On Dec. 13, Asheville City Council will vote on an ordinance banning camping, storage and enclosed structures on city property. Occupy Asheville protesters are currently encamped in front of City Hall.
Tag: Occupy Asheville
Showing 43-63 of 90 results
Emails shine light on city’s reaction to Occupy Asheville
Xpress has obtained 270 emails from city of Asheville staff concerning Occupy Asheville. The emails reveal law enforcement considering their approach to (and surveillance of) the protests as well as city staff and Occupy representatives debating freedom of assembly, among other things. These emails are available to the public in a searchable database.
photo by Bill Rhodes
Asheville city ordinance doesn’t prohibit handing out political fliers
Earlier this month, the Asheville Police Department arrested Helen Roberts for passing out fliers as part of Occupy Asheville, claiming it violated a city ordinance. The charges against Roberts have since been dropped, and City Attorney Bob Oast tells Xpress that the ordinance she was arrested under only deals with commercial activity — not handing out political fliers in public spaces.
Protesters demand focus on jobs, infrastructure
Dozens of protesters lined the sidewalks on the bridge over the Swannanoa River in Biltmore Village on Thursday evening, Nov. 17, to demand that politicians in Washington focus on jobs and making “Wall Street pay its fair share.” (photos and report by Max Cooper)
CalCast: Nov. 17- 20
Raise a glass and celebrate beer, food, the holidays and anything else you see fit. CalCast, the community calendar podcast from Asheville FM and the Mountain Xpress, offers plenty of reasons for good cheer.
Senior citizens occupied Asheville — where was Xpress?
I find it hard to believe that in your Nov. 2 issue you ignored an important event in your reportage of the local Occupy Wall Street movement. On Oct. 29, some 40 members or friends of Elders United for Just Society joined the Occupy regulars in protesting downtown. The group met in Pritchard Park and […]
Occupy Asheville moves from federal building to spot near City Hall
For weeks, Occupy Asheville protesters have camped out on the Patton Avenue sidewalk at the Federal Building. Today, Nov. 14, they relocated to a grassy knoll next to the Biltmore Building and near City Hall. (Photo by Bill Rhodes)
Asheville police arrest Vets after midnight in Veterans Day protest downtown (UPDATED)
Based on reports from the Asheville Police Department and from two citizens on the scene, Asheville police arrested three Veterans just minutes after midnight on Nov. 12 for violating the city’s 10 p.m. park curfew, in a vigil that began Friday night of Veterans Day before the curfew and continued until the arrests occurred. (Image from video by Matt Johnson.)
Occupy Asheville releases video of Helen Roberts arrest, says charges dropped
Occupy Asheville demonstrators have released video of Helen Roberts being arrested for passing out “advertisements” at a Nov. 2 protest.
Occupy Asheville protester arrested for passing out fliers
Under a city ordinance banning advertisement “by the distribution of samples or printed matter within the city,” the Asheville Police Department arrested Helen Roberts,an Occupy Asheville participant for distributing fliers at a Nov. 2 rally. Roberts says the fliers she distributed were pie charts endorsing the protest’s positions, and that she was not soliciting donations.
APD employee, city social media specialist suspended after Facebook comments
The city of Asheville has placed Lynn Fraser, a forensic technician employed by the Asheville Police Department, and Melissa Williams, the city’s social media specialist, on “non disciplinary paid investigative suspension.” On Facebook, Fraser called Occupy Asheville protesters emerged yesterday, and Williams added a “LMAO” (“laughing my ass off”) comment.
Facebook group established in support of Lynn Fraser
A Facebook group has formed supporting Lynn Fraser, a forensic technician employed by the Asheville Police Department, who was suspended after making derogatory comments about Occupy Asheville protesters.
Please, Mayor Bellamy: don’t blame the messenger
If the Occupy Asheville movement has cost the city of Asheville any extra money in pay for our police, that responsibility lies with Mayor Terry Bellamy and not the Occupy Movement [”Fully Occupied,” Nov. 8 Xpress]. It is the mayor’s view that the movement is dangerous that has caused the larger problem. So far, her […]
APD Chief: department takes employee’s Facebook comments on Occupy Asheville “very seriously”
Asheville Police Department Interim Chief Wade Wood has released a statement saying that his department takes Facebook comments made by Lynn Fraser, a forensic technician employed by the APD, “very seriously.” Fraser called Occupy Asheville protesters “dirtasses” and said they needed “a hug … around the neck… with a rope.” Melissa Williams, the city’s public information and social media specialist, who commented on Fraser’s status, has offered her apologies.
APD employee calls Occupy Asheville protesters “dirtasses” on Facebook ***UPDATED 2:17 p.m.***
In a Facebook post, Lynn Fraser a forensic technician with the Asheville Police Department, called Occupy Asheville protesters “dirtasses” after they complained about police officers recording a march yesterday. In comments on the post, Melissa Williams, the city’s public information and social media specialist, responds with “LMAO” or “Laughing My Ass Off.” In previous post, Fraser also designated Occupiers as a group that “just need a hug … around the neck… with a rope.”
Over 200 march in solidarity with Occupy Asheville and against Keystone pipeline
About 250 people, many of them students, marched today, protesting against the proposed Keystone Pipeline and in solidarity with the Occupy movement.
APD arrests four Occupy Asheville participants ***UPDATED 11 a.m. SUNDAY***
The Asheville Police Department has arrested four Occupy Asheville participants today, Nov. 5, for alleged actions on Nov. 2. The charges are resisting public officers, impeding traffic, unlawful assembly and, in the case of one protester, wearing a mask in public. In a statement, Occupy Asheville claims condemns the arrests and claims one of those charged was home sick on the day in question.
Checking out Occupy Asheville’s ‘General Assembly’
It was a gorgeous fall day Saturday, November 5, so hubby and I got out the bikes and rode downtown with our nine-year-olds to catch a session of Occupy Asheville’s General Assembly. It’s not your textbook parliamentary procedure, mind you, but there’s an organic flow that works; and there’s something for everyone in this movement.
CIBO meeting tackles Occupy Asheville and other questions
Aggregated Twitter dispatches from this morning’s Council of Independent Business Owners breakfast, which dealt with Occupy Asheville, among other issues.
24 Occupy Asheville protesters arrested at Vance Monument for violating park curfew
Lt. Wilke of the Asheville Police Department informs Occupy protesters of their options, including that they face arrest for remaining in the park past 10 p.m.
Photos by Bill Rhodes
24 arrested in Occupy Asheville demonstration in Pack Square Park
Arrests were made without violence or resistance.