THE PERMIBUS RETURNS TO MINNEAPOLIS

[annm4peace]

THE PERMIBUS RETURNS TO MINNEAPOLIS

The Skills Tour, starring the new Earth Activist Training Permaculture Demonstration Bus (Permibus II), returns this weekend to Minneapolis, one year after a multi-agency task force, lead by the Minneapolis Police, impounded the bus, without cause, just prior to the RNC. Despite apprehension about the decision to return to the Twin Cities the Permibus Family decided not to be intimidated by police repression. Therefore, the Permibus Family is back, once again bringing a variety of sustainability skills to the Twin Cities.

On August 30 2008, when the Permibus was last in Minneapolis, the Permibus Crew and several riders were detained by the Minneapolis Police, with the assistance of Minnesota State Troopers, Ramsey County Sheriffs, University of Minnesota Police, and Saint Paul Police. The bus was pulled over at a freeway exit by several dozen police officers as the bus was being moved from the Bedlam Theatre, where the crew was teaching Permaculture and Activism skills, to a friend’s house for the week of the RNC. Despite the fact that the police never provided a reason for the traffic stop they impounded the Permibus and held it throughout the Republican National Convention. After hundreds of supporters called demanding the release of the Permibus, Minneapolis City Attorney’s office freed the bus without impound fees or violations.

Shortly after the Permibus Family’s last visit to the Twin Cities the first Permibus’ engine died and the Permibus Family built the new and improved Permibus II. The Skills Tour has traveled around the country, from Maine to Southern California, Washington to Georgia, teaching Permaculture, Homesteading, Life, and Citizenship Skills. “By teaching folks to make changes at the margins that; improve their ability to be food sustainable, increase their ability to resist undemocratic government and corporate incursion into their lives, and provide skills needed to organize their communities; we can make our world a better place.†Said Delyla Wilson, Program Coordinator for the Skills Tour whose courses are designed to empower people to reclaim their lives and their communities. The Skills Tour in particular seeks to take these skills to low income communities.
“We strongly believe that any solutions to the resource problems we face today must be accessible to the world’s poor if it is to create avenues for real social change.†Delyla Wilson explained.

Currently the Permibus is scheduled to appear Saturday August 8th at the Sisters of Camelot Garden to teach composting, water management, and food preservation. This event is being planned in conjunction with the RNC 8. The RNC 8 are 8 members of the Welcoming Committee who were charged with terrorism enhanced felonies for there role in organizing housing, food, training, and medical support for last years RNC protests. As fellow victims of police repression the Permibus Crew believes it is vital to stand in solidarity with the RNC 8, who continue to be targeted for social justice activism. In addition the Permibus will appear Sunday, August 9th at the Eastside Food Coop and Tuesday August 11th at Midtown Farmers Market. For details about the Skills Tour Minneapolis appearances visit their website at http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.permibus.org.

The Skills Tour has been traveling the country since February 2008 fulfilling their mission to cultivate revolutionary ways of living.
The Skills Tour is a family non-profit project. The Wilson family have been involved with environmental and social justice activism for over 20 years, dedicating their lives to creating a better world for future generations. The Skills Tour, in cooperation with Earth Activist Training (EAT) has created the permibus, a forty-foot long rolling example of permaculture on wheels, including composting, chickens, worms, pvc garden, grey water, and more. The mission of the Skills Tour is to cultivate revolutionary ways of living by teaching the skills necessary to make changes at the margins that can free people and their communities from corporate control one small step at a time.