So there's this Occupy Wall Street protest in Manhattan today
- Thread starter Charlie Don't Surf
- Start date
You know there are black cops right?
And Women Cops, don't forget the misogyny angle... they must be White Knighted too.
O
Overflight
Getting reports that the NYPD and NYFD just removed the OWS Wall Street camp's generators. Anyone have any idea behind their reasoning? Aside from getting the protestors to leave that is. I can't find a statement from the NYPD or NYFD yet.
Time for RAMPANT SPECULATION!
If the generators and electrical lines/boxes/etc are not correctly setup, correctly laid out, safely covered in traffic areas, etc, etc, etc, then even with a permit they will be disconnected and removed.
I doubt OWS has a permit, and has not had the FD inspect the power setup. That alone is reason to disconnect them, however it's likely that they may have done so for specific violations as well.
Each year at the maker faire the generators are setup a day beforehand, and the morning it opens the local fire inspector runs along every single electrical cable to make sure everything is up to snuff. If not, the faire doesn't open, so you can bet anything wrong gets fixed lickety split.
Most of the evictions over the next few weeks leading up to thanksgiving (no city wants a protest to use thanksgiving as a stage) will use public safety and health as reasons for the eviction. Due to thanksgiving they aren't likely to wait until most people leave due to the cold in the north, anyway.
This has been the latest installment of RAMPANT SPECULATION! Tune in next week to find out why Obama wears shoes that are two sizes larger than his feet!
Looks like Occupy Oakland is done fucking around.
7,000 protestors marched out to the Port, where some of them went to work vandalizing buildings and setting fires. Barricades were constructed, which were then lit on fire. Protestors responded to police presence by throwing concrete, pipes, bottles, and Molotovs. Roman candles were fired at the police.
The police response was to assault the area, firing off tear gas again. Considering what was going on this time, I'd hardly call it overkill. The Port is still closed down, but no one knows for how long.
Meanwhile, Occupy Oakland called for General Strike in response to the wounding of the Vet. Something like 300 of the 2000 teachers in the local district ether called in sick or asked for the day off.
7,000 protestors marched out to the Port, where some of them went to work vandalizing buildings and setting fires. Barricades were constructed, which were then lit on fire. Protestors responded to police presence by throwing concrete, pipes, bottles, and Molotovs. Roman candles were fired at the police.
The police response was to assault the area, firing off tear gas again. Considering what was going on this time, I'd hardly call it overkill. The Port is still closed down, but no one knows for how long.
Meanwhile, Occupy Oakland called for General Strike in response to the wounding of the Vet. Something like 300 of the 2000 teachers in the local district ether called in sick or asked for the day off.
You know, I think these people use to have a message I could get behind, but now? Fuck that. I hear reports of rape, violence, molotov cocktails, window smahing etc, and any enthusiam I might of had for the movement has evaportaed. You know, I'd have to agree with some of the conservative pundits on this one where they say, whatever you thought about the Tea Party, you didn't hear weekly reports of violence, police raids or rape in their rallies.
Different people, different situation. Tea Party wasn't a group of desperate poor people. Violence begets violence, and nobody handled this one well.
Besides, the Tea Party got all the attention they wanted from their representatives and from a certain news organization. I think it is amazing that the other cities have stayed as calm as they have.
...Yes? But it's the same kind of feeling I get here in China. Every so often when there's a spat between China and Japan, there are (some!) Chinese that go apeshit protesting Japan, blocking Japanese stores or smashing Japanese cars. Yes, I get that Japanese were horrific baby-murdering monsters in China during WW II, but once the violence starts, and, heaven forbid a Japanese national gets hurt, the message is lost to me when it's accompanied by what I consider to be unneccesary violence. OWS is no different to me in that respect. I feel a lot more sqeumish going "Woo!" in support when I hear about a lot of things that are going on.
Basically this. The Tea Party's concerns were addressed and have in fact become central to the debate FAR too much. This is despite their rampant sexism, racism, bigotry and their constant acts of disruption and intimidation. OWS demonstrators didn't show up to debates with firearms in an attempt to coerce representatives.
I'd also like to point out that a Tea Partier wasn't thrown into a coma by the irresponsible use of force by the authorities. If they had, I assure you, it would be as bad or worse as what has already happened. As Krisken said, violence begets violence and this sort of thing was inevitable once that kid was shot.
OWS isn't a group of desperate poor people either. In fact, they're trying to get rid of the desperate poor people because it reflects poorly on their message.
OWS has had plenty of media play. It's just that the Tea Party held professional events, and OWS had this guy:
And it's like he's barely trying! This is an action you have to plan for. A lot of greasy food, a little turbo-lax, and the right positioning would have had a much greater impact than a small smear near the rear quarter panel.OWS had this guy:
These OWS guys are simply not organized, and not serious about their commitment.
