Occupy Bohemian Grove

Occupy groups from Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Portland, Sebastopol, and Petaluma, are joining some twenty other social justice activist organizations to protest the powerful one-percent elites partying at the Bohemian Grove in Monte Rio, California July 14-29.

2,000-3,000 rich and wealthy men have gathered every summer for 133 years in a private 2,800 acre ancient redwood retreat to celebrate themselves with parties, entertainment, and speakers. The men, Bohemian Club members and their guests, will hold a cremation of care ceremony July 14, where they symbolically burn the cares of the world before a giant owl in a bizarre annual ritual.

This year's protest against the gathering of the world's political and economic elite is called "Occupy Bohemian Grove, Expose the 1%."   Occupy groups across America, and increasingly the world, are working to expose the one percent in control of global resources who are bringing human rights repression, environmental destruction, and war to humankind.

The Fukushima Mothers and Cindy Sheehan are joining the twenty-four co-sponsors for a Creation of Care ceremony, speakers, and music, Saturday, July 14, at the Monte Rio Amphitheater, just outside the gates of the Bohemian Grove. Kris Welsh will MC the day, and  Dennis Bernstein, host of Flashpoints on KPFA/Pacifica  radio will broadcast live from the event. Russia Today-TV with Abby Martin will film and John Rees with No-Lies Radio will video-cast the day on the Internet.

The protest will feature Occupy groups as well as other organizations including Code Pink, Peace and Justice Center, ANSWER Coalition, Project Censored, Bohemian Grove Action Network, Veterans for Peace, National Lawyers Guild, Round Valley Indians for Justice, and various others groups focused on key issues, such as climate change, human rights, Palestine, Cuban Five, and a living wage. Representatives from these organizations and more will speak joining in coalition to create a vast cornucopia of care as a counter to the one-percent elites less than a mile away. In addition to the speakers, the program at the amphitheater will include musical performances by Dave Lippman, Teresa Tudury, Jim Ocean, Scott Gerber, Attila Nagy, Keith Blackstone and the Hubbub Club.

Admission to the Creation of Care is free. It will run from noon to 4 p.m. at the Monte Rio amphitheater, which is located at 9925 Main Street in downtown Monte Rio.