Category Archives: News

Occupy Eugene Responds to Eviction by City Council

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Occupy Eugene is saddened by the City Council’s decision to evict protestors from Washington-Jefferson Park only 5 days before Christmas. The emergency meeting and decision to evict represents a clear betrayal of the collaborative relationship established between OE and the City.

This decision will serve as further motivation to protesters here in Eugene and around the country to continue to struggle against unjust laws and regulations that propagate social and economic injustice.

Occupy Eugene is grateful that some attempt was made to accommodate the immediate need for a safe place for homeless folks currently living at Washington Jefferson park by expanding car camping. However, this limited action will have little long-term impact on the problem of homelessness in Eugene and does nothing to replace the ability of the community to come together to solve its own problems.

Over the course of the occupation in Washington Jefferson Park, the citizens of Eugene, homeless and not, have created a community to address immediate problems and root causes of homelessness.

For the first time, many of Eugene’s homeless population have had a consistent safe place to sleep, three meals a day, medical care, job skills training, and a community to engage with based around mutual respect and equality. We invite the City of Eugene to take up a similar strategy in their attempts to address homelessness.

As was reiterated in the City Council meeting by Mayor Kitty Piercy, we hope that the eviction will happen peacefully without any force or violence. The official Occupy Eugene response to an eviction by the City of Eugene will be nonviolent.

The Occupation will continue with or without camp.

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Press Release: OE Medics Help Save Another Life

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OE medics help to save another life at W/J Park despite generator noise hampering efforts;
25 OE organizers arrive within minutes to help keep site calm for Eugene Police and Medics
On December 19th at approximately midnight a brief altercation occurred at the Occupy Eugene site. An extremely drunk individual with a heart condition came onto the OE site and started a fight with an OE occupant. Peacekeeper calls for de-escalation assistance went unheard because of the noise made by the four generators which now surround the site since high-powered security light towers were installed last Friday. Apparently Eugene Police were on site; the unconscious and injured instigator required CPR which the OE medic administered as EPD arrived on the scene. The man is in stable condition.

This is the 5th time that OE first responders have helped to save a life.

More than two dozen Occupy organizers and supporters arrived within minutes of notification. After establishing facts regarding the situation, they coordinated a peaceful vigil at the crime scene. Members of OE involved in the incident were given full community support. OE police liaisons provided relevant information to EPD officers. Police Chief Kerns, Lieutenant Kamkar, and City Councilor Ortiz were also on site. Lieutenant Kamkar did not expect any arrests as of 1:30am.

This press release has been approved by the General Assembly of Occupy Eugene.

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Occupy Eugene responds to Police Expenditure

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Occupy Eugene applauds the city council for recognizing that homelessness is an issue requiring more significant attention, and for allocating greater funding for Eugene’s houseless population.

However, Occupy Eugene did not request funds for an increased police presence at the site, and maintains that the site has been running adequately with the help of volunteer peace keepers and calling the EPD if necessary. On many occasions, the systems in place at the site have demonstrated their effectiveness by providing emergency medical resources, and the community in camp has increasingly begun removing individuals who are unable or unwilling to abide by the rules regarding peaceful and lawful co-existence adopted by the General Assembly.

The extra expense of police presence to tax payers is not at the request of Occupy Eugene.

 

Occupy Eugene Celebrates Milestone, Will Continue Protest

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:press@occupyeugenemedia.org

occupyeugenemedia.org, @OccupyEugene

Occupy Eugene Celebrates Milestone, Will Continue Protest

On December 14th, Occupy Eugene reached a milestone in its ongoing protest after the City Council offered another extension of the municipal camping ban exemption, which has afforded the movement a legal occupation site since late October. In contrast to the fate of many Occupies in other cities, Occupy Eugene continues to actively engage with city officials, seeking partnership in addressing both acute and systemic social and economic issues.