Yes, they held "professional" events... because said events were financed by prominent members of the community, looking to exploit the movement for personal game. They also weren't denied permits left and right, nor did they have the police down their necks the moment they began protesting.
Again, completely different circumstances. There was a lot of talk against the Tea Partiers, but no one really did anything to stop them. This is in contrast to the OWS movement, which has been actively acted against since Day 1.
I think it's unfair to paint the movement as this asshole, just as it's unfair to paint the tea partiers as all carrying racist signs.OWS isn't a group of desperate poor people either. In fact, they're trying to get rid of the desperate poor people because it reflects poorly on their message.
OWS has had plenty of media play. It's just that the Tea Party held professional events, and OWS had this guy:
But ok, if that's how you view it, I'm not going to try to change your mind. All I'm hoping is that the protests can help direct some of the conversation from the "Oh no, we spend too much on programs here" to "We need to do more".
Interesting lead into an article I haven't yet read: http://youarenotsosmart.com/2011/02/10/deindividuation/
Seems relevant.
Few years ago for the Fourth of July the Tea Party wanted to hold a rally in downtown Raleigh. There was a big stink in the news a few days before over the fact that the city was banning the use of the American flags. Turns out that the ban was actually on any rally/protest/gathering using large polls or boards (i.e. flagpoles) which in protests past had been used as weapons. Since the city had had no prior record of violence involved in the group the ordnance was lifted for the day.
The Tea Party was bought and paid for by the corporate overlords against which OWS are protesting.
Necronic
Staff member
Why are you complaining? You got your wish and now you say you didn't want that to happen?
No, no, no, he's saying he's glad he got his wish for the cause he supports, and that he's glad this positive thing didn't happen for the cause he doesn't support.
[Occupy Wall Street]
Protesters living in Zuccotti park are dealing with a worsening security problem with reports of multiple incidents of assault, drug dealing and drug use, rape and attempted rape.In the past several weeks, the cluster of tents at the west end of the park -- the farthest section from the bustle of working groups and activity near Broadway -- has grown increasingly dangerous, many say. The sanitation team has reported finding needles in tents, and reports of crack and crystal meth use have surfaced. But the most serious concern most protesters say, is the risk of assault, especially for women and at night. Demonstrators have complained of thefts of assorted items such as , phones, and laptops. Thieves also stole $2500 of donations that were stored in a makeshift kitchen.On October 10, a "methadone-addled man freeloading off the Wall Street protest" was arrested for groping a woman.Two people were arrested at Occupy Boston for selling heroin while they had a 6 year old child living in their tent.An Occupy Denver demonstrator was arrested for groping a reporter.The police are investigating sexual assaults in Cleveland,Dallas,and Portland.At Occupy Baltimore, a pamphlet was distributed to members that victim's advocates say discourages victims of sex crimes to report them to police.
[/Occupy Wall Street]
Protesters living in Zuccotti park are dealing with a worsening security problem with reports of multiple incidents of assault, drug dealing and drug use, rape and attempted rape.In the past several weeks, the cluster of tents at the west end of the park -- the farthest section from the bustle of working groups and activity near Broadway -- has grown increasingly dangerous, many say. The sanitation team has reported finding needles in tents, and reports of crack and crystal meth use have surfaced. But the most serious concern most protesters say, is the risk of assault, especially for women and at night. Demonstrators have complained of thefts of assorted items such as , phones, and laptops. Thieves also stole $2500 of donations that were stored in a makeshift kitchen.On October 10, a "methadone-addled man freeloading off the Wall Street protest" was arrested for groping a woman.Two people were arrested at Occupy Boston for selling heroin while they had a 6 year old child living in their tent.An Occupy Denver demonstrator was arrested for groping a reporter.The police are investigating sexual assaults in Cleveland,Dallas,and Portland.At Occupy Baltimore, a pamphlet was distributed to members that victim's advocates say discourages victims of sex crimes to report them to police.
[/Occupy Wall Street]
GasBandit
Staff member
So is OWS. Just useful idiots, as they used to say.
Amazing how when the police send the most unstable people they can find to Zuccotti park and then refuse to remove them the park becomes a more dangerous place.
Cause and effect how does it work?
Yeah, it's the police's fault. For the garbage. For the unsanity conditions. For the selling of heroin. For groping reporters. For discouraging victims to report to police.
When they send homeless people there and then refuse to remove them from the park... yes yes it is.
Why should they be empowered to remove homeless people with actual need from the park when they shouldn't remove people who don't need help?
You mean besides the fact that they pose a real danger to other people there in the park?