Save the Berkeley Post Office is calling for a rally at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 14 in front of the historic Allston Way post office to speak out for a real public meeting on a date that works for the community.

Dave Welsh of Save the Berkeley Post Office says “We demand not only that the proposed sale of Berkeley's public post office be cancelled, but that the community meeting be rescheduled from Nov. 20 to a date after the first of the year."

Community activist Ying Lee added that “The U.S.Postal Service chose a date that they hoped would result in low attendance. It mocks the meaning of a true "Community Meeting". This is part of a larger pattern of procedural steps designed to sabotage community organizing.”

On Monday, October 29th, the United States Postal Service announced the date of the final hearing for the sale of Berkeley’s historic main Post Office. At a packed hearing in mid-September, the public was assured that the Postal Service would work with the City of Berkeley to set a date that would allow full community participation. Instead, Postal Service staff set the final public hearing on a date when many citizens will be away, the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving.

The rally will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 14, 2012, starting at the Downtown Berkeley Post Office, 2000 Allston Way. This rally will OPPOSE the November 20 'community meeting date'.