#OCCUPYWALLSTREET campaign - September 17

[2012 Countdown]

Occupy Wall Street Re-Occupies Zuccotti Park
Protesters surged into Zuccotti Park Tuesday night shortly after its owner, Brookfield Office Properties, quietly removed barriers that had been restricting access since police removed the encampment there in November. Some trappings of the previous encampment have already sprung up, but police enforcing the rules governing park behavior seem to have gotten even more strict in the absence of the physical barriers. The barriers had surrounded the park, with police restricting who came in and out through two entrances. Village Voice reported that on Tuesday, "Two protesters were arrested for sitting on benches behind the stacked barriers, but after a dozen more replaced them, the police stopped trying to keep occupiers away from the area." A tweet from the account @uneditedcamera referred to a "no padd[ed] sitting order" that police were apparently enforcing. Occupy's own Twitter stream said Brookfield was asking police to enforce a rule against lying down if they did so on cardboard. But one rule that's been eased is the ban on food in the park. And with that, it sounds like the Zuccotti encampment is creeping back. According to The Voice, "Within an hour of the removal of the barriers, the kitchen working group was serving hot food to all who wanted it, protesters were making and arranging cardboard signs, and the Occupy Wall Street library was slowly being reassembled, cartload by cartload."

Meg Robertson, an MSNBC digital producer, shared this photo on Flickr of the first tent to go up in the newly reopened park:



-
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national ... ark/47259/

==

OWScom OWS ComHub
MIC CHECK! Jan 12 Bloomberg's State of the City Address. Morris High School at 11:45p. 1100 Boston Rd, Brnx. The 5 to Prospect Ave. #ows
25 minutes ago »

OWS_Tactical OWS_Tactical
Cops are already harassing people in Liberty Square again. Aah, it's good to be back. #OWS
59 minutes ago »

allisonkilkenny allisonkilkenny
RT @dontbeaputz: #OWS will stand in solidarity w/ TWU workers--their contract expires tmrw. MTA's "financial advisor"? A: Goldman Sachs #J12
1 hour ago

==

'Tea and Occupy' -- a discussion/debate between members of the two movements
The Tea Party and Occupy movements have each generated considerable attention and helped shape the conversation heading into the 2012 presidential election. But seldom have the two sides engaged in a dialogue.

NBCPolitics.com aims to change that on Wednesday with a Web-only discussion between six members of the two movements – three Occupy protesters and three members of Tea Party affiliated groups. And we'd like you to participate.

The one-hour event, which will be live streamed on Wednesday from 4-5 p.m. ET, will be moderated by MSNBC TV’s Richard Lui. See below for an introduction to our panelists, all of whom are activists we’ve encountered in the course of reporting on the two movements.
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full-
http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/ ... AA.twitter

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Jacob Lew, Obama’s New Chief-of-Staff, Will Not Please Occupy Wall Street

http://www.observer.com/2012/01/jacob-l ... -01092011/

==

Article and video on director of new OWS film debuting tonight (see below) Kevin Breslin. And yes he is son of Jimmy.

Acclaimed Documentarian Discusses New Film About Occupy Wall StreetBy: Stephanie Simon

http://bronx.ny1.com/content/ny1_living ... t?ap=1&MP4

==

8:45 I just received early word on what OWS calls "biggest action of year" so far in NYC, and featuring singers Patti Smith and Steve Earle. From the press release: "Religious leaders, artists, and members of the Occupy movement will unite globally on January 15th, 2012 to honor the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior. At 6:30 pm hundreds of Occupy Wall Street activists will assemble on the steps of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and at 7:00 pm begin a massive candlelight march to nearby Riverside Church. The group will join additional feeder marches and members of the community at Riverside Church for a massive candle light vigil and celebration renewing King’s message of peace, justice and equality for all regardless of race or economic class.

"The action, expected to be the largest of the new year, will culminate in an assembly featuring performances and speak-outs from artists, celebrities, religious leaders and activists. Performances by Patti Smith, Steve Earle, Stephan Said and Kozza Olantunji as well as many more will complement the inspirational words of Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Yoko Ono, Russell Simmons, Reverend Stephen H. Phelps, Daisey Kahn, Norman Siegel, Sumumba Sobukwe and Malik Rhasaan.'“Poverty, an issue to which King showed increased focus in the years just before his death, finds its way into the darkest chapters in American History. Dr. King sought to shine a light into those dark chapters of war, repression and racism, our candles symbolize that light,' says Abigail Keegan of Occupy Wall Street." For more information about the January 15th action visit http://j15global.org.
--

http://www.thenation.com/blog/165581/oc ... nt-updates

[2012 Countdown]

VIDEO- Moore visits OWS London!
http://www.channel4.com/news/catch-up/d ... AZZALL3_11
V for Vendetta: the man behind the mask
From comic strip to symbol of world rebellion, the V for Vendetta mask is an iconic images of our times. Channel 4 News takes author Alan Moore to meet some of the protesters he inspired. .

