Columbus Day 2012 marks the 520 year anniversary of the genocidal and ecocidal project of Empire building and colonial expansion that began with the conquistador invasion of this continent and continues to this day through the daily violence and exploitation of global capitalism.
It also marks the 20 year anniversary of the first American Black Bloc which disrupted the 1992 Columbus Day Parade in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood.
This year during Columbus Day weekend, a West Coast Anti-Colonial, Anti-Capitalist convergence is being organized in San Francisco. As a contribution to this effort, we are calling for friends and comrades to gather at 2pm on Saturday, October 6 for a rowdy march through the heart of the city’s financial district.
We will honor the memories of all those who fought back and resisted the onslaught of empire over the past five centuries by unleashing the power of our own resistance in the very heart of capitalism on the West Coast. We are proud to stand in solidarity with others whose fierce struggles continue to hold off the machinery of domination and exploitation.
We draw inspiration from the countless struggles of indigenous resistance to capitalist projects of development and expansion: from the mountains of Black Mesa, where elders fiercely protect their way of life in the shadow of a coal mine, to the rebel autonomous municipality of Chéran in Michoacán, México where both the repressive forces of the state and the drug cartels have been expelled while loggers infringing upon indigenous territory have been chased off communal lands, to the far north of Canada where indigenous peoples block roads and disrupt plans for expanding resource extraction while students and radicals in Montreal riot outside the gates of the Plan du Nord summit. These brave fighters motivate us to spread the fires of resistance in the ongoing struggles against colonialism and capitalism.
It is also fitting that October 7 marks the 11 year anniversary of the US invasion of Afghanistan, another brutal example of colonial domination’s recent manifestations. We invite all those who stand in opposition to Empire and in solidarity with the struggles of the Afghan people to join us on this march.
The Anti-Colonial, Anti-Capitalist March will gather at Justin Herman Plaza for a rally at 2pm and the march will begin at 3pm sharp. Stay tuned for additional details and ways to get involved.
This action is part of the Decolonize the New World 2012: West Coast Anti-Colonial, Anti-Capitalist Convergence in San Francisco during Columbus Day weekend. The convergence is being called for by Decolonize and Anti-Capitalist comrades in the Pacific Northwest and Bay Area.
On October 6, 2012 at approximately 2:50pm, a group of protesters gathered at Justin Herman Plaza. The group began a unpermitted march west bound on Market Street. The group, a number of them wearing black clothing, masks covering their faces, took to the streets disrupting the normal flow of traffic. Officers arrived in the area and were struck by projectiles thrown at them by members of this group. One officer was struck in the head and sustained non-life threatening injuries. The protesters were admonished multiple times that the march was unpermitted and there were causing a public safety hazard.
When the group failed to leave the roadway, Officers encircled them at California and Battery and the protesters threw flares and bags of paint at the officers. Some of the bags of paint contained rocks. A portion of this group ran to the area of Pine and Sansome where they were detained. A number of police officers and their uniforms were covered in paint.
Police made approximately 22 arrests from both locations. The suspects were arrested on one or more of the following charges: conspiracy, riot, refusing to obey a lawful order from a peace officer and resisting, delaying and obstructing a peace officer, and assault and battery on a peace officer. A lawful search of the arrested suspects’ backpacks revealed that many were armed with hammers, an ice pick, flares and other weapons and more bags of paint containing rocks. The suspects vandalized vehicles and businesses as the walked. Any witnesses to these acts of vandalism are encouraged to notify the SFPD. Attached are photos of some of the weapons the protesters had in their possession.”
“Looking at what’s scheduled for that weekend, there might not be room in the city for many more people, much less cars. First, there’s the free Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park, a three-day event that drew about 800,000 people last year. That Sunday afternoon, the 49ers play the Buffalo Bills at Candlestick Park, while the Giants are hoping for weekend playoff games at AT&T Park, all guaranteed sellouts. About 60,000 people typically attend the Castro Street Fair, scheduled for that Sunday, while thousands more will jam North Beach for the annual Italian Heritage Parade at 12:30 on the same day. A different crowd will probably be at the Burning Man Decompression street fair, also that Sunday afternoon. To add to the fun, two mega cruise ships are expected to dock at Pier 35 over the weekend, disgorging thousands more tourists. Then, of course, there’s Fleet Week, which brings thousands of sailors and as many as a million visitors to the waterfront for the weekend.”
