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We are the 99 percent

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"Occupy will never die; Evict us, we multiply!"

Posted 12 years ago on Dec. 10, 2011, 8:01 p.m. EST by OccupyWallSt

Boston

Following last week's raid on Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco police evicted Occupy SF from their last camp, in front of the Federal Reserve, at 4am this morning. 55 people were arrested. Occupy Pittsburgh is also facing an eviction deadline today, continuing an escalating trend of harassment and eviction of nonviolent protesters across the country and the world.

To the 1%'s pundits who claim Occupy is over: We are still here. Even as the agents of the 1% evict our communities and eviscerate our rights, we are evolving. What we have set in motion cannot be stopped with tear gas, bulldozers, rubber bullets, or metal barricades.

Occupations across the country have found creative ways to persist, resist, and rebuild. We aren't giving up our public spaces. Last we checked, tents still stand in DC, Chicago, Boise, Oklahoma City, Buffalo, Miami, Chapel Hill, Cleveland, Providence, Baltimore, Orlando, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Pensacola, Lexington, Newark, Gainesville, Peoria, Eugene, Rochester, Orlando, Tacoma, Reno, Charlotte, Raleigh, New Haven, Houston, Austin, Tampa, Louisville, and elsewhere. In Anchorage, they even have igloos. On their two month anniversary, Occupy Minnesota will gather at The People’s Plaza to reclaim their space and continue the fight for equality and justice.

Occupiers in cities like Atlanta, Oakland, Fort Worth, Jackson, and Phoenix have cleverly responded to evictions by staying in the parks during the day and moving to the sidewalk at night. In Los Angeles, Toronto, Boston, San Diego, Portland, Tulsa, San Jose, Dayton, Tucson, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Sacramento, Hartford, Charlottesville, Denver, Dallas, Norfolk, Richmond, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and New York, evicted Occupations continue to hold General Assemblies and maintain busy calendars with daily meetings, events, workshops, teach-ins, marches, direct actions, and demonstrations at their local city hall, bank branch, corporate office, and courts.

We are also disrupting business-as-usual from Wall Street to K Street. We have brought the festivity of Broadway into the streets. We mic check corrupt politicians and 1%ers everywhere they go. We have moved homeless families into empty foreclosed homes. We have spread our message by occupying the highway. In DC, Oakland, Santa Cruz, London, and Seattle we have liberated buildings from the banks and greedy corporations and begun to turn them into vibrant community centers.

While maintaining our nonpartisan focus on economic inequality and connecting a diversity of issues that impact the 99%, Occupations have begun to refine and hone our messaging around the big banks, foreclosures, evictions, and housing. Foreclosure auctions have been disrupted in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Bremerton, Reno, and New Orleans. Occupiers foreclosed on bank offices in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Buffalo and elsewhere. Today, a few weeks after Occupiers took over the Washington State Capital, Occupy Providence is marching on their State house to "ask this house for homes!" After the recent Day of Action to Occupy Our Homes, many cities continue to support families, especially in communities of color, as they fight back against unfair evictions. In Atlanta, Cleveland, Oakland, Chicago, Detroit, Philly, Rochester, New York, and Oakland, Occupiers are helping homeless families find shelter and resist eviction.

Brooklyn

In solidarity with all oppressed communities, we are actively supporting the many social movements that comprise the global revolution. We have marched on U.S.-companies that supply teargas to the Egyptian government to support our comrades in Tahir Square; with immigrants rights activists against deportation, detention and wage-theft in Birmingham and New York; with seniors to advocate for social services; with students against tuition-hikes, with workers and unions for jobs, better working conditions, and fair wages; and with farmers fighting for food justice. Occupations in solidarity with OWS have arisen in Manila, Auckland, London, Amsterdam, South Africa and beyond. We've marched to draw attention to the connections between the corrupt banking system and issues like the prison industrial complex and climate change.

