ACT UP NY Joins Occupy Wall St In Protest on 1st Anniversary of OWS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AIDS Activists Urge Lawmakers To Adopt Financial Transaction Tax To Help End AIDS

NEW YORK, NY, Sep 14 – ACT UP NY (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power) announced plans to endorse the Sept 17 demonstration celebrating Occupy Wall St.’s first anniversary.  Members of ACT UP will join OWS in front of Trinity Church at the corner of Broadway and Wall St  at 7AM on Mon calling for a Financial Transaction Tax to Tax Wall St, End AIDS.

What:  ACT UP + Occupy protest
Where:  Intersection of Broadway and Wall St. in front of Trinity Church
When: Mon, Sep 17 - 7 AM
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/459993190701892/
ACTUPNY.com                  @actupny               www.facebook.com/actupny

Media Contact:  Brandon Cuicchi  646-284-2948

Background:

From  1914 to 1966 in the US, a Financial Transaction Tax (or FTT) was used to calm the stock market and generate funds for much-needed services.  Today, economists estimate that a .5% tax on the financial speculation of Wall St institutions could generate hundreds of billions of dollars.

Activists think a portion of the money raised by the FTT could help end the AIDS crisis.  “A .5% tax is so small that Wall St. would hardly notice, but a portion of the billions of dollars it would raise could go a long way toward providing access to HIV/AIDS testing and treatment to everyday people,” said Megan Mullholand of QUEEROCRACY.

Since the FTT is nicknamed the Robin Hood Tax, some ACT UP members will be wearing Robin Hood hats at the protest.  Others will be wearing gloves smeared with red paint to show that Wall St. has blood on its hands for choosing greed and profit over providing full, inexpensive access to HIV/AIDS drugs and full range of medical care.

AIDS activists are frustrated by the recent lack of attention dedicated to the AIDS crisis by the major political parties.  “After watching the Republican and Democratic National Conventions and not hearing AIDS mentioned once, we see Occupy Wall St’s anniversary as a good opportunity to talk about AIDS and propose solutions, like the Financial Transaction Tax, to the AIDS crisis,” said Brandon Cuicchi of ACT UP.  “The September 17 protest is an exciting way for us to kick off the 2012 election season.”

Members of ACT UP NY see parallels between the Occupy movement and ACT UP.  “Occupy Wall St began as a grassroots movement to raise the voices of people without power, and 25 years ago, ACT UP started the same way, raising the voices of people who were being ignored and dying from HIV/AIDS,” said Eric Sawyer, a founding member of ACT UP.

After the morning demonstration, there will be a rally at noon in Zuccotti Park followed by a Robin Hood Tax march through the streets of lower Manhattan.  Members of ACT UP, VOCAL NY, National Nurses United, Health GAP, and others will bring their calls for an FTT directly to the banks.

About ACT UP

Founded in 1987, ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power), is a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals united in anger and committed to direct action to end the AIDS crisis. ACT UP currently meets every Monday night at 7PM ET via Zoom. Notes: you will be asked to contribute your first & last name and email address to access online meetings, and KN-95 masks are required for ACT UP NY in person meetings/actions/gatherings. All individuals are welcome!