What, Sat Dec 6, Worcester, MA - woganemail@yahoo.com,
www.wogan.org


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