ShowListing.RttP{HUGE SHOW OCTOBER 3RD IN PROVIDENCE! verse-the body-advocate-saint jude-wasteland}

OCTOBER 3RD 2008 AS220 (115 empire st providence ri)

VERSE
THE BODY
ADVOCATE
SAINT JUDE
WASTELAND

$8

show of the year - ftw. also, ftp.

it's a benefit show for alexandria svoboda.

don't know what happened to her? learn about it!

This August marks the one year anniversary of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) solidarity march in North Providence, RI. On Saturday August 11 of 2007, approximately 36 Rhode Island IWW members and supporters began a solidarity march organized on a local New England chain restaurant, Jackie's Galaxie. The Providence IWW accused Jackie's of openly and knowingly supporting the Queens, NY based HWH/Dragonland. a dry goods supplier notorious for its slave labor conditions of 100 hours per week, sub minimum wages and no overtime or benefits. Many of the workers there are undocumented immigrants and have few places to go for help when dealing with workplace problems. HWH/Dragonland workers had organized themselves under the "460/640" IWW campaign in New York City, but collective bargaining had been marred by lockouts and illegal activity by HWH bosses.

En route to the Jackie's Galaxie in North Providence, RI, the demonstrators were cordoned onto the sidewalk by the North Providence Police. North Providence Police officers then began to shove and manhandle the demonstrators. The situation escalated and came to a head when policemen went after Providence IWW member Alexandra Svoboda. Three officers arrested her simultaneously, causing the severe dislocation of her knee and sending Alex to the ground. Even though the policemen knew the obvious seriousness of the act they had just committed, one officer aggressively sat on and handcuffed Alex while others pepper sprayed another demonstrator and arrested Jason Friedmutter, also a Providence IWW member.

Shortly thereafter, Jason was taken to a North Providence police station and Alex was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital. Alex underwent emergency surgery the evening of the 11th to save her leg. Alex ultimately sustained a torn popliteal artery in her knee, a fractured tibia and fibia, multiple torn ligaments, and tears in both meniscus. The attack also damaged the nerves from her knee down. Doctors stated that if the surgery hadn't gone as well as it did, plans for amputation would have ensued.

Despite the police attack, the Providence IWW finished its march, confronting Jackie Kho, the owner of Jackie's Galaxie, face to face with several members of the press present. Victory came only a couple of weeks later when Jackie's Galaxie agreed to drop HWH/Dragonland for good. The widespread media coverage of the event and continued IWW organizing eventually brought four more restaurants to drop HWH as their supplier.

Alex spent two weeks in the hospital that August undergoing a total of four operations to replace her damaged artery and stabilize her knee. Since then, Alex has done hundreds of hours physical therapy, both at her therapists office and at home. Fortunately, Alex has had excellent health care that covers the bulk of her exorbitant medical expenses.

To add insult to injury, the city of North Providence brought charges against both Alex and Jason. Alex's original charges were three felony counts of assaulting an officer, one count of resisting arrest and one count of disorderly conduct. Alex's three felony charges have since been dropped to misdemeanors. Jason faces one count of obstruction of justice.

Alex and Jason's cases were going through pre trial in Rhode Island's District Court system, but the process stalled out and their cases have been moved to RI Superior Court for a more expedient trial. Due to the legal process, Alex must now undergo the humiliation of a criminal trial while having to endure and rehab her injuries. Alex's four operations and hospital stay cost over $100,000 (with at least two more operations scheduled to begin in the fall), her ongoing physical therapy has cost thousands, and Alex has not been able to work for more than ten months. It would not even be possible to quantify the hours and hours on end Alex has spent in pain, rehabilitation, undergoing painful medical procedures and enduring severe nerve pangs and muscle spasms.

However, Alex, a long time bicycle enthusiast, went for her first bike ride in nearly ten months recently and has made great progress, unrelentingly working towards full recovery. Alex also continues to organize for the rights of immigrant and marginalized workers alongside fellow Providence IWW and community members, her determination has only grown stronger.