Solidarity with Lower 9th Ward

To find out more about Common Ground, please see http://www.commongroundrelief.org. Also, Bay to Gulf People's Pipeline will be coordinating trips to New Orleans for solidarity work throughout the year. Please email baytogulftrip [at] riseup.net or call 415-575-5545 for more info.

Repost from New Orleans Indymedia (http://neworleans.indymedia.org/news/2006/01/6733.php):

On Christmas Eve, the city announced its plan to begin bulldozing 5,500 homes. Several neighborhood associations, homeowners, and community organizations from the Lower 9th Ward filed to stop the bulldozing and were given a consent decree that will end with a court hearing on January 6, 2006. This morning, January 5, 2006, several residents and community organizations held a press conference to denounce the city's efforts to demolish the 5,500 homes. These community activists were concerned that the court would allow the bulldozing to begin. During the conference, a resident of the Lower 9th Ward called to alert everyone that a work crew had already begun demolition. Those who attended the press conference immediately left for the intersection of Reynes and Galvez streets, where the bulldozing was occurring.

A large group of reporters, concerned residents, lawyers, and activists quickly assembled in front of a work crew that was using machinery to remove someone's home. When pressed, officials claimed that the home was in fact "debris". Local police arrived with officers from the Department of Homeland Security. U.S. Army officers followed shortly.

The activists felt that the federal, state, and local governments should help facilitate the wishes of the local residents, instead of illegally demolishing homes without consent. Common Ground Collective, and the People's Hurricane Relief Fund decided to create teams to patrol the neighborhood to watch for illegal bulldozing.

Eventually, to cheers, the bulldozers left, and City Attorney, Albert Thibodeaux (504-905-8442), assured Tracy Washington, an attorney with the People's Hurricane Relief Fund that the destruction of any homes would cease until after the hearing on January 6th.

Please come to New Orleans if you can. If you cannot, then please call the City Attorney Thibodeaux the City Hotline at 877-286-6431, and the mayor's office: 504-658-4900.

Peace and love,
Common Ground