(pictured above: top is the Baywalk entertainment complex in St. Petersburg, FL, bottom is one of the Friday demonstrations led by InPDUM at Baywalk that lasted for 8 months until Baywalk agreed to change their racist policies that targetted African youth. The demonstrations were sparked because of an arrest of an InPDUM member that spoke out about police brutality he witnessed at Baywalk against another African young man.)
InPDUM President, Chimurenga Waller gave us this report from yesterday's Public Hearing regarding the Bailout of Baywalk:
The public hearing was initiated by the Development Review Commission (DRC). The meeting started with an intervention by city Attorney John Wolfe, who literally instructed the commission that free speech and constituitonal issues were not what the commission was basing their decision on. He also stated that he was sure that a lawsuit would follow if the city went through with its plan to give the $700,000 bailout and the sidewalk to Wells Fargo Bank.
It should be noted that at no time during the hearing did the name "Wells Fargo Bank" get mentioned until I said it in my presentation. Even the real estate management company, Ciminelli Real Estate, did not mention the actual owners, who is Wells Fargo Bank. One thing was clear, the state is the enforcers for imperialist white power.
The St. Pete for Peace group spoke in defense of first amendment and democratic rights.
The position of InPDUM is that not only does the Bailout represent violations of free speech, but at its core it is an attempt to keep Africans out of Baywalk. We pronounced that Carl Nurse lied when he said that we blocked the path of patrons coming to Baywalk. We also said the DRC was being sucked into joining in the extortion being carried out by Wells Fargo.
Kobina Bantushango, speaking on behalf of InPDUM, also stated that it would make more sense to give the $700,000 to the African community for reparations than to give it to a failing economic institution.
The local state apparatus made it clear that saving white power and its economic entities trumps any need to give the impression of democracy. As a matter of fact, it was clear that the sentiment was overwhelmingly against the bailout and the vote still ended up 6-1 in favor of the bailout and sidewalk giveaway! The only democracy on this day was the democracy for the white bosses and the bourgeosie. The dictatorship of the bourgeosie is still being exposed as the City government moves to enrich the class and national enemy of African People.
Uhuru! Thank you President Waller for that report and update. There will be at least one more public hearing before the City Council votes again. Stay tuned to this blog and UhuruNews.com for more information about that hearing. Support InPDUM's demands and learn what you can do to help - check out the previous blog posting!
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