Join Climate Workers, Oakland youth, and others calling for a booking boycott of the Rotunda Building, a downtown Oakland event space owned by developer Phil Tagami. Tagami is suing the City of Oakland for blocking his plan to bring coal by rail through West Oakland to ship overseas. We are asking organizations not to book the Rotunda building and to let Tagami know they will not use his venue until he drops his lawsuit.
Come join the rally promoting the boycott as the Building Owners and Management Association East Bay holds its annual holiday party at the Rotunda Building. Climate Workers explains: “We’ve had enough of landlords and developers threatening our city with gentrification, pollution, and exploitation.”
Tagami filed a federal lawsuit after a June 2016 City Council vote to ban the export of the coal from the new Oakland Bulk and Oversize Terminal, which Tagami is developing on land owned by the city. The City Council vote came after a year-long community campaign opposing the terminal because of the threat coal dust would pose to residents’ health as well as the climate destruction accelerated by burning coal. If successful, the suit would not only bring coal through Oakland but set a dangerous legal precedent making it harder for all communities to protect themselves against fossil fuels and other toxic materials.
Opponents of the coal terminal recently launched the booking boycott of the Rotunda Building, along with a campaign asking politicians to pledge to refuse donations from Tagami. The goal is to isolate him and challenge his public image, as well as reduce his income from the Rotunda.
The December 14 rally will begin with a youth-led rhythm brigade and “Elfin Uprising,” followed by a picket line and delivery of stockings full of coal. Picketers will tell Tagami “All we want for Xmas is community health, not developer wealth,” and “Don’t be a grinch!”
WHEN
Thurs Dec 14, 5 – 7 PM
WHERE
Rotunda Building, Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland
For more information about the rally, contact Brooke at 510-846-0766 or at brooke@climateworkers.org
For more information about the campaign to keep coal out of Oakland, go to www.nocoalinoakland.info