==

Start your own #tinytents revolution."You evict us,we minify" Tiny tent task force

[Iamwhomiam]

I like the tiny tents movement. Although I prefer this wording:
"A Vastly Different World Is Possible"

[Allegro]

[Twyla LaSarc]

LOL!

[beeline]

Link

Posted: Thu, Jan. 12, 2012, 6:21 AM

After encampment ends, NYC Occupiers become nomads

MEGHAN BARR

The Associated Press

NEW YORK - It was only a few nights after the Occupy protesters began sleeping in his church sanctuary when Pastor Bob Brashears realized that his laptop was missing.

The refugees from Manhattan's Zuccotti Park had found their way to his cavernous Presbyterian church on a cold winter evening, hoping to stay for a few nights, maybe longer. It was the latest stopover for the nomadic group, which has been living in a rotating series of churches since Mayor Michael Bloomberg shut down their camp in November.

"There was a sense of shock and sadness that it had happened," said Brashears, whose laptop will soon be replaced by Occupy organizers. "And there's a common understanding that if there's one more theft in the church, that's it."

This is what the Occupy encampment has become: A band of homeless protesters with no place to go. Amid accusations of drug use and sporadic theft, they've been sleeping on church pews for weeks, consuming at least $20,000 of the funds that Occupy Wall Street still has in its coffers. Their existence is being hotly debated at Occupy meetings: Are these people truly "Occupiers" who deserve free food and a roof over their heads?

"We don't do this out of charity," said 34-year-old Ravi Ahmad, who works for Columbia University and volunteers with Occupy in her spare time. "We do this so that whoever wants to work in the movement can work in the movement. This is a meritocracy."

But money is draining rapidly from Occupy's various bank accounts, which currently amount to about $344,000. Including church maintenance costs and meals, living expenses are more than $2,000 per week.

"We are all aware that the NYPD destroyed the tent homes of many Occupiers in just one night," one Occupier recently wrote on http://www.nycga.net, Occupy's General Assembly website for New York City. "However, where were they living before Zuccotti Park? Are we paying for housing for homeless people who may be relocated to City shelters?"

The movement that denounces corporate greed and economic inequality has been fighting to stay afloat in the city where it first began. Media attention and donations have dropped off. And although protesters regularly meet to plan demonstrations, recent marches have had none of the spectacle that captivated New Yorkers and watchers worldwide.

On Monday, the metal barricades surrounding Zuccotti Park were removed for the first time since the November raid. But protesters still can't set up tents to camp overnight , and they don't have a long-term solution to the housing problem.

Their current home is Brashears' West-Park Presbyterian Church, a stately 100-year-old house of worship on the Upper West Side that badly needs renovation. Occupy organizers see the cracks in the ceiling as an opportunity to repay the favor by helping to fix the place up.

There are about 70 Occupiers staying there and another 30 or so at Park Slope United Methodist Church in Brooklyn.

"Everybody tries to get along, make things work," said Donna Marinelli, 52, of New Britain, Conn., who was sitting on the floor in a sleeping bag alongside her cousin, David Monarca. "We were in the park in tents until they raided us. We wanted to stay for the movement. We didn't want to leave when we just got here."

During the daylight hours, Marinelli attends Occupy events and volunteers at an Occupy kitchen in Brooklyn. Nobody is allowed to stay in the church during the day. At night, the place is patrolled by an Occupy security team led by Marine Corps Sgt. Halo Showzah, a 27-year-old Iraq war veteran from the Bronx.

"We walk around the church with flashlights, making noise to wake these people up and making sure they're good," he said. "No sex in the church, no drinking, no smoking, no shooting, no sniffing."

The church was quiet and cozy on Wednesday night as about two dozen people staked out their respective corners of the room , some prefer the balcony, others like to curl up by the door. Someone fiddled around on the piano and sang a few songs as a cat watched from one of the pews. Showzah wandered around and chatted with everyone, making jokes and doling out advice to the piano singer.