Occupy Eugene presented the City Council with a proposal formulated in its consensus-based General Assembly, requesting an extension of the camping ban exemption to afford it more time to continue to develop its innovative community-centered social justice project. In response, the city agreed to extend the exemption until January 11, 2012. The city also committed an estimated $300,000 to fund various programs targeting issues highlighted by Occupy Eugene, but not directly to the movement itself, including $100,000 earmarked for expanded “wet-bed” facilities and areas modeled after the existing Egan Warming Centers to protect the city’s unhoused population from exposure on particularly cold nights.

Although this expenditure marks an increase in the city’s overall social service funding, and opens the possibility of reversing a years-long trend of cutting such expenditures, the city-proposed plan is far from perfect. “Many of us are encouraged by the City Council’s obvious commitment to addressing issues of obvious injustice in the community,” said Occupy Eugene member Shaun Haskins. “But the heavy emphasis on police costs as part of the overall package is disheartening because so much more good could be done with that hundred thousand or so dollars.” Councilor Chris Pryor (Ward8) seems to agree, at least in principle: “I’d rather spend money on helping folks…I think it is a good thing that we are talking about something that we really haven’t managed to focus on before. I do not want to support a position that moves everybody back into the bushes and back under the bridges.”

For Occupy Eugene, the city’s decision signals the beginning of a new phase of engagement with both the city government and the community. “The gains we made today with the City Council show exactly how our model of protest combined with service can be effective in shaping both the priorities of our elected officials and the public conversation in directions that more expressly serve the acute needs of our community,” explained OE member Jamil Jonna. “At the same time, it highlights the fact that our movement’s goal is a more fundamental, systemic change, targeting the root causes of which homelessness and chronic poverty are only symptoms.”

This press release has been approved by the General Assembly of Occupy Eugene.

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OE General Assembly Responds to City Council Proposal

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Multiracial Hands Making a CircleThe Eugene City council will decide tomorrow at noon (Dec 14th) whether or not to extend the camping exemption to allow the occupation to continue at Washington / Jefferson Park. If you would like to attend, please be at 777 Pearl Street – 12:00pm, the meeting will be held in the McNutt Room. Please see our discussion of the current proposal as far as we understand it. Essentially, Occupy Eugene would be given 45 days past the original deadline of Dec 15th and then would be asked to “de-camp” by  the City.
If the camping ban exemption is not extended, Occupy Eugene will have 72 hours to vacate the camp. Should this happen, there will be an emergency GA tomorrow at 7pm (at the occupation site), to discuss our options.

In the late evening hours of December 13th, 2011, Occupy Eugene General Assembly reached consensus on the following proposal to City Council.

Proposal

A: Occupy Eugene requests City Council to extend the camping ban exemption, and to postpone the City Council’s vote  on the motion before them until January 9th , so that Occupy Eugene, social services, and the City can draft  a more concrete proposal.

B: If the City Council declines to postpone its vote on the motion before them until January 9th, Occupy Eugene requests at least 90 days to remain onsite until a better solution is revisited, as per our agreement as consensed on by the GA.

Consent was reached on 12/13/11 by Occupy Eugene with 1 stand aside.

Eugene Occupy Camp: To Be Or Not To Be

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Two of the most experienced, effective and respected community leaders working with the homeless population, Chuck Gerard of the White Bird Clinic and the Rev. Dan Bryant of First Christian Church in Eugene provide interesting observations about the surprising impact of the Eugene Occupy Camp and how its unprecedented work with the homeless is helping them in their work and the entire Eugene community.

“It makes no sense to me to try and dismantle the camp unless the city comes up with an alternative that is at least viable or better, in the middle of winter it seems ridiculous to take this thing apart right now…Unless there is a better resource, I think that Occupy Should not only be left wehre it is but be supported in doing what it is trying to acomplish”

-Chuck Gerard of the White Bird Clinic

Check out video link here.

 

Also available in : Spanish

Occupy Eugene Member Hurt in Hit and Run

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Dusk Winston, one of the 17 Occupy Eugene members arrested on November 17th actions was hit by a car yesterday in Portland, OR while participating in the actions to shutdown Portland commercial ports.