This is merely a sketch of the ongoing work of the Occupy Wall Street movement. It would be nearly impossible to compile a comprehensive list of the brave actions that are happening all across the United States and the world. And we're just getting started. Tomorrow, December 12th, in response to the coordinated effort to crush Occupy Wall Street, Occupiers in every major West Coast port city – San Diego, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver – are joining Occupy Oakland in a coordinated effort of our own: West Coast Port Shutdown. Solidarity actions are being organized around the world, including in Japan, Houston, Albuquerque, Denver, Greensboro, Austin, Honolulu, Salt Lake City, and New York.

Shut down the ports

"The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers."

78 Comments

Occupy Boston: "We might have been evicted, but we shall not be moved."

Posted 12 years ago on Dec. 10, 2011, 2:43 p.m. EST by OccupyWallSt

occupy boston post-raid

Occupy Boston will hold a post-eviction General Assembly tonight at 7 pm at the Band Stand on Boston Common. Supporters are currently holding a silent protest in front of the Boston Police Department while waiting for arrestees to be released. Follow on Twitter: @Occupy_Boston or please join them if you are in Boston!

Two days ago, in a reversal of prior claims to support OWS, the Mayor of Boston threatened to evict Occupy Boston. In response, supporters from across Massachusetts and the country gathered at Occupied Dewey Square:

They came by bus from New York and DC. They carpooled from Providence and flew in from Chicago. They drove from Worcester, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. Last night, demonstrating how clearly Occupy Boston’s message has been heard and understood, two thousand people traveled from near and far to defend Dewey Square. They painted signs and spoke in General Assembly. They chanted and sang, “Which Side Are You On?” six times, at least, as a brass brand blew steam into the frozen December night. They rallied at midnight, making circles two deep around tents, as the Veterans for Peace stood guard, white flags snapping in the wind. They dressed as bankers so that bankers might be arrested for once. And when the news came that no raid was coming, no eviction imminent, they danced in the streets to celebrate.

The police did eventually come. They waited days, hoping people would stop paying attention. Like previous raids in other cities, they made their move like cowards in the pre-dawn shadows at 5AM this morning. The city used bulldozers to destroy what had been home to hundreds. At least 45 peaceful protesters were arrested while linking arms to nonviolently protect their homes and their right to free speech. When one female police officer began to cry, her male superiors yelled and berated her. Read More...

111 Comments

#Mockupy: OWS Occupies "Law & Order" Zuccotti Set in Foley Square!

Posted 12 years ago on Dec. 8, 2011, 11:50 p.m. EST by OccupyWallSt

Live Updates:

  • 1:36: Cops breaking down mockupied Wall Street. NBC's speech rights clearly infringed.
  • 1:25: NYPD occupying fake Liberty Square, fake demands unclear.
  • 1:03: GA in progress. More mockupiers needed at Foley Square!
  • 12:52: cops moving in
  • 12:47: unconfirmed reports that "Law & Order's" permit has been revoked. What's a permit?
  • 12:40: police threaten to arrest mockupiers after 1AM: "if you do not leave, you will be arrested."
  • 12:19: GA in 20 minutes

72 Comments

Occupy Boston Facing Midnight Eviction

Posted 12 years ago on Dec. 8, 2011, 5:52 p.m. EST by OccupyWallSt

Occupy Boston

Live Updates:

  • 10:30:Occupy Boston camp still standing
  • 1:57: police dragging tents from streets
  • 1:40: tents in the streets
  • 1:31: police superintendent: "no intention of evicting tonight."
  • 1:14: reports that police will not raid Boston tonight, occupiers skeptical, dancing
  • 1:08: Atlantic Avenue blocked by peaceful protestors, police stymied by dance party
  • 12:36: report that cops are due in 15 minutes
  • 12:10: deadline passes, tension mounts. Live aerial view
  • 11:45: 7,000-10,000+ occupying Dewey Square
  • 11:25: "arrestable" occupiers to link arms to protect park, "unarrestables" to rally in solidarity across street
  • 11:08: occupiers have erected defensive barricades in anticipation of imminent police raid.

    Read More...

154 Comments

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