Justice, Politics

In Which May Day Resembles Shabbos

I wrote recently about how certain Jewish organizations  need to stop talking shit about Occupy and instead capitalize (you’ll pardon the pun) on the shared history of Jews and revolutions for social and economic justice in order to engage young Jews. Today, certain Jewish organizations, would be another in a long line of excellent opportunities to do that, as thousands of people take the streets for International Workers’  Day.
I’m not going to rehash the history of Jews in the labor movement, or  point out the irony of right wing Jews trying to distance themselves from Occupy in light of that history.  May Day demands that  we  remove ourselves from the daily practice of exploiting of ourselves.s. We won’t work, we won’t use the  bank, we won’t go to school, or at least, we won’t do these things in the way we normally do them, and we’re asking everyone to take the streets, instead of asking others to do what we would not. We’ll  gather together in public space, celebrating the possibility of a different world, while refusing to participate, for at least today, in the one that’s broken. Sound familiar?
Of course, there will be many, many ruckuses, as there should be on the way to fighting back. See you in the streets!
The Schedule:
8 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Bryant Park

Pop-up Occupation (unpermitted)
Bryant Park will be the site of a fun and friendly “Pop-up Occupation” with Mutual Aid, featuring free food, a free market, free services, skill-shares, workshops, teach-ins, speak-outs, meditation, public art, performances, discussions, and trainings.
99 Picket Lines and other direct actions
Bryant Park will also be a staging area for 99 Picket Lines (#99PKTSFacebook; email; map) to expose, disrupt, and shut down the corporations who rule our city, as well as other forms of civil disobedience, creative disruptions, bank blockades, outreach to commuters and tourists, and more!
2 p.m – March to Union Square
Occupy Guitarmy March from Bryant Park (unpermitted)
March and make music with the Occupy Guitarmy, led by Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine! OWS Music is enlisting 1,000 guitar-playing musicians to join this march (email).
4 p.m – Rally at Union Square
Unity Rally (permitted)
The May Day Solidarity Coalition has organized an historic convergence of the 99%! Join occupiers, labor unions, the immigrant justice coalition, students, and faith & community groups for a massive rally at Union Square. Musical performances by Das Racist, Dan Deacon, Tom Morello, Immortal Technique, Bobby Sanabria, and other special guests (Facebook).
5:30 p.m. – March to Wall Street
Solidarity March from Union Square (permitted)
March from Union Square to Wall Street with a coalition of labor, immigrant, OWS, student, and faith organizations (Facebook).
8:00 p.m. – Occupy Wall Street Afterparty
* People’s Assembly and Haymarket Martyrs Memorial Resistance Rager (unpermitted)
Details to be announced. Check the #MayDay and #M1GS hashtags on Twitter up-to-the-moment info.
See below for more #M1NYC events all around the city…
 
Call2Create: Participatory art, from prayer flags to a May Pole to filmmaking and photography
All day in Bryant Park, Union Square, and throughout NYC
Facebook – opportunities to submit a project or join one – email
99 Picket Lines
8am – Chase Building (NYCC) – 270 Park Ave (@48th St)
8am – New York Times Building (UAW) – 620 8th Ave (@41st St)
8am – Sotheby’s (Teamsters) – 1334 York Ave (@72nd St)
8am-10am – US Post Office (Community-Labor Alliance) – 421 8th Ave (@W31st St)
8:30am-9am – NYU Bobst Library (NYU for OWS) – 70 Washington Square South (@University Pl)
9am – Paulson & Co (Strong Economy for All) – 1251 6th Ave (@50th St)
10am – Chase Branch (NYCC) – 401 Madison Ave (@48th St)
10:30 – Immigrant Worker Justice Tour – meet at grassy corner of the SE part of Bryant Park (Facebook)
11am – ABC Studios (NABET-CWA) – 66th Street (@Columbus)
12pm-1:30pm – Investment Banker Stephen Berger (CSEA AFSCME) – 46th St @ Park Ave
12pm-2pm – Immigration Court (NMASS) – 26 Federal Plaza (Worth & Lafeyette)
1:30pm – Capital Grille (ROC-NY) – 155 E 42nd St (@3rd Ave)
2pm – Chase and Citibank (Occupy Sunset Park) – 5th Ave & 54th St (BROOKLYN)
3pm – Strand Bookstore (Strand workers) – 828 Broadway (@12th St)
3pm – Beth Israel Hospital (Workers United) – 10 Union Square East (14th St & Park Ave)
8pm – Washington Square Park Arch (Musicians 802) – Washington Square North @ 5th Ave
A Brooklyn March for the General Strike (unpermitted)
8am, Maria Hernandez Park, Brooklyn
Strike Everywhere
The Free University: Lectures, Workshops, Skill-Shares and Discussions
10am–3pm, Madison Square Park, Manhattan
The Free University
Check out the impressive schedule and map here.
High School Student Walkout Convergence & BBQ
12pm, Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn
Shout-out from Chuck D to Paul Robeson students
Wildcat March (unpermitted)
1pm, Sara D. Roosevelt Park (East Houston St. & 2nd Ave.), Manhattan
Strike Everywhere
Day Without Workers/Día sin los Trabajadores: May Day March and Speakout
2pm, 5th Ave. at 54th St. in Brooklyn, marching to 36th St & 4th Ave. to take subway at 3:30pm to Union Square rally in Manhattan
Occupy/Ocupemos Sunset Park
* May Day on D-Block: LES public housing residents and tenants take to the streets
2pm, Houston & Avenue D, Manhattan
Occupy Avenue D
May Day Choir Convergence
5:15pm, Madison Square Park (in front of the fountain), Manhattan
Lyrics, Score and more information
Occupy the Rent Guidelines Board: A Tenants’ General Assembly
5:30pm, 7 East 7th St. (outside Cooper Union), Manhattan
Real Rent Reform Campaign
Learn More
The Occupy Wall Street Project List is a monthly periodical that informs people about OWS projects and how to get involved.

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