Residents, churches protest banks by withdrawing cash

Karina Rusk

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Several businesses, residents and churches in San Jose are sending a powerful message to a few of the biggest banks in the country: They're withdrawing their money and putting it somewhere else.

Community members lined up at a news conference to send their message to big banks.

"Today, I stand here with my community and end my 9-year relationship with Bank of America," one community member said ...

Most Holy Trinity Church in San Jose is closing its two accounts with Bank of America and moving $3 million in annual account activity to a credit union ...

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8389700

By Tracy Seipel
tseipel@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/12/2011 08:11:01 PM PDT
Updated: 10/12/2011 08:11:02 PM PDT

... In San Jose on Wednesday, unhappy customers were striking back at bank bottom lines.

Standing near the altar of the Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Father Eduardo Samaniego announced that the parish is moving its $3 million account with Bank of America, where the church has done business for at least 20 years, to a community credit union.

"We are in a holy place to do holy work,'' the Jesuit priest told 17 others members affiliated with People Acting In Community Together who stood alongside him. Some held posters that read "Keep Families In Their Homes'' or "Stop Corporate Greed,'' and several made similar announcements about divesting their own personal bank accounts from big banks involved in foreclosures into community banks or credit unions that were not.

PACT is a multi-ethnic, interfaith organization that seeks to empower people to create a more just community; it represents 25 congregations and 50,000 people in Santa Clara County. The non-profit announced Wednesday that it is pulling over $1 million from its accounts with Wells Fargo and transferring the money to a local San Jose bank ...

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_19100787

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