The security threat is very real here. At least 30 percent of the crowd is a mix of chronically homeless, drug-addicted people, some of whom suffer from "psychological issues," as several protesters put it delicately. Among other rules, the pastor has demanded that the Occupiers station at least one mental health expert "within easy reach" of the church every night.

Even some of the church dwellers themselves are fed up with their fellow pew mates. Chris Allen, 36, is working on a backup plan in case they get kicked out.

"I feel people are messing up the church and we're not gonna have it much longer, so I'm worried about putting money in my pocket," said Allen, an unemployed construction worker from Long Island who lives here with his wife. "Because when it snows and I have nowhere to go, I'm not gonna be stuck on the streets like everyone else for being idiots."

Who is allowed to stay at the church is a source of contention and perpetual infighting. If you're not on the official list kept by Occupy organizers, you're not allowed inside. But it's unclear what distinguishes the general populace from an Occupier.

One night in December, police officers were called to the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew when people who weren't on the list came to the door and refused to leave.

"I was turned away one night in the cold and rain," said David Everitt-Carlson, a 55-year-old unemployed former advertising executive who lived in a tee-pee at Zuccotti Park. "And I slept at Grand Central Station. I found a place behind a Christmas decoration."

About a month ago, a telephone hotline was set up so that people could call and request a spot at one of the churches. But space is limited. And each church sojourn has an expiration date.

Some churches willingly opened their doors to provide temporary shelter after the police raid. None of them are equipped to house protesters forever.

"It's a lot of wear and tear on the space," said Michael Ellick, a minister at Judson Memorial Church, which housed protesters for several nights in November. "We're broke, so we don't have a custodial staff. We can't be a full-time housing unit."

During daylight hours, some people migrate down to Occupy's atrium at 60 Wall St., while others head off to hunt for jobs or disappear into the city. At night, there are often counselors on hand for emotional support.

Typical arguments are reminiscent of life at Zuccotti, which had its own share of criminal activity. A frequent complaint, for example, involves a man who apparently never takes showers.

"No fistfights, no weapons involved," said Jeff Brewer, 34, an Occupy organizer. "I believe there was a shampoo bottle that was thrown one time."

Meals are donations from food pantries and leftovers dropped off by nearby restaurants.

The debate over providing food and shelter for the church Occupiers plays into a larger one that has divided New York's protesters ever since the police raid. While some are determined to occupy another space somewhere in the city, others say an encampment is unnecessary and, at its worst, a burden.

The church dwellers believe they are carrying the torch for the lost encampment , and that, someday, they will form the foundation of a new one.

"We really have been calling it the `occupiers army' that we are building," explained protester Jason Harris, a teacher from Massachusetts.

First, though, they'll have to find a way to survive the winter. Brashears hasn't yet decided whether he will allow the protesters to stay at West-Park beyond next week. If they are truly dedicated to forming a community , and not simply seeking shelter within the church's walls , he'll be more willing to extend their unspoken lease.

"It's a sort of sink or swim situation," he said. "I think, long-term, they have to make a decision about what, exactly, their movement is about."

[JackRiddler]

encampment ends
nomads
his laptop was missing
refugees from Zuccotti Park
had found their way
latest stopover
nomadic group
one more theft in the church
band of homeless protesters with no place to go
accusations of drug use
sporadic theft
sleeping on church pews for weeks
consuming at least $20,000 of the funds
existence is hotly debated
money is draining rapidly
Occupy's various bank accounts
Where were they living before Zuccotti Park?
Are we paying for housing for homeless people
who may be relocated to City shelters?
Media attention and donations have dropped off
none of the spectacle that captivated
don't have a long-term solution to the housing problem.
No sex in the church, no drinking, no smoking, no shooting, no sniffing.
two dozen people staked out their respective corners of the room
The security threat is very real here.
At least 30 percent of the crowd
chronically homeless
drug-addicted people
some of whom suffer from "psychological issues"
some of the church dwellers themselves are fed up
a source of contention and perpetual infighting.
If you're not on the official list kept by Occupy organizers
"I was turned away one night in the cold and rain,"
"It's a lot of wear and tear on the space,"
"We can't be a full-time housing unit."
counselors on hand for emotional support.
Zuccotti had its own share of criminal activity
a man who apparently never takes showers.
"I believe there was a shampoo bottle that was thrown one time."
"sort of sink or swim situation"
"make a decision about what, exactly,
their movement is about."

[norton ash]

^^^^ My impressions exactly. Bad news.