Seen in the nearly 1 minute video above, protestors were gathered nonviolently in the street when a car approaches and without stopping continues to drive through the crowd.

This is a 2,000 pound vehicle violently being used to hit peaceful, nonviolent protestors.

Dusk Winston has a badly hurt knee, though exact details are unknown.

Witnesses at the scene said police observed the hit and run and did nothing to apprehend the driver.

Dusk commented today,

“Unfortunately this has happened at a lot of the occupy movements and complaints go unnoticed. I am calling PPD today to file a complaint.”

A legal observer attached to Occupy Eugene wrote down the driver’s license plate: 329LHB.

This Wednesday, is a benefit for Occupy Eugene and the 17 people who were arrested during the November 17th actions. Considering the arrest and now being hit by a car, let’s get as many attendees as we can to show our support for Dusk and the others’ who have made many sacrifices.

Wednesday, Dec 14th, 9pm – 2am
Oak Street Speakeasy
915 Oak St, Eugene, OR 97401

Facebook Event Page
For those not on Facebook, here is the event description:

Join with us and help Occupy the Oak Street Speakeasy! Occupy Eugene has organized a benefit for the Eugene Seventeen – the seventeen demonstrators of civil disobedience who were arrested outside Chase and Bank of America on November 17th. Featuring music from Almond Davis and Aeon Now, among others, as well as spoken word, performance art, dance, slam poetry, and speakers. Suggested donations of $5-$5,000 go to help with legal fees and fines incurred, as well as toward the Occupy Eugene general fund to improve outreach programs and occupation site needs. Please spread the word and come if you can; no one will be turned away for lack of funds, but it is 21+. Come in from the cold for some delicious beverages, fantastic music, encouraging words, and radical persuasions. More events to come…

Eugene City Council Decides on Camping Exemption…Sort Of

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The City Council Chamber was packed out the door on Monday evening as supporters (and a few opponents) of Occupy Eugene turned out to discuss the planned vote on whether to extend OE’s camping ban exemption.  Because of the limited time, and due to the large numbers of respondents, Mayor Piercy decided to limit each respondent’s time to 2 minutes rather than the usual 3 so that the most voices could be heard.

After lengthy discussion, in a surprise 7-1 decision, the Eugene City Council agreed to postpone judgement on whether to extend the exemption on camping within city limits that has been offered to Occupy Eugene in Washington Jefferson Park, set to expire on December 15.  All the members apart from Councilman Mike Clark (Ward 5) voted to:

  1. Delay the final vote until December 14 (Wednesday).
  2. Send City Manager Jon Ruiz to the OE site to discuss with representative of OE concerning the conditions of the motion to be taken up on December 14.
  3. Contingent on whether a general agreement on the outline of the plan to be put before the City Council, Manager Ruiz will make a recommendation to the Council about whether or not he considers the plan to be likely to succeed in good faith.

The motion in question is still in flux, but it represents a “modified option 3” from City Manager Ruiz’s presentation to the City Council at Monday’s workgroup session, which lays out:

  1. A 45-day timeline for the establishment of a task force for transition to “alternate services” (other, existing human services providers);
  2. Recruitment of a local human services provider (likely Saint Vincent de Paul, who have expressed support in this role) to offer coordination support and oversight of a transition away from exclusively camp-provided services;
  3. Regular updates to the City Council or City Manager on the progress of these initiatives.

On Wednesday, if Manager Ruiz finds that OE is supportive of this plan of action, he will recommend that it be adopted by the City Council and it will be put to a vote.  The timeline for the transition could be in flux, as could a number of other elements of the plan, which was adjusted and adopted  in an impromptu manner during the City Council session tonight when no second could be found for Councilwoman Betty Taylor’s (Ward 2) motion to extend the exemption unconditionally until May 15, 2012.

