Category: Power to the People

Setup on the Brooklyn Bridge

~ susie ~ 4 Comments

From the descriptions of the people who were there, it sounds as though Mayor Bloomberg’s strategy is to thin the ranks of protesters with police set-ups like this. They probably don’t understand how many more people are waiting in line to support the Occupy Wall Street actions:

Police reopened the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday evening after more than 500 anti-Wall Street protesters were arrested for blocking traffic lanes and attempting an unauthorized march across the span.

The arrests took place when a large group of marchers, participating in a second week of protests by the Occupy Wall Street movement, broke off from others on the bridge’s pedestrian walkway and headed across the Brooklyn-bound lanes.

“More than 500 were arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge late this afternoon after multiple warnings by police were given to protesters to stay on the pedestrian walkway,” a police spokesman said.

“Some complied and took the walkway without being arrested. Others locked arms and proceeded on the Brooklyn-bound vehicular roadway and were arrested,” he added.

The bridge was reopened at 8:05 p.m. EDT after being closed for hours.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene on the famous suspension bridge as a sea of police officers surrounded the protesters using orange mesh netting.

Some protesters tried to get away as officers started handcuffing members of the group. Dozens of protesters were seen handcuffed and sitting on the span as three buses were called in to take them away, witnesses and organizers said.

The NY Times interviewed protesters who said, despite NYPD claims, the police never warned them they couldn’t walk in the roadway:

“The cops watched and did nothing, indeed, seemed to guide us onto the roadway,” said Jesse A. Myerson, a media coordinator for Occupy Wall Street who was in the march but was not arrested.

[…] Etan Ben-Ami, 56, a psychotherapist from Brooklyn who was up on the walkway, said that the police seemed to make a conscious decision to allow the protesters to claim the road. “They weren’t pushed back,” he said. “It seemed that they moved at the same time.”

Mr. Ben-Ami said he left the walkway and joined the crowd on the road. “It seemed completely permitted,” he said. “There wasn’t a single policeman saying ‘don’t do this’.”

He added: “We thought they were escorting us because they wanted us to be safe.” He left the bridge when he saw officers unrolling the nets as they prepared to make arrests. Many others who had been on the roadway were allowed to walk back down to Manhattan.

Occupy America

~ susie

Courage is contagious, and the Occupy movement continues to grow. Yesterday there were arrests in Boston and San Francisco:

BOSTON — A group called Occupy Boston took over Dewey Square in Boston Friday night holding a 60s-style sit in.
”
It doesn’t look like the politicians are serving the people any more,” said John, a protestor who would only give his first name. “They’re serving people with money.”

This is part of nationwide movement that began with a large protest last week on Wall Street.

“We’re talking about government reform. We’re talking about finance reform,” said Nadeem Mazen, from Occupy Boston. “And we’re opening up a national dialogue as part of a really big issue that’s on so many people’s minds.”
A few blocks away a group called Take Back Boston lead hundreds of people marching from Boston Common to the Financial District.

At 100 Federal Street the protesters gathered at both entrances to the Bank of America building shouting “We got sold out.” The crowd included dozens of families facing foreclosure.

“The bank took over my property. Tried to evict everybody,” said Mallerrie McCoy of Dorchester. “They boarded up my windows. They changed our locks. I’m here to say i’m not going anywhere.”

And in San Francisco, protesters went into the belly of the beast:

SAN FRANCISCO — Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of San Francisco today to protest Wall Street banks and six were arrested, police said.

The protesters marched along Market Street this afternoon, stopping in front of Bank of America, Charles Schwab and Wells Fargo, organizers from ReFund California said.

Six activists went inside a Chase Bank branch in the 500 block of Market Street with sleeping bags and pillows and prepared to stay, organizers said.

According to police, officers repeatedly warned the protesters they would be arrested if they refused to leave.

The activists refused to leave and were arrested for trespassing, police said.

Momentum

~ susie ~ 1 Comment

Gawker:

The Occupy Wall Street protesters camped out in Lower Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park are buzzing over a big secret musical guest scheduled to play this afternoon at around 4pm. We hear that it’s Radiohead, who are in New York for a couple concerts.

It makes sense: Radiohead’s lead singer Thom Yorke has a history of lefty anti-globalization protest. What do you think: Are the millionaires from Radiohead authentic enough to be the bards of revolution? They’re certainly capable of mobilizing people: When their New York show sold out in minutes they almost caused a Twitter riot.

Update: It’s been confirmed by Occupywallstreet.org the official website of Occupy Wall Street. According to an Occupy Wall Street spokesman, they have no permit but said “everybody’s aware” about the event.