Occupation Is Liberation! - Stop The Bypass! - Building Occupied - Cops Back Tommorow Thurs Morning 9AM
[mayday : may1st : aotearoa / new zealand : wellington]
Come To Tonks Ave Wellington Central Thursday May 2, 2002 9am to help stop a dirty, noisy, expensive, dangerous,
motorway from destroying established collective community centres and community gardens!!!
Security Guards and Police have already warned occupiers that they face eviction if they continue to occupy. Come down
and support us at the big building at the end of TONKS AVE (OFF UPPER CUBA STREET). We need EVERYONE. Send this email to
everybody you know in Wellington and maybe even call people on the phone!)
As a part of the carnival against capitalism, Stagecraft - the two storey building at the end of TONKS AVE - with huge
rooms and space has been successfully occupied. After much dodging of cops and security guards, the second part of the
May Day Carnival against capitalism kicked off. This involved people converging on Kensington Gardens and then
congregating in front of the big building at the end of the TONKS AVE (STAGECRAFT). For some strange reason the power
was on, and the doors were open (how did that happen????? ) People then poured into the building through the windows and
the open door and the occupation was on!
A Public Address system was brought in, along with band, and sound gear. Political rap was booming from the upstairs
(DONT BELIEVE THE HYPE! - FIGHT THE POWER!). Downstairs the first band DEAD VISCIOUS cranked up! They had the whole
RECLAIM THE STREETS crew, in full swing - people were jumping, fists in the air, singing along with the lyrics (Dead
Vicious had handed out their lyric sheet - Find a sample attached below)
IMON STAR was on next and he moved the crowd with positive beats and messages. As he was dedicating one of his songs to
his sister who had died in a car crash, security guards busted their way in threatening to shut us down and evict us.
The security guards grabbed the mike and told everyone they were tresspassing, and that they had gotten hold of the
Wellington City Council, and that we were all going to be arrested.
Imon Star continued, and as his spoken word flowed in a free form stream of consciousness he touched the truth inside
all of us - The land doesn't belong to us - We belong to the land. How can you own land? You can't take it with you!
Later as the threats of eviction became a reality and the police arrived at the door, occupiers discussed possible
actions. It was up to each person as to whether they wanted to stay or go now. (Kudos to THE CLASH for their relevant
lyrics) The rock solid staunch citizens who decided that enough was enough - shook the foundations with the cry of YA
BASTA! A cry which echoed around the building as people pulled out the chains and cuffs and locked on. People who left
the house helped take out the sound equipment and many returned with food and sleeping gear and housekeeping stuff for
the remaining occupiers as practical gestures of support.
The door was then barricaded with a piano. Over 30 people locked on all over the Stagecraft building - In the roof, in
the attic, on the balcony, on the stage and many more surrounded the outside area. No-one knew exactly where everyone
was hiding, or where everyone was locked on - we were and are everywhere.
The police came and gave us the usual threats. They told us that they were going to arrest all of us. Discussion went
back and forth with those who weren't locked on from the upstairs balcony. We agreed to let one cop in, and an acting
inspector - officer Paul Berry. When they entered they could see that there was a number of us locked on (and probably
couldnt imagine those of us they could not see). The Police and Richard McLean from the Wellington City Council said
that we could stay the night, and that the Wellington City Council will make a decision at 9am as to their position on
the TONKS AVE occupation.
As I am typing this HELL FUCKEN RUMBLE ( another band ) is playing, and entertaining the people. COME DOWN AND HELP STOP
THE EVICTIONS AND DEFEND The Occupation.
Take back community space.! - Fuck the bypass. as the saying goes. we are everywhere. www.agp.org
"MOTORWAYS ARE UNFORGIVING, BUT HE'S STILL IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING. HE'S A CAPITALIST OPERATOR, WITH HIS FOOT ON THE
ACCELERATOR" Sung By DEAD VICIOUS - [MAY 1ST 2002 - (ABOUT 8PMISH) @ STAGECRAFT, TONKS AVE, WELLINGTON]