“We need several more docents to work the stops along the E-line on October 6 and 7, helping riders find the right platform and providing information about the service. We have docent books prepared by Paul Lucas, so it’s easy to learn what to do. If you’re interested, send us an email and we’ll get back to you.”
Start working on your coping strategy now, so you’ll be prepared when the building you’re in starts to vibrate on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
See?
U.S. Navy Blue Angels to Arrive at SFO – Precision Flight Demonstration to Prepare for Fleet Week Air Show
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Navy’s precision flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, will arrive, in formation, at San Francisco International Airport on Monday, October 4, 2010 at approximately 1:30 p.m. PDT. The Blue Angels will be conducting familiarization and practice flights on both Thursday, October 7, and Friday, October 8. The Blue Angels will perform for the Fleet Week Air Show on Saturday, October 9 and again on Sunday, October 10. All flights, both practices and air show, subject to change and cancellation due to weather.
Now usually when I’m at one of the SHN: Broadway in San Francisco theatres, I’m the uncouth east end boy escorting a West EndGirl to something very girly like Legally Blonde: The Musical. But Bartlett Sher‘s South Pacific is something-for-everybody old-school, so that was new to me. It’s a fantastic show, can’t see how you wouldn’t like it.
After this, partygoers went for a cruise on San Francisco Bay, leaving the Death of Fun crowd back on dry land. All to raise money for the upcoming Fleet Week 2009 coming to town next month. Click to expand:
The whole idea is to support the upcoming FleetWeek 2009.
See you there!
A RED, WHITE AND BLUE BASH TO SUPPORT FLEET WEEK
Local Business Leaders Raising Funds for San Francisco Tradition
San Francisco, CA (September 8, 2009) – The San Francisco business community is showing their support of Fleet Week, the popular weekend air show and vessel parade in honor of America’s troops, which brings fun, excitement and much-needed economic impact to the city each October.
A gala fundraising cruise to support Fleet Week will be held Thursday, September 24 on the California Hornblower at Pier 3 in San Francisco. A dockside cocktail reception will be held from 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM; followed by a cruise through the Bay from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. The event will continue at the dock until 9:00 PM.
“Fleet Week is one of the community events that makes San Francisco such a wonderful city.,” said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. “We need to come together and support this tradition.”
Edward M. Leonard, Chairman of the San Francisco Fleet Week Committee echoed the Mayor’s comments, “Since 1981, San Francisco Fleet Week has been an annual opportunity for Northern Californians to honor the men and women serving in our armed forces. We are extremely grateful to the San Francisco business community for supporting this fundraiser for Fleet Week this year as the economy has hurt our ability to finance the event through corporate sponsorships. We hope to get a good turnout for the cruise from people who love Fleet Week and want to enjoy a great evening on San Francisco Bay while providing financial support for this wonderful tradition.”
Comedian Will Durst will be the celebrity Master of Ceremonies. Live entertainment will include a performance from the Lincoln Center Theater production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s SOUTH PACIFIC, music by rising country artist David Nail and jazz by San Francisco composer George Michalski.
Attendees will enjoy cocktails, gourmet hors d’ouevres from some of San Francisco’s best restaurants.
A silent and live auction, as well as a raffle, will be held during the event. Dozens of packages will be auctioned off, including:
- A VIP Access Package to Fleet Week events.
– A New York vacation on Virgin America with tickets to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Tickets to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN, and a Dolly Parton CD.
Getaways to Vancouver, Seattle, Los Angeles, Huntington Beach, San Diego, Palm Springs/India Wells, Santa Barbara, Reno, Santa Barbara, Napa and Sonoma.
Donation forms can be found on the Support Fleet Week website
The 2009 Fleet Week Fundraiser is being planned by a consortium including: the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, the Office of the Mayor of San Francisco, the Fleet Week Committee, the San Francisco Hotel Council, the Port of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District and Hornblower Cruises & Events.
The best place to see the Blue Angels during Fleet Week must be atop the North Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. Here’s what it looked like on Saturday, October 11, 2008.
Click to expand:
Glowing edge…
…or not, your choice:
And an oldie from 2005, high above California’s I-80 Interstate:
