Alert: People Needed at Johnston Town Hall Tuesday + Melt ICE Fund-Party Friday

Johnston Residents at Town Hall Tuesday to Protest Against Land Grab

• When: Tuesday, January 28, 5:30pm

• Where: Johnston Municipal Court, 1395 Atwood Avenue, Johnston, RI 02919

• The Mayor of Johnston, Joseph Polisena Jr., has announced plans to seize land earmarked for affordable housing via eminent domain and use it instead for a public safety complex.

• He claims this is needed because the existing town council building, fire station, and police station are using outdated and unsafe buildings. He listed several issues that definitely do need to be fixed (no fire alarm system at the fire station!), however none of them sound like they require a whole new building and can’t be fixed using the buildings in place (likely for cheaper).

• Incidentally, the Mayor and a member of the planning board have spoken out against the affordable housing plan, and even in his announcement of the public safety complex plan, the mayor disparages it, so the argument that these buildings need to be updated this way sounds like absolute bullshit. If they’re so dire, fix them now, not in however long it’ll take to build a whole new set of buildings.

• He is holding a town council meeting for residents on Tuesday, apparently announced only a day in advance, and without notice to the people planning on using the land for affordable housing. Anyone who is a resident of Johnston, please show up to this and go tell him to go fuck himself and his anti-homeless bigotry. And if he’s that worried about the fire station condition, put the damn fire alarm in now.

• Links:

  • Mayor’s Announcement Post

  • News Article About Announcement 1

  • News Article About Announcement 2

  • Article on Mayor’s Pushback on Housing Complex

  • Article on Planning Board Making Disparaging Comment about Housing Complex

• Seriously, fuck this guy

AMOR: Fundraising for People in ICE Detention

• When: Friday, January 31, 8:30-11:59pm

• Where: The Venue at Machines with Magnets, 400 Main Street Pawtucket, RI 02860

• AMOR’s Community Response Team and Planeta are teaming up to throw a fund-party on the heels of Inauguration Day, raising funds for folks who are experiencing ICE Detention in RI. With threats of mass deportation to our immigrant community, there is a need to come together in solidarity and for our people who are currently experiencing ICE Detention, or those who may become at risk. They’re hoping to build an intentional community space, learn together, and dance for a cause!

• This past summer, AMOR’s Community Response Team launched its Fund for ICE Detainees, which provides folks detained at the Wyatt Detention Center due to immigration status with money for invaluable commissary phone calls to families and legal help, and basic necessities like soap, deodorant, and toothpaste. Thus far, they have distributed over $2600 to 22 people, and are hoping to continue donating such funds, especially as they have seen the number of ICE detainees held at the Wyatt jump from 55 to 110 just last month.

• Buying tickets is highly encouraged

• Masks will be available and are also highly encouraged

• Event Information