Media Coverage of San Francisco Occupy Anniversary Actions

Below is some independent media coverage of Occupy Anniversary actions in San Francisco (with a couple on NYC Wall St) followed by a sampling of the extensive corporate media coverage of the planned afternoon events.

INDEPENDENT MEDIA
As Occupy San Francisco Marks its One-Year Anniversary, Anti-Foreclosure Actions Abound
The Pacifica Evening News
http://pacificaeveningnews.blogspot.com/2012/09/as-occupy-san-francisco-marks-its-one.html

Banks Threaten Elderly Veterans With Foreclosure
New America Media, News Report, Viji Sundaram
http://newamericamedia.org/2012/09/elderly-veterans-fight-home-foreclosures.php

It’s Alive! Occupy Actions Across the Country Show the Movement’s Impact

Here’s our on-the-ground reporting from the East and West coasts.

AlterNet / By Sarah Jaffe, Alyssa Figueroa

http://www.alternet.org/activism/its-alive-occupy-actions-across-country-show-movements-impact

Occupy San Francisco One Year Anniversary
CNN Ireprot
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-843017

 

Occupy Wall Street 1-year Anniversary

by Liz Highleyman
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/09/18/18721913.php

 

Occupy San Francisco One Year Anniversary

by D. Boyer
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/09/18/18721946.php

Occupy’s 1st Anniversary Was a Party with Politics in San Francisco
Peter M., Indybay
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/09/18/18721873.php
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/09/18/18721894.php

Rally demands banks stop foreclosing on veterans
by: MARILYN BECHTEL
http://peoplesworld.org/rally-demands-banks-stop-foreclosing-on-veterans/

 

#StrikeDebt: Occupy morphs into debt resistance movement

by Jerome Roos, ROARMAG.org
http://roarmag.org/2012/09/occupy-strike-debt-resistance-operations-manual/

 

NYC S17: Celebration and Disruption, Mission Accomplished.

http://www.nicholasmirzoeff.com/O2012/2012/09/18/s17-celebration-and-disruption-mission-accomplished/


Occupy Bernal: Occupy at the local level
By Jen Chien, KALW
http://www.kalw.org/post/occupy-bernal-occupy-local-level

Occupy Your Victories; Occupy Wall Street’s First Anniversary
TomDispatch.com
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rebecca-solnit/occupy-wall-street-anniversary_b_1889956.html

 

How Do You Measure a Dream?

by Marina Sitrin

http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/how-do-you-measure-a-dream

 

One Year Anniversary of Occupy, San Francisco

YouTube video by Thomas Brown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIQlFQihLD8

Occupy Celebrates Birthday, Forges Ahead

By Judith Scherr, Inter Press Service

http://www.ipsnews.net/2012/09/occupy-celebrates-birthday-forges-ahead

CORPORATE MEDIA

Occupy protesters take to streets to mark movement’s anniversary

KTVU News

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/occupy-protesters-take-streets-mark-movements-anni/nSDR6/http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/occupy-protesters-march-through-downtown-sf-on/vd5fS/

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/occupy-march-through-sf-marking-anniversary-loud/vd5pN/


Occupy SF Protesters Mark 1st Anniversary Of Movement

CBS News

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2012/09/17/occupy-sf-protesters-mark-1st-anniversary-of-movement/
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7422030n

 

Occupy Gathers in San Francisco on Anniversary

Activists gathered in front of the Wells Fargo building in SF’s Financial District

NBC News

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Occupy-Gathers-in-San-Francisco-on-Anniversary-170120506.html


Occupy SF marks anniversary with peaceful rallies

The Associated Press

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/17/4827445/occupy-sf-celebrates-first-year.html


Occupy protesters celebrate in S.F.