[Allegro]

.
‘Occupy’ Churches
— The Wall Street Journal, New York Region
— By JESSICA FIRGER | JANUARY 12, 2012

Thrown out of their noisy outdoor home in a Lower Manhattan park, Occupy Wall Street protesters are pressing on with their anti-corporate movement from the quiet worship spaces of New York City churches.

An ever-changing crew of about 150 demonstrators have traded the drum circles and tent-living of their encampment in Zuccotti Park for communal living amid church pews. The religious institutions have afforded independent shelter for a movement plotting its way forward.

Herb Miller, the pastor at Park Slope United Methodist, opened his small church to protesters about two weeks after they were ejected from Zuccotti on Nov. 15. About 30 have slept there each night since. "I mapped out with my administrative assistant how many bodies we could fit on the floor," said the 51-year-old pastor.

He said he has the full support of his congregation and called the effort "radical hospitality." "You have this sacred space cordoned off, but it's also made sacred by the people," Pastor Miller said.

The Park Slope church is one of two that continue to house Occupy Wall Street protesters. Other churches—such as Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village, Riverside Church and St. Paul and St. Andrew on the Upper West Side—had provided shelter to the movement but decided at various points that the space wasn't right for continuous habitation, officials said.

The other church, West Park Presbyterian Church on the Upper West Side, agreed last week to house 60 to 100 protesters whose five-week housing agreement with St. Paul and St. Andrew had ended.

West Park's pastor, Robert Brashear, said the church had a long tradition of supporting activism, having launched a program for gays, bisexuals and transsexuals and founding the charity God's Love We Deliver.

"Occupy Wall Street is simply carrying on the tradition of what this church has been for decades," said Mr. Brashear, the church's pastor for 15 years.

To be sure, Zuccotti Park is still a focal point for Occupy Wall Street. Protesters streamed into the park on Tuesday night when authorities removed metal barricades erected in November. On Wednesday evening, about a dozen protesters were there.

But no one is allowed to sleep there overnight, and the group's meetings have migrated to indoor spaces. Protester Daniel Abel, 25, who sleeps at West Park Church, said Zuccotti Park's role was changing. "You have what we had here the whole time: A meeting space." Mr. Abel said Wednesday. "If we slept here and fought the cops every night, it wouldn't be effective."

On a recent night at United Methodist in Brooklyn, all lights were out in the small worship space before 10 p.m. People curled up in spots on the floor, while some opted to sleep on pews. Those still awake lingered in the far back, keeping hushed conversation to a minimum.

"The ambience of a church induces respect in people," said Andrew Dittmer, 36, a Boston graduate student who is sleeping at the church.

The protesters have set up committees to handle safety, cleaning, housing and other tasks. The church pastors said they expect protesters to provide security and medical care and clean up after themselves. They must be in bed early and leave in the morning.

Occupy Wall Street pays for utility costs at West Park and Park Slope United Methodist with what's left, $300,000, from donations last fall.

Living in a church has similar challenges to life in Zuccotti.

There have been petty fights and disagreements about who can stay and who must go. The housing committee has set up a hot-line for protesters to register for one of about 150 spots at the churches, and the person must be on the list when they check in each evening.

But the homeless and criminals have managed to slip in.

Last week, Tonye Iketubosin, a Zuccotti protester arrested on rape charges and was released on bail in November, posed an issue for the protesters when he signed up at St. Paul and St. Andrew. When he was recognized, several protesters met to deliberate whether he should allowed to stay, said Jeffrey Brewer, a protester handling housing issues. They ultimately decided he could stay that night, as long as security monitored him, Mr. Brewer said. Mr. Iketubosin and his attorney couldn't be reached.

The churches housing Occupy Wall Street protesters said they would try to provide shelter through this winter. Pastor Brashear at West Park said Occupy Wall Street has helped many protesters in their personal lives. Some have gotten sober, reconnected with their children or found work since joining the movement, he said.

[2012 Countdown]

OccupyWallStNYC #OCCUPYWALLSTREET
In case u missed @WhileWeWatch documentary about #OWS premiere at @PaleyCenter last night: ow.ly/1DPyRu
13 Jan

This has a 4 min video q/a clip, and 40 min movie clip as well-
http://new.livestream.com/whilewewatchdoc


Lots of photos too...

[2012 Countdown]

And to accompany the post above-

Tracking Journalist Arrests at Occupy Protests Around the Country
I have been tracking, confirming and verifying reports of journalist arrests at Occupy protests all over the country since September. Help me by sending tips and tweets to @jcstearns.

