Minutes GA 01.05.2012

Minutes GA Occupy Utrecht, May 1

Overview
1. Some positive things
2. Continuing here
3. Manning the info stand
4. Actions and activities
5. Court Case

1. Some positive things
- Today there is an anarchist demonstration in Amsterdam
- Today there was a protest round around the Binnenhof in The Hague
- In the US people protested in 125 cities as a reaction to aggression towards immigrants. Comment: in the US several Occupy’s are talking with the Tea Party. Are we looking too much towards America and should we focus more on ourselves?

2. Continuing here
The big tents are in Ubica, we only want the two tents that are here now and the info stand. Maybe we’re going to add one small tent or a big party tent. This will make the problem of unwanted people better to control. We also want to be more strict on alcohol and drug use. Everybody should address a person if he or she is using drugs or alcohol. Frederik and Florian are going to sleep here tonight to make sure we have a good new start.

3. Manning the info stand
We want to make a schedule every GA with who is going to sit at the info for the coming week. It is not only important to man the stand at night but also be there at day to talk to by-passers.

The schedule for this week is:
Wednesday: Hans
Thursday: Frederik
Friday: Anita (now Patrick)
Saturday: Manolie (now Paulette?)
Sunday: Floris
Monday: Frederik, Paulette.

Freek is going to make a questionnaire ‘How Occupy are you’ (or something like that) that by-passers can fill in at the info stand. This will give them something to do at the stand, and people manning the stand have something to talk about with interested by-passers. We want to make more work of the different themes that Occupy Utrecht has. We can make a kind of division of themes (e.g. the crisis; worker’s action; art) with Occupyers attached to them. People filling in the questionnaire or otherwise coming to a stand can be referred to these ‘specialists’. There have already been e-mail conversations about these themes.
Who’s going to make sure the info at the info stand is up to date and fresh?
It is also proposed that people approach Lonneke and Myrte if they have a plan for some kind of activity or action. Hopefully this will improve the quality of our cooperation. We could try to get some regularity in activities, like every Friday discussion evening.

4. Actions and activities
a) Flyers against GVU budget cuts at Utrecht Central Busstation North and South. Manolie ordered a thousand flyers with Florian.
b) Manolie and Patrick make a declaration of solidarity with the workers. They want to engage in discussion with workers, whom we have been forgetting for months. This means being at the factory 5.30 in the morning.
c) We would like to do something with asylum seekers: Illegal People Don’t Exist. Manolie, Anita and Frederik are going to approach some organizations with a concrete plan. Maybe we can make a refugee day at Occupy.

5. The Court Case
The mayor did not agree with the court’s decision and went to the administrative judge. He wants a decision from them on the 16th of May. We might lose that court case if we cannot show that we’ve been looking for alternative locations.
Frederic is going to take the lead in this, but needs help. We want to send an e-mail with proposals to the city council before the next GA. Some possible alternative locations are: Mariaplaats, Janskerkhof, in front of Museum Speelklok tot Pierement, Vrouwe Justitiaplein, Lepelenburg.