TIME'S UP! Opens a Bike Convergence Center to Support the Bike
National Convention and the Bike Bloc at the RNC!

The TIME'S UP! Bike Convergence Space, located at 49 East Houston
Street in Downtown Manhattan, is having a Grand Opening Party on
Saturday July 31st at 7pm. The space will serve as a resource for
cyclists planning to protest the upcoming Republican National
Convention (RNC). The new space, which includes a basement, backyard
and a shared first floor will host bicycle maintenance, film
screenings and educational events. Volunteers have enlisted the
assistance of a number of highly skilled mechanics and have begun
collecting donations of bicycles and parts for a lending library.
Bikes will be lent out on a first come first serve basis in exchange
for a small deposit or work trade.

The TIME'S UP! Bike National Convention (BNC), beginning on August
20th, will be a week of workshops, skill-shares and fun events related
to bikes and protest. We hope to celebrate NYC's unique cycling
culture and rebellious spirit. Highlights will include NYC's legendary
Critical Mass (which is expected to top 2000 participants!), an
informational tour of local War Profiteering Corporations, a Womyn's
Only Bike Maintenance Workshop series and two Dumpster Diving Rides to
show out of town visitors the best spots to catch a free meal.

A Bike Bloc is a large group of individuals and cycling affinity
groups similar to a Critical Mass ride. Bike Blocs at street protests
have the advantage of being able to break up and reform. The
spontaneity of a Bike Bloc means that participants are able to easily
move through the streets without the needing leaders or a decided
route. Another advantage of a Bike Bloc is that arrests are rare and a
generally festive atmosphere. In the past, Bike Blocs have provided a
tremendous amount of solidarity and logistical support to
demonstrators who are on foot.

For more then 10 years, TIME'S UP has been involved in the struggle to
protect the environment. Using both direct action and education, these
struggles have included everything from the fight to preserve NYC's
community gardens and squatted homes to mass mobilizations against
corporate globalization all over the world.

We are encouraging anyone who wants to make their voice heard during
the RNC to come to New York as early as possible and to bring a bike.
TIME'S UP! and many other groups have been working hard to ensure that
the city will be abuzz with radical events, performances, workshops
and gatherings of all kinds between now and the convention. We are an
open group and invite the input and support of anyone interested in
making this summer a success.

See you in the streets!

TIME'S UP!

www.times-up.org

timesup@theory.org

212-802-8222