Tag: occupy

By Lucas O’Connor / TwoCathedrals / November 2, 2011

It’s been a heady couple of weeks for OccupySD, indeed for the entire national Occupy effort. The dynamics of the movement and the importance of the issues being raised provide plenty to chew over for a long time yet, but even more immediately, its interactions with police have raised a number of questions that the public deserves answers to. None of these issues are raised with any presumption that the SDPD will be unable to provide a good explanation — I both expect and hope that they will. But that’s different than not caring if those answers are ever provided. It’s still necessary to raise these questions and require a meaningful process of accountability.

Today is proof that despite all its problems – the disarray and the disenchantment of officialdom – Occupy San Diego is still focused on the banks; its attention is still occupied by the banks – as the source of the country’s economic woes. Today saw a march and rally in front of the Wells Fargo branch on B Street. There is another march and rally against Bank of America being planned on Saturday, November 5th.

With the help of a kick-off rally at the Civic Center Plaza initiated by the San Diego Labor Council at noon, several hundred demonstrators marched east to “bank central” – the intersection of B Street and 5th Avenue, where a middle-of-the-street impromptu rally was held.

Withdrawal Wedne$day Rally

November 2 at 12pm

Meet at Civic Center

3rd and B Street, San Diego

It is time to take the power and our money back from the BIG Banks.

Join the Labor Council and Occupy San Diego as we take part in the national movement to transfer funds from the BIG Banks to our local credit unions.

By Randall Erickson / Special to the OB Rag

PARIS. Recent events have caused me to add a preamble to this dispatch. These concern the very idea of democracy. The Greek prime minister announced that he would call for a referendum on the agreement he reached with the members of the Euro Zone on the management of the Greek debt and austerity program. This was too much for the powerful financiers and their stock markets which immediately plunged. So they have already voted against the democracy of the people. Can’t let the people decide on their own futures, you need the capitalist oligarchy and technocracy to do that.

By Cecily Burt, Kristin Bender, Sean Maher, Thomas Peele / Oakland Tribune – MercuryNews.com / Nov. 2, 2011 – updated 09:29:24 AM PDT

OAKLAND — Occupy demonstrators turned their ire on big banks Wednesday by marching, blocking traffic and chanting — and in some cases, defacing ATMs and pounding on doors at Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Chase and Citibank branches around downtown.

Thousands of people from all walks of life poured into downtown Oakland from points east, north, south and west, with more heading in every minute to lend their support and their voices to the general strike, the first of its kind in Oakland since 1946. For a time large crowds split off in separate marches, with some staying at the Occupy Oakland camp at 14th and Broadway, and others marching and protesting at various banks located near the Kaiser Center at 20th and Webster streets.

For the third time in as many weeks, Occupy San Diego activists attended the Tuesday San Diego City Council meeting in efforts to elicit support from the Council. They did this by making comments during the “Public Comment” period looking for a resolution from the City’s legislative branch in favor of Occupy San Diego’s efforts – such as the LA City Council took for Occupy LA.

Organizers spoke about the recent late-night police raids during which 51 occupiers were arrested, about the people injured during those raids, and particularly about the manner in which police made subsequent arrests – producing an extremely negative image for the City.

UPDATES inside

Police confiscated a large amount of personal property when they swept through the civic Center Plaza early friday morning, and many people have expressed concern over how or if they would be able to get any of it back.

As posted by Matthew Hall, a rough list of items confiscated from OccupySD

• 4 big pop up tents
• 7 big trash cans full of miscellaneous stuff (ie. skateboards, blankets, clothing, sleeping bags, tents, tarps)
• 15 chairs
• 1 shabby chic yellow nightstand
• 8 tables
• variety of cardboard signs
• 7 bikes
• 30 backpacks/carts/roller suitcases
• 9 boxes labeled games, dvds/books, toys, helmets, lunch boxes, blankets
• 1 bucket labeled OC and mace remedy and prevention, containing vinegar and imodium AD
• 3 coolers
• 4-5 cameras
• 10 plastic crates full of stuff
• Also: 16 individual lots of property impounded from specific arrestees (backpacks, purses, tents, etc.)

SOURCE: SDPD

We are not camping. We are assembling peaceably to petition the government for a redress of grievances. This is our permit. The Bill of Rights – Article 1.

A combination of police crackdowns and bad weather are testing the young Occupy movement. But rumors of its demise are premature, to say the least.

By Robert Reich / Christian Science Monitor / November 1, 2011

A combination of police crackdowns and bad weather are testing the young Occupy movement. But rumors of its demise are premature, to say the least. Although numbers are hard to come by, anecdotal evidence suggests the movement is growing.

As importantly, the movement has already changed the public debate in America.

By Desert Sun staff / November 1, 2011

PALM DESERT — At least eight people were arrested overnight as Palm Desert police cleared the park where Occupy Coachella Valley protesters camped for a week.

“I saw a brigade of cops; it was unbelievable,” said protester Steven Finger, 56, of Palm Desert. “They were in two rows wearing gear and they were marching down the street.”

Five protesters and two other people not involved with Occupy Coachella Valley were arrested at Civic Center Park, Riverside County sheriff’s Lt. Bill Sullivan wrote in an email to The Desert Sun about 1:30 a.m. A Desert Sun photographer saw two more protesters arrested about 15 minutes later.

by Marco Gonzalez / Two Cathedrals / Originally published Oct. 28, 2011

I have to admit, I was pretty bummed when I received the text at 3 a.m. indicating the San Diego Police and County Sheriffs had thought it a good idea to put on the riot gear and beat up a bunch of sleeping Occupy SD activists at the Civic Center Plaza. Having seen the Third World-esque images of the Occupy Oakland raids earlier this week, I feared the worst. I also wondered if the same “public safety and hygiene” excuse used to justify tear gas and baton beatings in Oakland would be employed by our so-called public servants in America’s Finest City. At the same time, I hoped the strong-arm tactics in response to peaceful demonstration would ultimately backfire and spur earlier supporters back into the mix.

Here are the choices that faced Mayor Jerry Sanders at the end of last week.

Which costs more?

4 portapotties cleaned out weekly for $300 a month or over-time pay for 110 law enforcement officers, cost of gas and vehicles to transport the 51 arrestees to Vista or Las Colinas?