#OCCUPYWALLSTREET campaign - September 17

[Project Willow]

I received no emergency text messages.

That's what they needed early this am, people massing into lower Manhattan, shut it down for rush hour. Telephone and texting trees are something folks at home watching the live feed could assist with also.

[Bruce Dazzling]

I received no emergency text messages.

That's what they needed early this am, people massing into lower Manhattan, shut it down for rush hour. Telephone and texting trees are something folks at home watching the live feed could assist with also.

Yeah, I really hate to put the onus on the occupiers while I slept soundly in my own comfy bed last night, but the last time the NYPD tried this, LOTS of us got our asses down their ASAP and thwarted them with sheer numbers.

I was willing to do it again (and I know that many others were as well), but we can only respond to a crisis if we know about it.

On the other hand, I can also understand that they might have been preoccupied with the sudden introduction of truncheons, tear gas, and hundreds of unannounced guests.

[Bruce Dazzling]

The new secondary location is at Albert Capsouto Park, which is 6th and Canal.

I'm heading over to Zuccotti in a few minutes.

[barracuda]

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan Admits Cities Coordinated Crackdown on Occupy Movement

Embattled Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, speaking in an interview with the BBC (excerpted on The Takeaway radio program–audio of Quan starts at the 5:30 mark), casually mentioned that she was on a conference call with leaders of 18 US cities shortly before a wave of raids broke up Occupy Wall Street encampments across the country. “I was recently on a conference call with 18 cities across the country who had the same situation. . . .”

Mayor Quan then rambles about how she “spoke with protestors in my city” who professed an interest in “separating from anarchists,” implying that her police action was helping this somehow.

Interestingly, Quan then essentially advocates that occupiers move to private spaces, and specifically cites Zuccotti Park as an example:

In New York City, it’s interesting that the Wall Street movement is actually on a private park, so they’re not, again, in the public domain, and they’re not infringing on the public’s right to use a public park.

Many witnesses to the wave of government crackdowns on numerous #occupy encampments have been wondering aloud if the rapid succession was more than a coincidence; Jean Quan’s casual remark seems to clearly imply that it was.

Might it also be more than a coincidence that this succession of police raids started after President Obama left the US for an extended tour of the Pacific Rim?

[Bruce Dazzling]

As per The Other 99 Stream Trinity Church just said that the occupiers are NOT welcome.

[Project Willow]

Good luck Bruce!
(Perhaps a feed viewer brigade would suffice then to contact everyone they know in the area who is willing to show on site.)

Something good from Seatown in spite of what happened at Town Hall:

Seattle City Council backs Occupy Seattle

In a lengthy resolution that borrows language from the Declaration of Independence — it has 14 “Whereas” clauses — the Seattle City Council on Monday gave its blessing to the Occupy Seattle protest.

The resolution, which passed on a 9-0 vote, was sponsored by activist Council members Nick Licata and Mike O’Brien.

The Council “recognizes the peaceful and lawful exercise of First Amendment rights by Occupy Seattle and others,” said the resolution, which goes on to demand multiple cures to the nation’s social ills.

“Our resolution does not endorse any group or movement,” Councilman Tim Burgess said in an interview.

But the Seattle City Council wants action by legislative bodies in Washington, D.C. and Olympia. “The structural causes of the economic crisis facing our society require decisive and sustained action at the national and state levels,” declared the resolution.

The sweeping resolution covers everything from a review of Seattle’s banking and investment practices, to a demand that Bush-era cuts in federal income taxes be allowed to expire.

The resolution’s broad wording suggests that the nation’s economic ills go back to the Reagan era, declaring:

“WHEREAS, over the past 30 years, gains in our economy have accrued largely to the top 1 percent income earners, who now control 40 percent of the wealth in the United States due in part to public policies that can be changed . . .”

While the resolution condemns societal ills, Burgess stressed in an interview: “We condemn violence and activities that interfere with or restrict our police officers.”

Dominic Holden, writing Monday in The Stranger, noted that several of the Occupy Seattle protesters present in the Council chambers were the same people who tried to shout down Nick Licata during a chaotic Town Hall forum on Saturday.

