RNC

Photo posted on Occupy Tampa’s facebook page.

Welcome back to the public forum! Democracy is alive and well in Tampa. Many people from various occupations around the Tampa Bay area came together on Saturday in Lykes Gaslight Park. The day started off with a breakfast prepared by Food Not Bombs.

The regional general assemblies will meet every two weeks before the RNC. The next regional general assembly will be in St. Pete at South Straub Park at noon on June 16th. General assemblies in the Tampa Bay area will still retain their autonomy even if they pass a resolution to participate in the regional general assembly. Any proposals passed at the regional general assembly can be presented to the local general assembly for approval. The regional general assemblies will adopt “house rules” which means that facilitation will follow the rules of the hosting occupation.

The regional general assembly got consensus to officially stand in solidarity with the student protests in Quebec. In addition, the regional general assembly got consensus to put out a national call to action to “Shut Down Bain Capital” on the day that Mitt Romney accepts the RNC’s nomination to protest the corporation’s bad business practices and violating workers’ right.

After the regional general assembly everyone put on their red squares, got their pots and pans, and marched around downtown.

Media Coverage
Occupy My Soapbox
Creative Loafing
Tampa Bay Times

Meeting minutes are here and video of the Solidarity March with Quebec is here.

At the GOP’s Lousiana state convention, it soon became clear that Ron Paul delegates would win the ballot. The night before, the Convention delegates had voted to remove the Chair of the Rules Committee for not following the bylaws.

When the newly elected Chair of the Rules Committee Mr. Helwig went to take his seat, the Chair of the Republican Party Mr. Villere ordered the police to arrest him. While arresting Mr. Helwig, the police allegedly broke several of his fingers. The state delegation then unanimously voted to elect a new Chair for the Convention. They turned their chairs around and continued the meeting with the new Chair of the Convention Mr. Hertford.

The previous Chair of the Convention, Mr. Villere, ordered the police to arrest the new Chair, Mr. Hertford. It was feared that the police dislocated Mr. Hertford’s artificial hip when they assaulted him. The new Chair, Mr. Hertford, lay on the floor writhing in pain. Mr. Hertford suffered bruising, but his hip was not dislocated. He was released from the hospital and taken to the local police station. His arrest report said he was arrested for refusing to leave and resisting arrest.

The article on Pixiq also points out that the second video in which Mr. Hertford is tackled by police, a police officer tries to confiscate the video footage. The Pixiq article states that it is illegal for the police to confiscate video except in extreme circumstances such as murder cases.

View full article from PolicyMic, the New American, and Pixiq.

View Ron Paul Campaign’s official response.