This is a Call to Action for a Non-Hierarchical Occupation of Monsanto Everywhere
Whether you like it or not, chances are Monsanto contaminated the food you ate today with chemicals and unlabeled GMOs. Monsanto controls much of the world's food supply at the expense of food democracy worldwide. This site is dedicated to empowering citizens of the world to take action against Monsanto & it's enablers like the FDA, USDA, EPA, GMA, BIO, and the processed food companies that use Monsanto's products.
Check out this awesome video by Dennis Trainor Jr. that was filmed on Monday outside of the BIO International Convention in Boston.
If you are in the New York City area next week, check out the world premiere of his new documentary:
American Autumn: an occudoc
Opening Night Screening and Party – Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Indie Screen @ 289 Kent Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Doors open at 7pm / Admission is FREE / cash bar / RSVP
Dressed in contamination suits and waving around boxes of children’s cereal they say are pumped with Genetically Modified Organisms, protesters planted themselves outside of the International BIO Convention Monday to fight against a week-long meeting of mega-companies and biotechnology firms.
Chris Rotten holds up boxes of cereal in protest of genetically modified foods. Photo by Steve Annear
According to the group of activists, some of whom traveled all the way from Washington, D.C., while the “1 percent discusses industry strategies that compromise…biological heritage” inside the convention, protesters planned on educating the public, hosting sidewalk sessions, about pesticides, organic foods and anti-biotech initiatives.
“We are here to tell them to stop using GMO’s. Stop contaminating our food—we want organic farms, not giant industrial farms poisoning our people,” said Rica Madrid.
Madrid is a member of Occupy Monsato, a group fighting against the multinational agricultural company and producer of genetically engineered seeds.
The group, which banded with members of Occupy Boston and others during Monday’s protests, will be holding larger rallies against the company in the future.
Madrid said the Genetically Modified Organisms used in food produced by Monsato could have long term adverse health effects.
“We have no idea what the impacts will be in 10 or 15 years,” she said. “We can avoid these foods.”
Chris Rotten, who held a box of Lucky Charms and Fruity Pebbles while wearing a HAZMAT suit, asked people coming into the convention if they had their daily dose of “GMOs.”
“It’s should be ‘UnLucky Charms.’ We have been duped by the FDA,” said Rotten. “People don’t intend to be part of a corporate experiment. We are just guinea pigs.”
The convention, which runs from June 18 through the 21, is slated to bring thousands of biotech firms and businesses to the Bay State and pump close to $26.8 million into the local economy, according to officials from Mayor Thomas Menino’s office.
To attract some of those global businesses to the Hub, Menino and staff form the city’s Boston Redevelopment Authority have implemented a plan to “pitch hot prospects,” including tours of Boston’s life sciences clusters and meetups with CEOs.
“Boston is a global life sciences hub – a super cluster – it is innovation, collaboration and success. I’m pleased to invite the world to our city,” Menino said in a statement.
Governor Deval Patrick kicked off the week long event, welcoming businesses to Boston, during a speech this morning.
“Hosting all this talent from all around the world is a great opportunity for us to showcase our super-cluster here, build on relationships we already have and create some new ones,” said Patrick. “I look forward to meeting with top executives and government leaders to explore opportunities for collaboration and I encourage all BIO participants to do the same.”
Protesters did not go inside the event because the amount it cost to attend. They said they didn’t want to give additional money to the large corporations.
This article was Monday’s front page story in Metro Boston, a free daily newspaper. Was Metro Boston hoping for a riot? The impact of a demonstration is not about the number of people present, but the number of people reached by the message. Metro Boston missed the point that unlabeled GMOs are hazardous to our health, environment, and future generations.
Where have all the BIO protesters gone?
by MICHAEL NAUGHTON BOSTON Published: June 17, 2012 7:40 p.m.
An international biotechnology conference that once drew thousands of passionate protesters to Boston 12 years ago may only see a handful of chanters during a return visit to the Hub this week.
The four day BIO International Convention, a gathering of biotechnology leaders from around the world, kicks off today at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in South Boston. More than 16,000 people are expected to attend and contribute nearly $27 million to the local economy.
But, as they have in years past, those biotechnology industry leaders will be welcomed by a group of protesters who are planning a rally this morning for the start of the conference.
Groups who have expressed their support and plan to participate in the protest include Occupy Monsanto, the Northeast Organic Farming Association and Occupy Boston.
Rica Madrid, a member of Occupy Monsanto, said last week that she expected about 50 people to show up to the protest. As of yesterday afternoon, about 60 people were signed up on the group’s Facebook page to attend today.
“We really do hope it’s by the thousands, but to be realistic, I think a lot of people really do care, but conflicts are people’s families. And they don’t have a lot of time to come out to a demonstration on a Monday morning,” Madrid said.
She also said a problem to attracting people to the protest is the lack of knowledge about the group’s cause – genetically modified organisms in food.
The group hopes to force companies to label food that includes genetically engineered ingredients.
A Boston police spokesman said in an e-mail that police are aware the convention “may draw some opposition groups” and that the department has assigned additional resources.
Conference organizers said protesters will use a “First Amendment designated area” and that the safety and well-being of convention attendees and Hub citizens is top priority.
Occupy Monsanto’s “Michael Taylor Resign” protest outside of the Washington Convention Center, April 20, 2012
The biotechnology industry is having a convention June 18-21 in Boston, Massachusetts. In order to attend the sessions you must register for the conference, which costs thousands of dollars. Since we don’t want to give a dime to the biotech industry, Occupy Monsanto, Millions Against Monsanto, and other food democracy groups will be staging our own “Sidewalk Session” on the first day of the convention outside of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. We hope you can join us.
WHO: YOU WHAT: A Sidewalk Session – An open mic for activists to share & expose the dangers of the biotechnology industry WHERE: Sidewalk in front of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, 415 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210 WHEN: Monday, June 18th, at 8am until 10am WHY: The biotechnology industry is conspiring to unleash more GMOs into the environment along with more toxic pesticides.
