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Common Ground Collective, Occupation to Defend the Lower Ninth Ward

Please spread far and wide! Get this to alternative, local or
mainstream news outlets if you can...the Lower Ninth Ward of NOLA is
under a dusk 'til dawn curfew and media attention for this action may
mean the difference between arrest or being shot for resisters in New
Orleans. Thanks!


Occupation to Defend the Lower Ninth Ward

Common Ground Collective, New Orleans

The Common Ground Collective (CGC) announces that it will lease and
occupy a building in New Orleans' lower Ninth Ward. This is being done
in defiance of the city's attempt to bulldoze that area in response to
Hurricane Katrina's damage. In spite of a moratorium on bulldozing
structures until January 6th, the City is in violation of its own
stipulation, according to Brandon Darby, CGC's Ninth Ward Organizer
and Coordinator.


CGC believes that if the residents' properties are confiscated through
eminent domain laws, without due process allowed to its owners, it
will render private property rights null and void in America. Instead,
CGC demands that the city, state, and federal government extend the
same courtesy to Ninth Ward residents, as was allowed St. Bernard
Parish's property owners; that is FEMA trailers to home owners, while
their houses are restored and property cleaned up.CGC's goals are to:


— Gut, remove mold and debris from the structure it occupies, as well
as from surrounding area buildings


— Document on a daily basis what is occurring in the Ninth Ward


— Stand its ground and not leave, despite developers' attempts to
confiscate land and destroy a black community which has lived in the
Ninth Ward for generations


CGC has encouraged all good willed citizens to lobby the local, state
and federal government to cease and desist the forceful taking of
peoples' lands. The organization believes that if this is allowed
unchallenged, it will result in the erosion of social justice and
private property rights.


Once the cleaning and occupation is complete, CGC plans on calling a
press conference.


Contact: Common Ground Collective

504.717.5633

213.840.1972

917.440.9679