Demonstraties VS #3: Wanneer valt 'the wall'?

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LOrion twitterde op maandag 31-10-2011 om 00:02:56 WTF? RT @Smiling_Gem: In response to the police brutality against #occupyWallStreet protesters,tunisian facebookers are invading Obama's FB reageer retweet

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But while officers may be in a no-win situation, at the mercy of orders carried on shifting political winds and locked into conflict with a so-far almost entirely non-violent protest movement eager to frame the force as a symbol of the oppressive system they’re fighting, the NYPD seems to have crossed a line in recent days, as the park has taken on a darker tone with unsteady and unstable types suddenly seeming to emerge from the woodwork. Two different drunks I spoke with last week told me they’d been encouraged to “take it to Zuccotti” by officers who’d found them drinking in other parks, and members of the community affairs working group related several similar stories they’d heard while talking with intoxicated or aggressive new arrivals.

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FT: Why America is embracing protest

These are fluid times. Leaders do not so much lead as dance to the unexpected tunes of others. Record numbers of Americans are pessimistic about their economic future and say their political system is broken. They seem to have developed an accordingly higher tolerance than normal for the politics of street protest.

That also adds to the volatility. A few months ago it looked like the 2012 debate would pivot around which candidate could show the least unpalatable path to fiscal discipline. That dimension remains. But others are being added. Take Mitt Romney, a trusty barometer of public opinion, and the least unlikely Republican nominee. Mr Romney initially dismissed the Wall Street protesters as “dangerous”. Then he changed his emphasis: “I worry about the 99 per cent,” he said. “I understand how those people feel.”

The protesters have already rebalanced the national conversation. Brace for a grand debate in 2012 in which both the Tea Partiers and the Occupy crowd are likely to be setting the pace.

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ANALYSIS: Legal confusion at heart of Wall Street protests

NEW YORK, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Early Friday morning, under a looming forecast of unseasonable cold and snow, a cadre of firefighters and police officers swept through the Occupy Wall Street camp at Zuccotti Park, confiscating generators and gasoline cans that the city considered a safety hazard.

While the operation was notable for its lack of confrontation, it highlighted once again the uneven application of rules at the park, where its status as a privately owned public plaza has left the protesters' legal advisors scouring the law for potential arguments to combat any eviction efforts.

"There are a number of contingencies," said Samuel Cohen of the Law Offices of Wylie M. Stecklow, a member of the protest's working legal group. "There are literally dozens of excellent attorneys to try to figure out legally what the status of the space is, what the parameters are that the protesters can work within, and how best to sustain this unprecedented act of First Amendment expression. We've got a lot in our holster right now."

Mayor Michael Bloomberg acknowledged that no one knows how the occupation of the park -- now entering its seventh week -- will end, though he said the status quo would continue "at the moment" as long as protesters did not break the law.

"What will happen down the road?" he said during his weekly radio show, without offering any predictions.

The answer to that question could very well lie inside a Manhattan courtroom, with a confusing backdrop of zoning regulations, First Amendment law and rules governing privately controlled public spaces.

'LOOKS LIKE THE CITY HAS BACKED OFF'

Unlike city parks, which have curfews, Zuccotti Park is open 24 hours a day. That condition was imposed in a deal with the city that allowed the developers to exceed certain zoning restrictions on a nearby office building.

Bloomberg and the city have taken the position that the park property's owner, Brookfield Office Properties, would have to make a complaint before police could consider evicting the protesters. Since Brookfield abandoned plans to clean the park and force protesters to leave two weeks ago, the company has remained silent.

"When it comes to the rules of conduct in the park, the city is taking the position that it's Brookfield's call," said Christopher Dunn, the associate legal director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, which has urged city officials to respect Occupy's right to demonstrate. "It looks like the city has backed off and Brookfield has backed off."