Several main concerns were raised by council members during the meeting.  Councilman Pat Farr (Ward 6) reiterated his ongoing concern for health and safety issues and suggested that these were his primary points of opposition to extending the exemption.  He has pledged to visit the camp to see whether these issues are being addressed in advance of Wednesday’s meeting.  Councilman Mike Clark indicated his largely unwavering opposition to the plan primarily on financial grounds, and asked Manager Ruiz to provide an estimate of how many OE supporters would be likely to resist “decampment” if the extension vote does not go in OE’s favor on Wednesday.

Please note: Since the motion was developed during the meeting, no full text of it is currently available, and the minutes for City Council meetings are only available through October 31 at present.  We will provide the full text of the motion once we have it.

OCCUPY EUGENE VILLAGE COMMUNITY VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS

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On Friday, December 9th, the villagers of the Occupy Eugene camp created a voluntary set of agreements to live by on site in order to set a community standard . In two days over 160 villagers have signed.

Villagers have come together to paint a picture of what their ideal community would like like and to support each other in making a commitment to creating that community.

Take a look…

I am a member of the Occupy Eugene Village Community and promise, to the best of my ability, to be a positive member of the community and to contribute toward making this a safe, clean and pleasant place to live and bring my family and friends.  I want to help build a community that is united and strong enough to thrive in even the worst of circumstances.  I will try to attend Village Meetings and GAs or, if I miss meetings, I will be responsible for finding out what happened at them that affects me.  I know that Occupy Eugene Village is part of a protest movement and I promise to welcome and act respectfully to all people who come to the village to participate in Occupy Eugene’s activist and other programs. I expect that everyone will also welcome and respect me and that they will also honor these agreements and try to make this a good community.

 I will try to resolve all my personal, neighborhood and community problems in a non-violent, respectful way.   I will help make Occupy Village a place where everyone feels safe and respected.  I know that the village is home to many diverse people and I promise to honor differences and to never degrade anyone in racist, sexist, classist, homophobic, or other prejudiced ways, including whether someone lives in a house or not.  I will honor quiet hours from 11PM to 8AM so others can stay healthy and rested.

I know that weapons and substance use can make my community dangerous.  I agree not to have a gun at Occupy Village. I may choose to have a knife as a tool, but I agree not to brandish or use a knife or any other item as a weapon.  Because substance use can make my community an unsafe and unpleasant place to live and because it is against park laws and can cause the city to evict us from our site, thus endangering our homes, I agree not to abuse drugs or alcohol in the village. I agree not to use drugs or alcohol in communal areas (everywhere but private areas) and not to go into communal areas when others observe that my behavior is negatively affected by drugs or alcohol.  I know that many community members are trying to kick drugs and alcohol and I promise to respect and support those who are trying to be straight.  I promise not to deal drugs at the village.  I will smoke only in areas designated by posted signs and will have only village approved fires or flames.

I will help with the duties necessary to make Occupy Village a safe, clean and pleasant place to live. This includes volunteering or responding to requests to help with kitchen duties, working on building, maintenance and cleanup crews, serving on security teams, participating in village work groups, helping plan village activities and entertainment and on other jobs that need be to shared by community members.  I will keep the area in and around where I live clean and orderly.

I promise to keep all of these agreements, as well as other agreements when approved by the GA, and to help my friends and neighbors keep them.  I agree that if I am not faithful to these agreements the community can reduce my privileges or ask me to leave for a short time or, in serious or repeat cases, to leave permanently.  If I am asked to leave, I promise to leave peacefully and not to return until I am accepted back into the community.  I agree that a Village Council, made up of neighbors we have chosen, plus medics, peacekeepers/security, kitchen and legal will make the decisions about reduced privileges or being asked to leave and they will also decide about reinstating privileges or returning.

I know that Occupy Village is a place where people value community and support each other.  I will try to think of ways to make our community a better place to be.  When new people arrive, I will try to make them feel at home and safe and encourage them to protect our community.  When I am concerned about or unhappy or upset with situations in the village, I will bring these problems to the Village Council so that we can work together to figure things out.  I willingly sign these agreements which are a voluntary contract between me and the Occupy Eugene Village Community.

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Name You Choose to Use    (printed)          Name You Choose to Use   (signature)         Date