Justin Berton, Kevin Fagan and Michael Cabanatuan, SF Chronicle

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Occupy-protesters-snarl-traffic-streetcars-3872516.php


Hundreds celebrate the birthday of Occupy in San Francisco

Thomas Pendergast, Examiner

http://www.examiner.com/article/hundreds-celebrate-the-birthday-of-occupy-san-francisco


 

On anniversary, Occupy takes stock of movement

By Doug Oakley, Oakland Tribune

http://www.mercurynews.com/occupy/ci_21567917/anniversary-occupy-takes-stock-movement

Arrests mark Occupy anniversary

by Rick Hampson, USA TODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012/09/17/arrests-mark-occupy-anniversary/57797548/1?csp=34news

Freddie Mac to Evict Disabled Veteran, Wife, and Mentally Challenged Child in Saint Louis

Update as of September 12: Good news! After the television coverage and news coverage of Sally’s case, the judge delayed the eviction of the Scott family with the help of Sally’s attorney. Sally, her husband Bob, and supporters from MORE attended the proceedings. That gives us time to pressure Freddie Mac to rescind the eviction and allow negotiations for a fair deal loan modification so the Scott family can remain in their home.


**Press Advisory for Tuesday, September 11, 2012**

For Immediate Release

Contact:

* Sally Scott, Foreclosure and Eviction Fighter, +1 314-218-5733, ROSCOTT3@aol.com

* Stardust, Occupy the Auctions and Evictions Campaign, +1 415-425-3936, press@occupytheauctions.org

* Zach Chasnoff, Organize Missouri, +1 314-780-3734, zach@organizemo.org

Freddie Mac to Evict Disabled Veteran, Wife, and Mentally Challenged Child in Saint Louis

Bank Bailouts Don’t Benefit Homeowners Who Want to Pay, But Need Loan Modifications

St Louis, Missouri – Pleas to stop the eviction of Sally Scott, her disabled veteran husband Bob, and their mentally challenged daughter Susie, have fallen on deaf ears at Freddie Mac.

“After my 84-year-old husband suffered a stroke, I was ashamed to admit that we missed some mortgage payments while closing down my husband’s business and covering skyrocketing medical costs,” said Sally Scott. “Now I know that the right course of action is to fight for my family and our home by demanding that Freddie Mac work with Select Portfolio Servicing to stop our eviction and offer us a fair deal loan modification.”

The Scotts originally obtained their loan from Southwest Bank, then it was transferred twice over the last 11 years, ending up serviced by Select Portfolio Servicing and owned by Freddie Mac.

The following Freddie Mac staff and attorneys have refused to negotiate on the case when approached by Sally Scott and her supporters:

* Donald H. Layton, CEO, +1 703-903-2000 (say “Donald Layton” to transfer call), Donald_Layton@freddiemac.com

* Brad German, Public Relations, +1 703-903-2437, Brad_German@freddiemac.com

* Patti Boerger, Media Relations, +1 703-903-2445, Patricia_Boerger@freddiemac.com

* Chad Wandler, Media Relations, +1 703-903-2446 or +1 571-236-2533 (cell), Chad_Wandler@FreddieMac.com

* Aaron Elking, Attorney at Martin, Leigh, Laws, & Fritzlen, in Kansas City, 314-862-5200 or 636-534-7600, ame@mllfpc.com

After their staff refused a loan modification approved by a HUD-certified counselor, Freddie Mac auctioned back to themselves the home of 65-year-old Sally Scott and her family in west St. Louis, Missouri.

Her 84-year-old husband Bob is a WWII and Korean War veteran who was disabled by a stroke five years ago. Sally, her disabled husband Bob, and her 26-year-old mentally handicapped “special child” Susie live in a constant state of fear, not knowing when the county sheriff will show up to evict them and throw all their belongings out onto the sidewalk. The next court hearing on their eviction is at 9:00am on September 12 at the St. Louis County Courthouse.