Brookfield instituted new rules regarding the park's use soon after the protests began, including a ban on tents. But those regulations have not been enforced, with demonstrators erecting tents as the weather worsens, and Brookfield appears reluctant to ask the city to step in.

A Brookfield spokeswoman did not return a call for comment Friday.

Cohen, meanwhile, said he does not believe the new rules are legitimate, both because of their intent and because they have not been properly promulgated.

If the park's rules were governed by the city's planning department as a public space, there would be notice requirements and public hearings, he said. If Brookfield has the unilateral authority to impose new restrictions, on the other hand, Occupy could argue that the rules are intended as an attack on free speech.

NO PRIOR RESTRICTION ON PUBLIC ACTIVITY

Michael Dorf, a constitutional law professor at Cornell University, said he believes that park rules against tents and other measures might withstand a First Amendment challenge.

"Occupy Wall Street can make a plausible argument that because these rules were just made up now, they aren't content-neutral," he said. "But most observers probably would say the owners are not actively hostile to the message -- they just don't want people to camp in their park. And if that's what they're objecting to, they're allowed to object to that."

Dunn, however, said the plaza's history as a public space with few regulations would strengthen the argument that the protesters should be allowed to stay.

"There's never been any restriction on public activity there," he said. "I don't even know if they have what you could describe as rules."

The city itself could also petition to have the zoning rules changed for all parks similar to Zuccotti -- that is, privately owned public spaces -- to include a curfew, just as city-owned parks have. That process would be governed by the city's uniform land-use review process and would require public hearings and reviews by the planning commission and possibly the City Council over a period of weeks, if not months.

In recent days, some cities have grown more aggressive in their efforts to prevent long-term encampments. In Oakland on Tuesday, police used tear gas and stun grenades in a violent skirmish with demonstrators who refused to leave a city plaza. Atlanta evicted dozens of protesters from a downtown park on Wednesday, while Baltimore and Providence demonstrators also face possible eviction.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax; additional reporting by Erin Geiger Smith and Joan Gralla)

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1994, Smoking-Gun Document Ties Policy To Housing Crisis Under Clinton Regime

news.investors.com — Under President Clinton's direction, 10 federal financial regulatory agencies in 1994 demanded that lenders ease credit for low-income minorities. That spurred banks to lower underwriting standards and triggered the subprime mortgage boom, culminating in the housing and credit crisis in 2008. 9 hr 28 min ago

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Op zaterdag 29 oktober 2011 22:33 schreef Scribent het volgende:

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Dat is wel een ongelukkig voorbeeld... Het is gewoon de gebruikelijke nazi-propaganda ('joodse kapitalisten storten de wereld in een oorlog'). En los van de gebruikelijke clichés over joods Wallstreet etc: natuurlijk wilden de Britten en joden destijds dat de VS aan de oorlog mee gingen doen, maar wel om een fundamenteel andere reden dan die achter de huidige oorlogen-zonder-einde (waaronder die tegen drugs) schuilgaat.

En natuurlijk was er ook toen al een machtig militair-industrieel complex in de VS dat graag een oorlog wilde, maar daarvoor hoef je Lindbergh niet aan te halen. Ben verder niet zo bekend met hem, maar ik vraag me bv af of hij dit soort speeches ook hield als het ging om oorlogen tegen communisten (Korea, Vietnam).

Het anti-communisme van lieden als Lindbergh was nu juist de reden dat de VS na WWII feitelijk niet ontwapende, maar de boel met het oog op de nieuwe vijand lekker liet zoals die was en waar nodig intensiveerde. Exit de socialistische tegenkrachten die er in de eerste helft van de 20e eeuw in de VS nog waren.

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"This Act establishes the most gigantic trust on Earth. When the President signs this bill, the invisible government by the Monetary Power will be legalized, the people may not know it immediately but the day of reckoning is only a few years removed.... The worst legislative crime of the ages is perpetrated by this banking bill."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_August_Lindbergh

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Op woensdag 2 november 2011 02:10 schreef Papierversnipperaar het volgende:

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Lenders must continue to ensure that there lending practices are consistent with safe and sound operating policies.

