Stop the $700,000 Welfare Deal for Baywalk

The International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement (InPDUM) is initiating a campaign to Stop the $700,000 Welfare Deal for Baywalk that includes the company taking control of the public sidewalk in front of Baywalk. We are asking all who believe in justice to unite with us in the following actions as our counteroffensive to the Baywalk scam. 1. Wednesday, August 5, 2009 at 7:00pm Attend the follow-up planning meeting for the Baywalk campaign. Organizations and individuals invited - 1245 18th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida 2. Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 8:15am Demonstration at City Hall steps to protest Baywalk bailout, violation of free speech and demand economic development for the African community. Participants are asked to be at city hall at 8:00am. 3. Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 6:00pm - Enoch Davis Center, 1111 18th Avenue South- Darryl Rouson Townhall meeting 4. Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 7:00pm - Mayoral candidate's forum at City Hall, City council chambers. We should ask Mayor candidates if they support Baywalk Bailout. The Baywalk struggle actually started some years ago with arrest of Mtundu Dialobe at the entertainment complex. Mtundu was arrested on frame-up charges of inciting to riot for verbally protesting police brutality against Terry Roquemore on October 3, 2003. The arrest of Mtundu and the sunsequent 8 month long defense campaign exposed Baywalk as an anti-African institution, built partially with taxpayer's money, that would serve as a place for white tourists. This posture by Sembler Corporation, which owned the facility at the time, served as the backdrop for an economic policy put forward by the city of St. Petersburg that targeted the African community as a source of exploitation and gentrification. Eighteenth Avenue South is now designated a commercial corridor by the city. The city plans to buy foreclosed houses in the African community with federal stimulus money, and give sweetheart deals to sell out Africans who speak out against the interest of their own community. These are a few examples of the attacks on the African population. The police are currently carrying out a campaign of terror against Africans peacefully gathering under the tree next to Ike's Liquors on 16th Street South, making arrests for so-called "open containers". Every aspiring politician is screaming about crime and the police are arresting these Africans on these kinds of minor charges. We are certain these arrests are a part of the city government's policy of police containment and gentrification efforts and to take property in the African community for development for the white community. Just like the harassment of the former Sno-Peak fast food restaurant, an African business that the police harassed into the ground, for the city to buy the property for development in the so-called "Dome Industrial District". One thing is clear, the city has a policy of sending our community to the jails while giving the white bosses downtown bailouts. Take a stand to say that you support real economic development for the African community and to end the $700,000 bailout of Baywalk! For more information, call 727-683-9949 or email stpete@aspcuhuru.org