The People's Strike - Sept 2002 - Working Scenario Plan
As of September 8th
We've established a perimeter for both planned and autonomous actions to occur within.
The Perimeter surrounds downtown DC and VA entrances to the city. We've made two lists of targets for actions. One is of Strategic Targets that include:
- Intersections
- Traffic Circles
- Metro Stations
There is a lengthy list of strategic targets for a plan A, which we estimate it will rely on 5-7,000 people to effectuate. There is a shortened version of the same list for a plan B that will rely on 3-5,000 people to effectuate. We also intend to develop a Plan C that will rely on an even smaller number of people to carry it out.
The idea of the strategic target list is to encourage people to carry out actions at these various targets in order to stop business as usual and prevent government, corporations and business in Downtown from operating by preventing the flow of traffic - metro, vehicle and even foot traffic through out the outlined perimeter. Lockdowns and Barricades at these key intersections and locations will jam up traffic for miles and prevent people from being able to get to downtown dc. If the people who run and work at the institutions can not get to work they will be forced to shut down for the day - we will have effectively shut down some of the most oppressive institutions in the city (and world) for one day.
The second list of targets will be political targets. The political targets are various governmental and corporate institutions with locations in DC. Many of the political targets are near the strategic targets, and we are encouraging folks to incorporate the symbolism and proximity of these institutions into their plans at strategic targets as well as organizing shut downs and disruptions of these buildings themselves. We are currently developing a list of these targets along with explanations of how these targets relate to the issues the protests are being organized around. We hope to have one main political target for each demand that the ACC has outlined in the demands of the people's strike.
We are asking affinity groups, organizations and individuals to take responsibility in advance for organizing actions at the various targets. We are trying to get commitments in advanced of the actions from specific groups on what they will organize - where they will organize it - and how many people will be carrying out the actions. That way we can ensure that there are actions being carried out at the right places and targets in order to carry out the larger plan.
We envision actions starting during rush hour between 6 and 8 am. An exact time has not been set.
In addition to asking groups to organize autonomous actions at the listed targets we will be organizing planned actions that anyone who wishes to can come and participate in. For these actions we will publicize the theme, style of action, time and location well in advance of the action. We need people to volunteer now to bottom-line these actions - help promote, set up logistics, and help day of.
Planned Actions!
- The Bike Strike! Bike Against Big Oil. 7:30am Union Station (Metro Red Line)
- Put the Squeeze on Capitalist Greed March Snake past political targets. 7 am Frankin Sq. Park @ 14th and K NW.
- Beat the Anti-War Drums: Percussion Protest/Drum Circle 9am, Freedom Plaza @ 14th and Penn. NW
- Caravan aginst Capitalism (cars and drivers needed) write thepeoplesstrike@mutualaid.org for more info
Chill Zone @ Malcolm X Park from Sept. 25 - 27 (?) The chill zone will be a place for people to converge, meet up, relax, hang out etc. It will be a non-confrontational zone. It can also be a place for medics to work from and food to be served from. It will exist as a chill zone from the beginning to end of the convergence.
With both autonomous actions and planned actions we want to have very clear and pointed political themes. We want to encourage zones for various actions that would cover different issues, in their actions and messaging. This is one way we hope to bring in single-issue groups to participate in the strike. One example of this is if an affinity group was to block traffic in the street, in addition to the blockade they perform theater that mimics Israeli Military checkpoints where only Israeli's are allowed to pass.
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