So far 36 journalists have been arrested in 10 cities around the United States since Occupy Wall Street began. Including citizen journalists affiliated with a variety of Occupy media teams the total is 50. Scroll to the bottom for the most recent updates.

http://storify.com/jcstearns/tracking-j ... ccupy-prot

[Plutonia]

#J17 Occupy Congress

Occupy protestors have been making their way to Washington D.C. all week to bring their message to stop corporate greed to those that have enabled those “greedy bastards” to get away with the destruction of the US economy, Congress.

Occupy Congress begins Tuesday January 17, 2012.

If you are traveling on a Greyhound bus beware, at least one of their drivers has kicked Occupy travelers off of his bus, because he doesn’t like the movement. (Watch video on left side of page)

According to a post on Reddit by Road2CongressOSD:

“Donald Ainsworth (the bus driver) immediately began yelling at all passengers in the lobby. Once he realized 13 passengers were with Occupy he began making personal and rude comments towards members when boarding with tickets. No one responded. Once the bus was boarded he began shouting ‘Sit down and shut up! Anyone standing is getting kicked off the bus.’ Several passengers, not just Occupants, began addressing the driver’s conduct. He left the bus, and locked all passengers within for over an hour. He made a lengthy phone call and before too long the police had arrived. The officer came on the bus and spoke with us, stating he knew Don’s attitude was poor but he had the right to remove us.”

There will be several videographers at the event:

http://j17live.org/content/occupy-roanoke-va|Occupy Roanoke VA|
http://j17live.org/content/oakfosho|OakFoSho|
http://j17live.org/content/occupy-p-town|Occupy Portland|
http://j17live.org/content/aj-watch-dc|AJWATCHDC|
http://j17live.org/content/korgasm|Korgasm|
http://j17live.org/content/occupync|OWS|
http://j17live.org/content/occupysf|Occupy SF|
http://j17live.org/content/occupy-congress|Occupy Congress|,
http://j17live.org/content/tim-cast|Tim Cast|
http://j17live.org/content/occupy-pittsburgh|Occupy Pittsburgh|

And you can find more feeds by going onto twitter and read the posts for the hashtag #j17.

You can learn more about travel, lodging and food by going to the Occupy Congress

#J17 Event Details/Schedule

9am – Converge at West Front Lawn at Capitol Hill (Meetings with Representatives concurrent)
10 am – Training for volunteers on De-escalation,
Legal Observing, Medical, Direct Action
11 am – Teach-ins and Open Mic start and go all day
12 noon – Multi-Occupation General Assembly
2 pm – Open Activities and Idea Sharing Sessions
*6pm* – Occupy Congress Rally and Protest and DC Voting Rights Vigil
8pm – 11pm – OCCUParty

Additional Information sources:

Occupy Congress Facebook page
Occupy Congress Wiki

https://www.examiner.com/democrat-in-la ... ry-17-2012

Also coming up:

Tue. Jan 17, 2012 - 12:00 PM - #J17 March to Wall Street - Liberty Plaza

Fri. Jan 20, 2012 - 5:00 PM - Occupy The Courts - Liberty Plaza

Sat. Jan 21, 2012 - 12:00 PM - Occupy The Corporations! - Broadway / Park Pl

[Allegro]

.
^^^ Thanks, Plutonia, for all the info and especially
for that video showing again the dancer atop that bull !

[Plutonia]

My pleasure Allegro

There's something so excellent about OWS material culture (much of Anonymous too). I find it enheartening.


Makes me think that maybe it's what Alfred North Whitehead was pointing to when he said this:

Here we are brought back to the position from which we started, the utility of education. Style, in its finest sense, is the last acquirement of the educated mind; it is also the most useful. It pervades the whole being. The administrator with a sense for style hates waste; the engineer with a sense for style economises his material; the artisan with a sense for style prefers good work. Style is the ultimate morality of mind.

But above style, and above knowledge, there is something, a vague shape like fate above the Greek gods. That something is Power. Style is the fashioning of power, the restraining of power.

http://www.anthonyflood.com/whiteheadeducation.htm

[Nordic]

Seems appropriate to mention something from this today:

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/01/ ... artin.html

The King family believes the government’s motivation to murder Dr. King was to prevent his imminent camp-in at Washington, D.C. until the Vietnam War was ended and those resources directed to end poverty and invest in US hard and soft infrastructure.

Sound familiar? No wonder the bastards are coming down so hard on the Occupy movement. And that's why the Occupy movement doesn't have a "Leader", you know, a guy they can assassinate to dissolve the movement.