FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jennifer Wallace: 302.588.6919 or jenwallace@comcast.net

April 23, 2012

Occupy Delaware “Banksleep” Escalates battle against Bank of America
City Responds with pre-emptive request to cease occupation

WILMINGTON, DE. Preparing to escalate their battle against the “Too Big to Fail” banks headquartered in Wilmington, Occupy Delaware was hit by city officials with a threat to abrogate the agreement regarding their six-month encampment in Spencer Plaza. The group intends to take their sleeping bags to the sidewalk outside bank doors in Wilmington, beginning with Bank of America Monday night, April 23.

The announcement from the mayor’s office was seen as a departure from the good relationship Occupy Delaware had maintained with the city.

The city sent Occupy Delaware’s attorney a list of charges, almost all of which were new to Occupy Delaware. The group claims to have corrected every problem brought to its attention, and they have not received any complaints since December. The group claims to have maintained a clean and safe encampment since its original agreement with the city. If the city saw violations the group asks why it did not bring them to their attention so they could deal with them. Apparently, the city has been conducting surveillance to concoct a case against the group instead of protecting their First Amendment rights. The group enforces a strict policy of respect for the park and respect for the law. The group has asked several individuals who would not abide by the rules to leave.

Claims by the city that the group did not respect the nearby burial site of Peter Spencer seem like a pretext to save from embarrassment bankers whose fraudulent actions have devastated the accumulated wealth of the Black community. Indeed, nothing in the letter sent to the groups attorney offered any evidence that there had been any disrespect at the gravesite. Occupy Delaware has collaborated with Reverend Lawrence Michael Livingston, Pastor of Mother African Union Church, founded by Peter Spencer. Reverend Livingston was an organizer of Occupy the Dream, which joined Occupy Delaware at the Spencer Plaza site.

The city cannot blame Occupy Delaware for social problems that exist city wide, problems that are exacerbated by racism, the economic collapse caused by the plutocracy that dominates the city power structure, and the failed war on drugs.

Occupy Delaware will continue to negotiate in good faith with the city and expects the city to abide with their agreement with Occupy Delaware.

Occupy Delaware comprises a broad variety of voices. Anyone in Delaware who is fed up with a national agenda that is rigged in favor of the wealthiest one percent at the expense of the other ninety-nine percent is welcome to participate. Occupy Delaware does not endorse political candidates or parties.

Guidelines for effective occupation: http://www.occupyde.org/guidelines-effective-occupation

Occupy Delaware Webpage: http://www.occupyde.org/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/occupydelaware
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OccupyDE

Occupy Delaware Mission Statement: http://www.occupyde.org/mission-statement/

Declaration of the Occupation of New York City (Occupy Wall Street):

http://occupywallst.org/forum/first-official-release-from-occupy-wall-street/.

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