Activists protest at home of Wells Fargo official

Michael Heid wasn't home when 200 activists came.

April 14, Des Moines Register:

Saturday’s surprise demonstration at the Urbandale residence of a prominent bank executive seemed to be as much about timing and location as content.

About 200 activists rode five school buses to the home of Michael Heid, the president of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. They reiterated a familiar set of concerns they had about the corporation, although the protest was not a stand-alone event.

Equally important to organizers and participants were considerations, part tactical and part inspiration, based on what preceded and what will follow the demonstration, the capstone to a daylong training session.

There is residual energy from last year’s protests against wealth inequality and upcoming shareholder meetings for large banks later this month, which protesters plan to politely infiltrate.

The event in Des Moines was one of dozens happening across the country this week.

“We’ve got energy from Occupy, got a national conversation going, and the opportunity with shareholders. It’s a perfect set of conditions,” said Chris Neubert, an economic justice organizer for Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, which organized Saturday’s activities. “Bring people together and put in the right amount of inspiration.”

Wells Fargo officials weren’t available for comment Saturday. Heid didn’t respond to a voice mail message left by the Register on his home telephone.

On the ride to and from Heid’s Urbandale home and in the street in front of his immaculately trimmed lawn, members of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, various labor unions and the local Occupy movement — all of which overlapped — railed against the ills they accused Wells Fargo of: funding corporate prisons, funding payday lenders, not paying a fair amount of corporate taxes, and refusing to take steps that would help underwater mortgage holders.

The exact destination had been a surprise to almost everyone on the buses, and leaders didn’t reveal where they were going until buses were halfway there. The element of surprise didn’t quite work, however. Neighbors said Heid left his house shortly before protesters arrived.

But they left a letter pasted to poster board — “so giant he’ll have to read it and absorb it” — on his porch before heeding police officers’ requests to leave. On their way out of the neighborhood they passed out fliers and talked to neighbors

Larry Ginter, 72, a CCI member who farms in rural Iowa, led the “people’s shareholder meeting” in front of Heid’s house. The resolutions passed there were similar to ones he will take to Wells Fargo’s shareholder meeting on April 24.

Community organizers bought him shares in the bank, so he will sit in the meeting while others protest outside.

“There are a lot of people hurting out there,” Ginter said, listing again the litany of concerns. “But now we’re putting our foot down. We won’t go away. We are here to stay.”Gil Dawes, 78, said he had been to other protests with CCI, although never at someone’s house. But he said it sent the right signal, that executives can’t hide from people.

“Too bad he wasn’t courageous enough to face people, some of whom are probably his borrowers,” said Barbara Kalbach, 61, a fourth-generation farmer. “We’re not threatening. Why did he have to run away?”