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Noam Chomsky Speaks to Occupy

Noam Chomsky Speaks to Occupy: If We Want a Chance at a Decent Future, the Movement Here and Around the World Must Grow

In a speech to Occupy Boston, the linguist and icon hailed the "unprecedented" first weeks of OWS. He cautioned protesters to build and educate first, strike later.

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Arrestaties na bezetting haven Oakland


Betogers en politie zijn vannacht slaags geraakt in de stad Oakland in de Amerikaanse staat Californië. De politie hield tussen de 30 en 40 mensen aan. Een betoger raakte gewond.


Dat heeft de krant Oakland Tribune vandaag gemeld op gezag van de autoriteiten. Circa 5000 betogers van de Occupy-beweging bezetten woensdagavond (lokale tijd) de haven van Oakland, een van de drukste containerhavens van de Verenigde Staten. De activiteiten in de haven kwamen stil te liggen.

Diverse wegen van en naar het havengebied werden geblokkeerd. De actie begon vreedzaam maar liep uit op een confrontatie tussen gemaskerde actievoerders en de politie. Ordetroepen gebruikten traangas tegen de betogers.

Oakland was woensdag ook al de hele dag het toneel geweest van protesten tegen uitwassen van het kapitalisme.

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In front of the stock exchange several mounted police blocked the route. We heard one of the policeman say: "why are they (the vets) allowed to protest down here and no one else is?"

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people-v-goldman-sachs trial and march

On November 3rd, the People, the 99 percent, will hold A People’s Hearing of Goldman Sachs in Liberty Square Park and march on Goldman Sachs! The people will bring to justice perhaps the single most egregious perpetrator of economic fraud and corruption in the United States. The Hearing will include testimonials from individuals directly affected by Goldman’s fraudulent manipulation of financial markets, including victims of housing foreclosures, pension losses, public lay-offs and untenable student debt.

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Protesters arrested outside Goldman Sacks

Over a dozen Occupy Wall Street protesters were arrested today outside Goldman Sachs, where they had marched with 300 others after holding a mock trial of CEO Lloyd Blankfein.

Earlier, in Zuccotti Park, "prosecutors" conducting the mock trial demanded "the return of billions of taxpayer dollars to the 99 percent and criminal sentences for those Goldman Sachs executives who carried out the fraud." They then marched en masse to the firm's headquarters, led by four drummers and chanting "Goldman Sucks!", to deliver the verdict and demand Blankfein's imprisonment. On the way, they chanted Goldman Sucks. The Daily News reports that some construction workers sitting along Church Street gave them the thumbs up , while a businessman muttered, What a bunch of idiots."

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More americans supporting occupy wall street.

The survey, taken Oct. 28-31, shows more adult Americans saying they have heard of Occupy Wall Street than when the question was asked in early October. Sixty-four percent of respondents now say they've heard of the movement, compared to only 51% in the earlier poll.

The new poll also shows more Americans supporting the movement. Thirty-six percent say they agree with the overall positions of Occupy Wall Street, while 19% say they disagree.

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The Wisconsin News Photographers Association issued a statement defending Wentz-Graff, stating the association "finds today's arrest of Kristyna Wentz-Graff entirely unacceptable. This is the second time this year that Milwaukee Police officers have arrested a photographer legally going about their job. It is time for the Milwaukee Police to recognize that photography is not a crime. Journalists provide a public service, but in Milwaukee they are being treated like a public threat."

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On Sunday, October 23, a meeting was held at 60 Wall Street. Six leaders discussed what to do with the half-million dollars that had been donated to their organization, since, in their estimation, the organization was incapable of making sound financial decisions. The proposed solution was not to spend the money educating their co-workers or stimulating more active participation by improving the organization’s structures and tactics. Instead, those present discussed how they could commandeer the $500,000 for their new, more exclusive organization. No, this was not the meeting of any traditional influence on Wall Street. These were six of the leaders of Occupy Wall Street (OWS).

