PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "In another surprising turnabout on Pittsburgh's budget, City Council today not only voted to approve spending cuts in the Act 47 recovery plan, but did so in a unanimous 9-0 vote." Earlier this week a key council member had said he would change his vote from in support of the plan to opposition, which was previously assumed to be supported by a 1-member majority of the council. Two days of lobbying by the state's development secretary caused him to reverse his decision yet again, and apparently convinced the four other city-council members who had voiced opposition to the plan, which would privatize many key city services and has been compared to a structural adjustment program.

Meanwhile, at the Budget and Finance committee meeting of the County Council on December 2nd, 2004, the committee decided against providing money for Port Authority Transit in the budget they were recommending to the County Council. Some committee members promised that after the budget was passed and went into action on Janurary 1st, 2005 they would try to amend the enacted budget to include money for PAT. That money is necessary for PAT to receive state matching funds, without which PAT cannot survive. [ read more ]

The very first Independent Media Center was established by independent and alternative media organizations and activists in November 1999 to provide grassroots coverage of the World Trade Organization protests in Seattle. It served as clearinghouse of information and provided up-to-the-minute reports, photos, audio and video footage of that historic mobilization through its website.

Since that time, Indymedia has grown from a mere idea in the heads of a few enthusiastic innovators to become the nervous system of global resistance to corporate power, social injustice and environmental destruction.

[ Read More ] [ Other Indymedia Coverage ]

Last week the Pennsylvania General Assembly adjourned without passing any legislation necessary to save the public transit crisis statewide. As a consequence, the Port Authority transit agency in Pittsburgh might cut weekend and nighttime service, shut down 70 routes, layoff 500 employees, and also raise the base fare to $2.50. The Port Authority board will next meet on Thursday, December 16 to decide on whether to implement those proposed cuts.

Following the state legislators action, 50 public transit riders gathered at the City-County Building downtown for a rally on Wednesday, November 24th. Many members of Save Our Transit said that since their attempts at a "civics text-book campaign" for public transit fell on deaf ears, they would have to open the "direct action" book. Unions representing workers dependent upon the busses, as well as unions representing bus drivers rallied with Save Our Transit.

If the state and the Port Authority are not able to restore public transit services in time for next year, furious transit riders have committed to waging a new campaign of nonviolent civil disobedience. Save Our Transit has urged the Port Authority to refuse any cuts in services, and instead run at its current level until it is out of money as a protest of the State's lack of action. Cuts may occur as early as January.

[ Read More | Photos ]

On Thursday, November 18th, 600 turned out to honor Amy Goodman, the host and creator of Democracy Now!, at the Thomas Merton Center's annual award dinner. In her acceptance speech Goodman slammed the corporate media and sung the praises of independent media, including Indymedia. In her brief visit to Pittsburgh, Goodman also spoke at CMU, recorded a PSA and broadcast her Friday show live from Downtown, featuring all Pittsburgh guests.

[ Photos | CMU lecture | previous feature about Goodman | DN! Pittsburgh show ]

On Thursday, November 11, Pittsburgh Organizing Group and Code Pink held a last-minute, emergency protest in Squirrel Hill against the assault on Fallujah. 100 protesters showed up on 48 hours notice as Pittsburgh joined 20 other U.S. cities holding similar demonstrations.

Protesters were greeted by an unexpected display of police repression and bullying.

[ read more | photos 1 2 ]

On November 9, the U.S. government responded to the Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF) Motion to Unseal the court order that led to October's seizure of two hard drives that hosted more than 20 Indymedia websites. The government claims that the order to Rackspace should remain secret because: (1) EFF and their Indymedia clients lacked "standing" (the legal right to initiate a claim) to contest the seizure, (2) the request came from a unnamed foreign government pursuant to a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), and therefore was not subject to the protections of the Bill of Rights; and (3) disclosure would imperil "an ongoing criminal terrorism investigation." EFF intends to oppose these arguments and will file a legal brief responding to the government's letter.

The government response also contains details suggesting that the order may have originated in Italy. While the government refuses to identify which government prompted the court order, the letter cites language from "Article 8" that corresponds to Italy's MLAT and not to Switzerland's. (As reported earlier, Italy and Switzerland were the two prime suspects.)

Meanwhile, more than 10,000 individuals have signed the Indymedia solidarity statement and at least 17 of the downed websites are back up and running.

[ previous feature | EFF motion | EFF blog | US government response | solidarity statement ]

For four days in November, Pittsburgh had a taste of popular revolt. Emphasizing health care, public transit, the dangers of a massacre in Fallujah, and drawing attention to mass-disenfranchisement and the flaws in the electoral system in the United States, activists held back-to-back demonstrations in an unprecedented week of action for peace and justice.

Wednesday, Nov. 3 -- Some angry at Bush, others angry at the System, as many as 250 protesters threw down the gauntlet in Oakland on the day after the (s)election.

