Dorchester Picket Against Bank of America's Bailout and Foreclosing Practices

BOSTON/Dorchester - In a working class Boston neighborhood, approximately 30 people gathered in the windy cold last Saturday to demonstrate against the Bank of America and corporate greed. This protest was the first action taken by the Campaign for Economic Justice, a project initiated byBoston Socialist Alternative and intended to grow into a community coalition that would campaign on issues like housing, layoffs and budget cuts arising out of the current economic crisis.

The action began with a standout in an area with high auto traffic. Several people agreed that they had never heard so many supportive honks from passing cars, as drivers responded to signs carrying messages with working class appeal, like "Budget Cuts Don't Heal: Tax the Rich," "Bailout$ for Working People, Not Bank$," "Union Yes! Employee Free Choice Act," and "Foreclose the Wars". The honks were very helpful in keeping up morale through the cold.

The action then moved towards a nearby branch of Bank of America, stopping on the way for a couple speeches connecting the US's imperialist wars to its anti-worker economic policy on the domestic front. The group chanted and picketed outside the bank until shortly after it closed for the day. In an unusual occurrence, the police officers called in by the Bank of America to monitor the picket offered us words of support. Hearing a cop tell protesters to "Keep it up" seemed bizarre, but this response demonstrates the widespread appeal of a clear class message in these times of economic upheaval. The day ended with a group photo featuring a banner that reads "Foreclose the Bank(s)."

The authors are members of Boston Socialist Alternative.