The Occupy Wall Street movement makes news every day as they continue to stand for the needs of the 99% and oppose the greed of millionaires, billionaires and corporate criminals, the people that own the Republican Party. To keep you updated, here’s a brief account of an arrest, two excellent video clips from Keith Olbermann, a local update from my town, Portland, Oregon, and a note on the demands working group.
Police in New York arrested about 30 protesters including veteran civil rights activist Cornel West during a demonstration by the Occupy Wall Street movement.
A New York Police Department spokesman said the protesters were arrested on Friday because they were "blocking the entrance" of the local police precinct in New York’s Harlem neighborhood. They were charged with "disorderly conduct."
Several hundred people were demonstrating in Harlem over the controversial police practice of stopping and patting down people to determine whether they are carrying arms, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
West, an outspoken Princeton University professor, was freed shortly after his arrest, according to an Occupy Wall Street video…
Inserted from <AFP/Google>
Given West’s reputation, he would not have offered himself for arrest were the grievance not a valid one.
Keith Olbermann covered the story in two segments on Countdown. In the first, he interviews Paul Krugman.
In the second, he interviews Naomi West.
It is appalling that police both made up the law on the spot, and misled the demonstrators’ lawyers about the location of their clients.
On the local front in Portland, here’s the latest.
The occupation of Portland officially begins its third week tomorrow, and despite a whole host of distracting issues—like how to fit the Portland Marathon, when to reopen SW Main Street and a city snit over the health of Chapman and Lownsdale squares, etc.—the camp is sticking around for a while.
So what’s next? We asked precisely that question last week and got seven solid answers. But wait, there’s more! Occupy Portland also has a continually updated Google calendar of seminars, events, marches, and classes over on the righthand side of its main website. Check it out. We did. Here’s what looks interesting in the next several days…
…Saturday, October 22, 2—4:30 PM— Where Do We Go From Here?
A community dialogue on how to link the Occupy movement with the fight to raise awareness about homelessness. At Sisters of the Road, NW 6th and Davis.
Saturday, October 22, 5 PM—Don’t Despair, Learn Basic Auto Repair
DIY car talk! At the library yurt.
Next week keep an eye out for a rally October 29 on the Robin Hood Tax, a British plan (so far) to attach a modest levy on financial transactions and banks’ bottom lines to help pay for social services plans. And after that, on November 5, Occupy Portland is planning a big to-do with some of the credit unions in town in honor of Bank Transfer Day.
Oh, and I should mention, everyone—even a non-camper—is always welcome to come down and vote and debate during Occupy Portland’s nightly general assembly meetings. True, the meetings are grueling and frustrating and sometimes torturous, but anyone interested should experience the quest for consensus in person at least once. They’re at 7 PM in Schrunk Plaza… [emphasis original]
Inserted from <Portland Mercury>
I understand that some protestors were ticketed for jaywalking, when they held up traffic by not waiting for the walk sign. I’d better watch it. I’m a serial jaywalker myself!
Finally, I have seen demands from the demands working group circulation the web. On the whole, I like them and agree with most. My problem is that some are touting the demands as the collective will of the OWS movement and the 99%. They are not. The demands working group is a self-appointed committee of approximately 25 individuals. Their list of demands has not been ratified by the general assembly. While I am saying nothing against the demands, you should be aware that they officially represent the will of only the small group that proposed them, not the movement as a whole.
13 Responses to “Occupy Update–10/22/2011”
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I watched Naomi on KO and was very impressed.
I will remain hopeful that these protesters will be able to bring about change. How long will the RepublicanTs and DINOs ignore We the People?
When I saw this headline of an article at Think Progress, I though there may be a glimmer of hope that their minds can be changed: “Republican Crowd Cheers As Tea Party Rep. Labrador Condemns Corporate Tax Dodgers“
Nameless, I think the crowd would have cheered just as loud, had that rep claimed that the taxes were unfair to corporations. They cheer without comprehension.
It is my hope that Democrats will represent the wishes of the demonstrators.
This is a great documentation of the movement – thanks Tom, and thanks for the caveat ending your piece – it’s important to know whose voice it is that speaks for the people. I find the progress of these demonstrations very positive, but disturbing is the fact that authority is abusing its power, and even more disturbing is the fact that Homeland Security should be called in to abuse its power. The cases of Mr. West and Ms. Klein is particularly relevant, they are two activists who, because of their knowledge of their rights appear to pose a threat to authority and even to the country. They represent activism that is worthy of emulation, important as this movement continues, and as we face obstacles in the future. Klein in particular has written several books on peaceful civil disobedience worthy of review in light of these times!
You’re welcome Lee. I fully agree about Klein, As for the demands, I think it is wrong for people to present a minority position as a majority one. That’s exactly how the Bolsheviks took over the Russian Revolution.
TC: “It is appalling that police both made up the law on the spot, and misled the demonstrators’ lawyers about the location of their clients.”
These sound like the actions of some other countries were people disappear permanently from life at the hands of police.
I particularly liked Naomi Wolf’s comment about protesting being an obligation. I had never thought of that before, but when I think back through history, the American Revolution started as a protest, as did the French Revolution, the English Revolution, the French Revolution and others.
I think it is important that people understand that they are not likely to agree with every demand 100%. What each person has to decide is ‘is this list of demands sufficiently acceptable to me that I can ascribe my name to them without compromising my principles?’
Agree very much so–
Lynn, most of the practices that I was taught in school as a child were the reasons we opposed totalitarian Communist nations are now commonplace in the US.
The only way I could support a list of demands is if i agreed with every item on it. I prefer to take them one at a time.
One should remember that the Russian Revolution also began as a peaceful protest.
The power-mad cops better watch their step.
Great minds fall in the same ditch, JR. 😉
See my reply to Lee above.
A quick update for Occupy Vancouver — 75 year old environmentalist David Suzuki was at OV today speaking to the crowd. I’ll provide more on the content later. Some members of city council are trying to have the protesters removed because they find the ‘camp’ unsightly. Of course it has been raining (what else in Vancoouver!) so the ground is muddy and with the added foot traffic, people are embracing hip waders. A constitutional law professor has told council that they can’t do it as the protesters are on provincial crown land and also, to remove them would go against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Policing is estimated at $500,000 for this first week. To my understanding, there has been no violence.
Lynn, I’ve heard of Suzuki. He is excellent! I’m glad it’s peaceful.