Join the Nightingale Network | Portland Occupier

“A poet is a nightingale who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds; his auditors are as men entranced by the melody of an unseen musician, who feel that they are moved and softened, yet know not whence or why.”

The Nightingale Network is intended to serve and heal the internally and externally wounded members of the Occupy Movement who have been brutally attacked by the State’s corporate police force. No training is required to join the Nightingale Network, only the willingness to help. Many of those in need have fear and anxiety around relying on police or city agencies for help. Following is a list of ideas for the types of aid the Nightingale Network can provide to the Occupy Movement, specifically Occupy Portland.

Medical and Mental Assistance
Assist medics at protests and provide follow up attention to the victims. Provide basic moral support through visits and phone calls to those who are struggling with PTSD or any other mental or physical trauma related to incidents experienced during attacks on Occupy protestors. Coordinate group support meetings for victims to commune and heal each other.

Transportation
Provide transportation to those in need to free or low-cost community clinics or sympathetic health providers for both mental and physical trauma should they be needed. Many in the movement do not have cars and could be stranded and wounded without resources. Provide transportation from jail for those victims who need it. Recently arrested Occupiers have been sent to jail far from downtown and from the safety of their friends.

Legalities
Serve as witness to those in need within the clinics as treatment is provided. Documentation can then be made on behalf of the victim that could potentially be used in court should they decide to take legal action against the State. They can also provide comfort and company to those who are alone and afraid. Search and scour the internet for video and images of crimes committed by police officers that can be used to prosecute. Acquire original video files from those who post them and forward them to the legal team at occupypdxlegal@gmail.com. Serve as liaison with the legal team and the victim as needed. Seek out eye-witnesses of incidents and take their statements.

Comfort
Provide warm clothes and outerwear to those occupiers who need it. These items can be acquired at places like Goodwill. It would be suggested that volunteers keep these items in their car so they can be available quickly. Also provide laundry service. Provide “Safe Houses” for those who need a warm place to recover.

Information
Keep a database for the following information:

a. Victim basic information

b. History of medical attention per victim

c. Mental and medical health resources who are friend to the Movement, low cost or free

Convey all legal, arrestee, and police incident data to the legal hotline at 503-902-5340.

Communication
Establish a phone tree of volunteers in which one person at the top of the pyramid calls two people, who each call two more people, and so on, until every person in the phone tree has been called. This allows people to distribute information quickly, without placing the burden of work on one person. It can be used when there is a critical incident involving police action that may result in violence.

For those without phones, obtain one phone that can provide individuals with messaging services to facilitate communication between occupiers. Each person can be provided with an extension on that phone to receive messages, set up meetings and request information. Universal messages can also be broadcast to all extensions.