Mystic Mashup Indivisible

by Nancy Roosa, Mystic Mashup Indivisible

We the people were heard! 

Have you ever been to a protest where the powers-that-be listened to you? 

So often these days, many of us feel an overwhelming sense of powerlessness at the reckless chaos and even downright evil coming from our government. But April 23^rd was a thrilling, corrective antidote to that sense of powerlessness. Hundreds of us came together in Providence to protest at the Citizens Bank annual shareholders meeting AND we got a response from the bank executives. 

If you read the MMI web site or newsletter, you are already aware of the reasons that we’re protesting against Citizens Bank. They are the main financers for two of the largest, most notorious for-profit prison companies in the U.S. – Core Civic and the GEO Group. Together, these two companies are making huge profits, housing the large influx of detainees picked up by ICE. And Citizens Bank is providing these companies with needed capital, through loans and underwriting, so they can continue to expand their operations. Both prison companies have records of horrific human rights abuses – overcrowding, inadequate food and medical care, unsanitary conditions, forced labor, even securities fraud. Every other major bank in the country – Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Barclays, etc. – pledged in 2019 to stop financing these for-profit prison companies. Please see the wealth of documented information on the web sites: boycottcitizens.org and de-icecitizensbank.org. 

Citizens Bank is providing these companies with needed capital, through loans and underwriting, so they can continue to expand their operations. Both prison companies have records of horrific human rights abuses – overcrowding, inadequate food and medical care, unsanitary conditions, forced labor, even securities fraud.

Given this background, hundreds of us from around New England gathered in front of the Citizens Bank Headquarters building on a chilly, bright spring morning with our signs, cowbells, bullhorns and loud voices. We yelled at shareholders entering the meeting, sang songs, and listened to speakers. The organizers dubbed it “The People’s Shareholders Meeting.” 

What was different from many protests is that we had some people inside. About 8 people from the De-ICE coalition and the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) had purchased shares of Citizens Bank stock and attended the meeting. At 9:30 AM, they came outside to report to us. They said the people at the meeting were “very aware” of us. After the business portion of the meeting, when the executives discussed how profitable Citizens Bank was, 3 people from our group stood up to present their concerns and respectfully ask for a response. And they got one! The executives from Citizens agreed to:  

1. Form an executive committee to investigate the business practices of CoreCivic and the GEO Group 

2. Meet with members from the De-ICE coalition and the GBIO within 7 days to discuss their concerns in more detail 

What was different from many protests is that we had some people inside. About 8 people from the De-ICE coalition and the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) had purchased shares of Citizens Bank stock and attended the meeting. 

This is obviously not a total win. Citizens Bank did not agree to end their financial relationship with Core Civic and the GEO Group, which was our main demand. But they did hear us and they will continue to hear from us until this demand is met.  

Much of the credit for the success of this protest is due to the incredible organizing efforts of the De-ICE Citizens coalition, a group of everyday people who had an idea and created a movement. There are now protests going on regularly outside more than 70 Citizens Bank branches around the New England and Mid-Atlantic states.  

The GBIO also played a major role, helped by the fact that they have $12.5 million in accounts at Citizens. They stated that if the promised meeting with Citizens executives doesn’t occur within 7 days, they will withdraw the first $1 million. And the union that represents employees and graduate students from Brown University, RIFT Local 6516, also announced that they would be withdrawing their money (several hundred thousand dollars) from Citizens Bank.  

Please think about joining the cause.  

• Go to the web sites and learn more: boycottcitizens.org and de-ICECitizensBank.org 

• Sign the petition: tinyurl.com/MoveOnCitizensPetition 

• Write to bank executives. If you wish, use one of these templates: tinyurl.com/CitizenLetterTemplates 

• If you have an account, speak to the tellers and withdraw your money.  

• And if you are able, join MMI in our standouts outside the Citizens Bank branches in Medford Square and Davis Square every Saturday from 11 AM to noon. The bank is open during those hours. We stand outside with our signs and pass out information to people entering and leaving the bank.  

We the people can effect positive change!