The resolution, while thinking globally, commits the Council to act locally on several fronts, which include:

– “The City will review its banking and investment practices to ensure that public funds are invested in responsible financial institutions that support our community,” the resolution stated.

The resolution said the Council may consider “future legislation to promote responsible banking and provide an incentive for banking institutions to invest more in our city, particularly with regard to stabilizing the housing markets and supporting the creation of new businesses.”

– “The City will continue to address economic inequality and wealth disparities by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender,” said the resolution. It discussed a wide range of ways “to address historic trends in disparities.”

– “The Council will request a report from the Department of Finance and Administrative Services on all exemptions or waivers allowed for City taxes, to examine the impact of both tax shifts and lost revenue to the City against the economic and social benefits the exemptions are intended to bring . . .”

The Council will also analyze how city election campaigns are currently financed “and explore alternatives.”

The city will also urge Congressional leaders to “support job creation, substantial investments in the nation’s critical physical and technological infrastructure and deficit reduction by adopting fiscal policies with equitable corporate and individual taxation and by allowing the 2010 extension of President Bush’s tax cuts to expire in 2012 . . .”

Only in its last section does the resolution give backing to Seattle’s finest. It states:

“The Council and the Mayor recognize and support the important responsibility of the Seattle Police Department exercises in protecting for everyone our First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and assembly while, at the same time, appropriately enforcing city laws and regulations.”

[JackRiddler]

.

Today's DN and this thread are my line to the whole thing while stuck at work, but damn it whether or not I make it out there tonight I AM THERE ON THURSDAY, which is also set to be the biggest demonstrations in Athens yet owing in part to anniversary of the 17 November 1973 Politechnio protests.

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-AAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!

.

[thurnundtaxis]

Live feed from Global Revolution:

there is a 500 person march heading to Zuccotti Park as we speak!

http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution

[Jeff]

Almost as dispiriting as the live feed last night was the live chat.

"Sing the national anthem!"
"Don't react!"
"Keep it peaceful people!!!"

You know - that.

Though, at the same time, it would have been a cowardice for me to have played a brave keyboard anarchist and have typed what I really wanted to see last night. Shit's fucked up and bullshit, so damned if I know what to do from here.

But solidarity for fucking ever.




"If the police had any integrity and honor and courage, they would turn around their guns and aim them at the capitalists who are destroying what's left of this country's democracy."

[thurnundtaxis]

Journalist's twitter feed updating live from the Zuccotti hearing:

http://twitter.com/#!/alicitabrennan

[thurnundtaxis]

Stillman announces no extension until he makes final decision at 3pm. Standby. #OWS @theNYworld

http://twitter.com/#!/alicitabrennan

[Project Willow]

#USLaw_com USLaw.com
Brookfield: "First Amendment does not apply to us". #OWSTRO #TROOWS #OWS Liveblogging hearing occupy.uslaw.com/post/128411603…

[Bruce Dazzling]

I just got back from Zuccotti Park.

It started out very quietly, with a few hundred people milling around the perimeter (the park is currently fenced off with temporary fencing).

About 25 minutes ago another few hundred (3, maybe 4 hundred) came marching down Broadway chanting "this isn't over" and "we're coming home."

It was a pretty amazing moment.

There were several mic checks, including one where someone held up a writ claiming that they had a legal right to go back to the park WITH their tents, etc.

The police didn't even bat an eyelash, though.

Another mic check was done by this guy...



...who, even though he looks like a sweet old man, proceeded to attempt to incite the crowd towards attacking "the fucking police."

Everything was still up in the air when I left, but two entire blocks of Broadway are currently lined with Stormtroopers, police vans, and NYPD school buses, and the last time I saw that much force was at the Brooklyn Bridge...

Cross your fingers and wish them luck.

Oh, and how could I forget that I ended up next to Reverend Billy for about ten minutes as he held court and urged everyone to remain non-violent and "remember that the police aren't all bad, they just have too much donut sugar running through their veins." That guy must be nuclear powered. He never stops!

Photos later tonight.

[whipstitch]

TWITPIC: Cops empty out Occupy Chapel Hill w assault rifles like it's Baghdad. They really love protecting banks' property

[justdrew]

I realize this is a boring question, but... what is the plan to influence the next elections? Are candidates in development?