Hundreds of supporters have responded to the following action alert, calling and emailing Freddie Mac in support: http://occupytheauctions.org/wordpress/?p=3983

Organizations and Campaign

Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment (MORE) believes that Missouri is positioned at a unique intersection of social, economic and environmental injustice. We believe that as corporate power continues unabated expansion and the gap between the rich and the poor widens, there has never been a better time for our low-income communities to come together and fight back. MORE seeks to be a powerful organization of low- and moderate-income people, building strength in our communities. We work in relationship with other organizations pushing our allies to engage in creative direct action with us to foster good policy changes. MORE seeks to be part of a movement that cuts across, class, age and race lines that is envisioning and building the world in which we would like to live. Web: http://www.organizemo.org

Occupy the Auctions/Evictions
is a campaign to halt for-profit and predatory evictions, foreclosures, and foreclosure auctions in San Francisco and beyond. Web: http://www.occupytheauctions.org and http://www.occupyevictions.org

Updates and Photos

For updates, photos, and for this release on the web: http://occupytheauctions.org/wordpress/?p=4466

Occupy Bernal Participates in National Home Defenders League

At our Saturday, July 28, 2012 joint general assembly, Occupy Bernal/SF ACCE/Occupy Noe agreed to generate support for Wells Fargo Bank (WFB) foreclosure fighter Steve Boudreaux of Atlanta, GA.

He is in foreclosure, and fighting, with the support of his community, to keep his home.

Two of us are attending the first convening of the new National Home Defenders League in Minneapolis, MN on August 7-8, 2012. Our fellow organizations from around the country are all fighting foreclosures. Let’s show them that our organizations believe in solidarity. Hopefully, after that national meeting, we will have a nationwide organization capable or fighting the banks county-wide.

Here’s where to sign the petition, and Steve’s story, Steve’s story continued and more info on Steve’s campaign.

Occupy Bernal Foreclosure and Eviction Fighter Ross Rhodes at Sacramento Foreclosure Moratorium Rally

Mainstream media caught on camera our very own Foreclosure and Eviction Fighter Ross Rhodes speaking at a Foreclosure Moratorium Rally in Sacramento on June 25, 2012.

Several other Occupy Bernal members attended the rally and lobbying day in support of the Homeowner Bill of Rights and some facilitated a teach-in on foreclosures and activism.

Links: CBS video    Fox video

SF Community Board of Trustees Condemns Wells Fargo

SF Community Board of Trustees condemns Wells Fargo’s predatory lending practices, seeks new Banking Services provider for its money

April 26, 2012

Last night, the SF Community Board of Trustees, condemning its
current provider Wells Fargo Bank, voted to seek a new Banking Services provider for its money, citing that:

  • San Francisco Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting has announced a first-of-its-kind audit of county land records of homes facing foreclosure.
  • Among the most jarring findings was that 84% of the files audited included legal violations

It also credited community-based organizations like SF ACCE and
Occupy Bernal for fighting to preserve the diversity of their  neighborhoods by defending the predominantly minority homeowners at risk of losing their himes to Wells foreclosure.

Trustee Chris Jackson stated that “Predatory lenders like Wells Fargo must be taught to correct their destructive policies.”

Buck Bagot of Occupy Bernal/SF ACCE thanked the Board for “putting its power – and the public’s money – behind my neighbors who Wells has and is hornswoggling out of their homes.”

AFT Local 2121 President Alisa Messer, whose unions represents Community College faculty, also cited Wells’ penurious student loan policies which charge college students up to 18% interest.

Both Bagot and Messer and members of their organizations participated in effort on April 24, 2012 to convince Wells Fargo shareholders to correct the Bank’s negative policies, but were denied admission to its shareholders meeting despite holding Wells Fargo shares.

The Board joined the SF Board of Supervisors and Mayor Ed Lee in
speaking out against predatory lending policies.

Banking Videos for April 23rd’s Movie Showing about Wells Fargo

These video links are courtesy of Peter Menchini, Occupy SF Media
http://www.youtube.com/user/MayaMediated
https://picasaweb.google.com/110351006045593232796

These are for the lead-up to the
Protest the Wells Fargo Shareholders’ Meeting on Tuesday, April 24, 2012.

Videos about Wells Fargo

Videos about banks, foreclosures, and even education

Ross Rhodes Speaks at SF City Hall Rally Before Supervisors Committee Hear Foreclosure Moratorium Resolution

Thanks to Carol Harvey for this video of Occupy Bernal Foreclosure and Eviction Fighter Ross Rhodes speaking at a San Francisco City Hall rally just before the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Land Use Committee heard a Foreclosure Moratorium Resolution which passed the committee unanimously on to the full board, probably on April 10.

Carol’s full article appears here.