Occupy Birmingham UK

‘Just returned from trips away and found your message. Very pleased to learn of what you are doing. I wouldn’t presume to give advice from this distance. The spreading Occupy movements have been highly successful already in changing the general tenor or discourse and focusing on the real problems of the 99% since the Reagan-Thatcher onslaught on the general population took off. It won’t be easy to reverse this dangerous course, but it is necessary if there is to be any hope of a decent future.

Noam Chomsky’

https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=250290901691751

We, the occupiers of Birmingham, are disturbed to see the way the university has reacted to your peaceful occupation. The University of Birmingham has, alone, reacted with aggression and has sought to harass those of it’s students that have offered their solidarity to trades unionists and occupiers.

We believe, like you, that the University is an academic community of staff and students. Central to this concept is the ability of all its members freely to challenge prevailing orthodoxies, query the positions and views of others and to put forward ideas that may sometimes be radical in their formulation.

We support the students, academic and other staff members that are proud to defend the right for education to be available to all, that seek to defend UK education from the cuts to its teaching and research base, to defend the terms and conditions of its staff. To these ends we support the peaceful actions of the occupiers and offer solidarity with the members of staff unions actions in withdrawing their labour on November 30th.

Regards,

Occupy Birmingham

Occupy Birmingham wish to thank Birmingham Unison for their offers of support. We look forward to working together in the future

On 5th November people from Occupy Birmingham protested outside RBS and Natwest.  Below is the content of one of the flyers handed out at the protest.

‘OCCUPY BIRMINGHAM PROTEST IN SOLIDARITY FOR
INTERNATIONAL BANK TRANSFER DAY 5TH NOVEMBER

In 2008 RBS suffered the biggest loss in British corporate history – more then £24 billion!

But it was the 99%, the tax payers who rescued the bank,
paying £45.8 billion for 85% of the RBS group.

Some of which, £16 million, is for Sir Fred Goodwin, the former CEO, for his pension

RBS has cut 27,500 jobs since 2008 in an effort to cut costs and improve profits
In 2011 the current CEO was awarded a £7.7 million long term deal!

Just some of the reasons to transfer your money!

WHAT CAN WE DO?

Take your money our of big banks and transfer them to cooperatives and credit unions.
Some tips:
1. Open an account with a credit union FIRST. Write yourself a check for your total balance in your other bank, and deposit this into the CU account.
2. Now that your original bank account is EMPTY, go inside to close your account.
3. Do not make a scene. The employees are not the enemy, and your
disruption may get you thrown out or arrested. This is not the goal.
4. Double-check that all automatic payments are switched to yournew account.

OCCUPY BIRMINGHAM www.OccupyBirmingham.co.uk
In solidarity with International Bank Transfer Day!’

fridays are now music days.
join us from 3pm with your instruments and let’s jam

Occupy Birmingham now has a recycling system

Occupy Birmingham have moved location.

You can now find us in the gardens behind symphony hall.

We have grass and flowers and peace

location on google maps

”NOTICE TO VACATE

To: All persons and persons unknown (the assembly) occupying the land at Victoria Square, Birmingham, West Midlands

Birmingham City Council has respected your right to protest and take part in a peacefull assembly on Victoria Square since Saturday 15 October 2011.

The Council wish to reclaim the land on Victoria Square for the benifit and use of members of the public. In particular, but not exclusively, continued occupation of this site may:-

1) Prevent and deter members of the public from the use and enjoyment of these spaces.

2) Impact adversley upon the various civic events taking place in the City including, by the way of example the Christmas switched on and Christmas parade on the 12th of November 2011 and commencement of building works for the Frankfurt Christmas Market from 13th November untill the 23rd December 2011.

3) Inevitably result in damage to the land in particular, resulting in additional costs of maintenance as well as preventing normal maintenance regimes.

In the circumstances therefore you are kindly requested to vacate Victoria Square. In order to afford you reasonable opportunity to do so, the Council is prepared to allow untill 12 noon on Thursday 3rd November 2011.

Anyone remaining in occupation after that time may be subject to legal proceedings for repossession of the site of the site and may incur legal costs incurred in court proceedings’

A 99% support petition has been designed  Supplies needed – gas for cooking, pasta, rice, fresh veg, fresh fruit, cheese, tuna & bread