Following a brief rally on the steps of the Software Engineering Institute at 6 pm, an energetic crowd snaked through the streets of Oakland in what many described as the rowdiest action since the invasion of Iraq first began. One dozen bucket drums--accompanied by a chorus of cowbells, sticks, shakers and chants--grabbed the attention of students in dorms and eateries, some of whom joined in and helped stop rush-our traffic on Forbes, one of Pittsburgh's busiest arteries. The protest was non-violent, but marchers chalked the streets of Oakland, lit ablaze American flags and newspapers, ceremoniously obliterated a red, white and blue balloon float that had been rescued from a campus election party, and used barricades to defend themselves from police aggression. Two activists were arrested and eventually released on $500 bond and charges of disorderly conduct. Similar "beyond voting" demonstrations took place in cities across the country.

[ Accounts: March Overview | Harassment during jail solidarity | Status of one arrestee | Both arrestees have been freed Photos: 1 2 3 4 5 | audio | video | BeyondVoting.org ]

Thursday, Nov. 4 -- Chanting "busses not bombs!", about 90 public transit riders braved the rain and marched across the Smithfield bridge to the Sheraton Station Square, the location for the Port Authority public hearing on the demise of public transit. The hearing concerned a proposal to cut weekend and nighttime service, shut down 70 routes, layoff 500 employees, and raise fares to boot. Once the marchers arrived at the Sheraton, they stormed the building chanting "no more fare hikes, no more service cuts" and occupied the front of the hearing chambers for ten minutes before allowing the proceedings to get underway.

[ Photo | Video | Save Our Transit | previous features 1 2 ]

Friday, Nov. 5 -- About 35 people re-visited Centre City Tower for a lively lunchtime health care and justice for janitors solidarity rally. Last year, nine janitors were laid off by Centre City Tower when the company decided to hire non-union workers so as to avoid paying their health care benefits. Demanding that the company restore the janitors jobs, complete with healthcare benefits, pension, and living wages, a dozen protesters entered the building with bucket drums, signs and informational flyers chanting "No justice, no peace," "We're not going away" and "This is just the beginning" while supporters stood outside and cheered. Building security called the police, but the protesters exited the building before the police had a chance to threaten them with arrest. Organizers, who regard the Centre City Towers case as emblematic of the health care crisis in this community, say they will continually escalate the intensity of their campaign against until their demands are met.

[ photo | video | TMC healthcare campaign | previous feature 1 ]

Saturday, Nov 6 -- Oakland was once again the setting for resistance as activist gatherings and protests went on throughout the day. The day began with a four-hour "Post-Election Town Meeting on Building a Progressive Movement," in which 250 individuals packed the William Pitt Union to participate in a post-election analysis and discussion on strategies and tactics for building the movement. Following the town meeting, members of Code Pink (each wearing pink) lined the Soldiers and Sailors wall with letter-placards that spelled out "women say no to war." They were soon joined by members of Women in Black (each wearing black), who unfurled a banner listing the names of victims of the Israeli occupation of Palestine and who performed a informative and entertaining puppet show.

At around 3:30, activists gathered at the William Pitt Union patio for a brief anti-war rally featuring performances by the Raging Grannies and Radical Cheerleaders. Following the rally, a lively bucket drumming brigrade and about 200 protesters filed past eateries on South Craig as a march sloped around the Pitt Campus, sticking to the sidewalks. Some of the marchers stopped back at Soldiers and Sailors for a peace circle, while others continued to snake throughout Oakland in the hopes of recapturing some of Wednesday's energy, stopping at two military recruiting stations. A heavy police presence including K-9 units may have stifled further actions, but activists vow to keep up the momentum, particularly as the U.S. is poised to massacre innocents in Fallujah.

[ photo | video ]

Voters from around the country have reported on their experiences at the polls. The League of Pissed Off Voters have compiled this preliminary bullet-point list of reports of voting irregularities in New Orleans, LA; St. Petersburg, FL; Toledo, OH; Columbus, OH; Beloit, WI; and Milwuakee, WI. Other reported voting problems posted to IMCs include Felton, CA; Nashville, TN; Michigan and Ohio; Portland, OR; Boston, MA; Pittsburgh, PA; Florida and Pennsylvania; St. Louis, MO; Tulsa, OK; Manhattan, NY; Urbana, IL; Brooklyn, NY; and elsewhere.

No matter what the outcome of the sElections may be, protest have been organized around the nation. A nationwide Beyond Voting movement, sponsored by a broad coalition of anti-war/anti-empire/global justice organizations, is planning for street demonstrations in over 20 cities TODAY (Wednesday, Nov. 3), the day after the election, saying "No matter who wins, the world needs to hear that the people of the U.S. demand fundamental social, economic, and political change." A World Party has been called for in cities all over the the US, and throughout the world.

IN PITTSBURGH: 5:30pm Post-election march against war and for social justice at home. Gather near SEI, 4500 Fifth Ave in Oakland. More Information.

The future of public transit across Pennsylvania rests in the hands of lawmakers in Harrisburg. If the two transit bills currently up for debate, Senate Bill 1162 and House Bill 2697, are not passed by November 30th, massive cuts will occur in Pittsburgh and across the state. For the Port Authority System in Allegheny county, the failure of the bills would mean:

• No weekend or holiday service
• No nighttime service
• The cutting of 70 routes
• The laying-off of 500 Port Authority workers

In response, the advocacy group Save Our Transit is holding a rally Thursday at 10 AM at the State Office Building at 300 Liberty Avenue downtown. The rally will end in a march to a public comment hearing on the cuts at the Sheraton Station Square. Hearings begin at 11:00 AM.

[ Read More ]