Monsieur Baguette

Just as I was beginning to organize a mass demonstration to protest BP in NYC the wonderful folks over at Code Pink (http://www.codepink4peace.org/), Freedom Glory Project (http://www.freedomgloryproject.com/) and Time’s Up! NYC (http://times-up.org/) beat me to it!!!

Want to express your frustration for the environmental and economic disaster that is getting worse by the day on the Gulf coast? Want to take on a massive corporation? Want to scream, yell and chant in the streets?

Then join the protest scheduled for Friday, May 28th at 6:00 PM.  The direct action will be at the BP gas station located at 21 East Houston St., NY, NY

Here are all the juicy details for the event:

Thank you for joining us tomorrow! The response to this event has been overwhelming and we are doing our best to make sure that everything goes smoothly. We need your help! Please read and follow these directions precisely, and SHARE them with your fellow protesters, many of whom will not see them. Word of mouth made this event huge, and word of mouth will make it beautiful. There will also be a dozen marshals with large MARSHAL BP badges who will be directing the group on site. Thank you!!

DO converge at 6 pm sharp at the BP station on Houston between Broadway and Lafayette.
DO NOT be early or late.
DO NOT demonstrate ANY violence, verbal or physical, to the police, to your fellows, or to property. If you are detained DO NOT resist. If you or another are detained or harassed CALL OR TEXT (917) 544-5604.
DO wear either a costume of your choice or white clothes (that you don’t mind getting sludgy).
DO bring a water bottle full of dirty (with dirt, molasses, food coloring or water-based paint) to pour on yourself. At 6:15 EXACTLY you may walk onto the station’s property and pour this “oil” on yourself or your (willing) neighbor to demonstrate what the people and wildlife in the Gulf are suffering. At this point when we are asked to leave we will be trespassing, so we advise you to leave when requested to do so.

**** Legal Information ****
Many people have asked about the possibility of arrest. We ARE NOT running a civil disobedience action and we will do everything possible to PREVENT arrests, and we have NYC’s finest protest attorneys on call. It is LEGAL for us to gather on public sidewalks as long as we do not block them and it is LEGAL for us to be in a place of business (the gas station) until we are asked to leave, so we should be fine.

HOWEVER, police do sometimes arrest people who are not doing illegal things. If you are nervous, you can minimize risk by staying on the sidewalk and not blocking foot traffic, even if that means stringing out down the block or down the blocks away from the station and the action (take that opportunity to talk to passersby about the action, help pass out the flyers we bring etc.). We ask that you NOT stay on BP’s property after being asked to leave, since you are then LIKELY to get arrested.

**** Rain Plan ****
There is no rain plan. Rain or shine.

**** Contacts****
Organizers: Johnny, 917-915-5783 and Sally, 917-544-5604, Press Contact: Dana, 202-422-8624

Very best,

Code Pink NYC, Freedom Glory Project, and Time’s Up! NYC

PRESS INFORMATION:

Flash Protest of BP Oil Hemorrhage
New York City | 6:00 – 6:15pm | May 28th 2010
BP service station on Lafayette and Houston

WHO: Code Pink NYC, Freedom Glory Project, Time’s Up and the citizens of New York
WHERE: BP GAS STATION, 21 EAST HOUSTON STREET (at Lafayette)
WHEN: May 28th, 2010 6:00pm – 6:15pm
WHAT: : Drenching themselves with oil, hundreds of protestors will gather to shame BP. Protesters will mourn the deaths of the 11 workers, devastation of wildlife, and livelihoods destroyed all along the Gulf Coast. They will call for BP to be held accountable, for an end to offshore drilling and for a total restructuring of our energy towards renewable clean sources.

WHY: – BP, TransOcean and Halliburton must halt drilling world wide
- BP, TransOcean, and Halliburton must not be allowed new drilling permits
- Immediate shutdown of Atlantis Platform in Gulf, 89% of critical blueprints not approved
- Oil companies redirect energy and financing to renewable clean fuels;
- US government to expose the true extent of the disaster
- The halt of censorship and intimidation of the press
- Accountability for BP’s criminal actions
- Cooperation with the press, scientists, and others assisting with the cleanup

BP deserves 0 baguettes and I do not think I need to explain why

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