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Rupert Murdoch's tabloid runs three covers in a row attacking the movement

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Occupy Mumbai

Mumbai joined the worldwide 'Occupy' movement where thousands are protesting in streets against greed in financial services that ruined many economies. But the protests in Dalal Street ended rather quickly with the police bundling out protesters including Mahatma Gandhi's great grandson Tushar Gandhi.

Although India did not suffer as much as the West due to the 2008 credit crisis, there is lobbying to ease many controls which, if done, could lead to a similar situation. The RBI resists mindless speculation in financial instruments.

The AIBEA had called for the movement, alleging, "The government's economic policies are for the super- rich corporates and against the interest of aam aadmi. We call upon the bank employees and the masses to join in the big movement of fighting the policies of the government and RBI by coming together through the Occupy Dalal Street movement."

'Occupy Wall Street' has gripped the imagination in 82 countries and 1,500 cities worldwide as the excesses by the financial services industry had left millions jobless as economies come to grips with trillions of dollars in losses. The industry is resisting new laws that would make them behave and prevent future privatising of profits and socialisation of losses.

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Occupy Rio

Zo’n tweehonderd jongeren protesteren permanent op het Cinelândiaplein, een van de belangrijkste pleinen van Rio de Janeiro, tegen consumentisme, sociale ongelijkheid en het financiële systeem. Ze hebben 125 tenten opgezet tussen het gemeentehuis, het theater en de nationale bibliotheek.

De beweging, geïnspireerd op Occupy Wall Street, heeft sinds 22 oktober ook voet aan de grond gekregen in Brazilië. Net als in de andere steden is ook in Rio de groep activisten uiterst divers. Zonder hiërarchie proberen ze overeenstemming te bereiken over allerlei politieke, culturele en economische thema’s.

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Protesters disrupt Chicago speech by Gov. Scott Walker

Sixty protesters crashed Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walkers speech at the Union League Club Thursday to offer an alternate picture of how well his controversial budget cuts and union restrictions are working in the Dairy State.

Nearly every week Ive got a new opening up in Kenosha County, in Pleasant Prairie Industrial Park and places like that, Walker told the business owners and civic leaders. Any of you looking to grow and expand your business and get to a safer state, come on up.

But while Walker said his strict tonic of cuts has helped catapult Wisconsin from No. 41 to No. 24 on national rankings of business-friendly states, the Stand Up, Chicago! protesters said Walkers policies are harming Wisconsin residents.

Walker has wreaked havoc on the lives of working families, the protesters shouted in unison about five minutes into Walkers speech. Its ironic that we give Gov. Walker free rein to say what he wants while the mayor has ordered the arrest of over 300 people in Occupy Chicago, who have simply tried to express the rights of freedom and assembly.

The protesters took up about six tables and shouted loud, in unison, frustrating efforts of moderator Chris Robling to quiet them, though he did get attendees to applaud loud enough to drown them out for a minute.

They finally filed out chanting, Union busting its disgusting and We are the 99 percent.

Robling said, Ladies and gentlemen, this is what free expression is all about and sometimes its pretty messy. Fanning through questions submitted by members of the audience, Robling quipped, Alright, Im going to take out a few of the questions from those tables.

The protesters had to pay $20 for each of their reservations, so the club made $1,200 off them.

The remaining guests gave Walker a standing ovation and he resumed his speech.

When union members from around the Midwest descended on Madison to protest Walkers crackdown on unions, Walker called them out-of-towners.

If I needed to make the case earlier this year that a lot of the people in the state capital were not really from Wisconsin point made, Walker said to applause. Walker said he would welcome some of the protesters back to Wisconsin as tourists as they join their union brethren in the recall effort to try to oust Walker from office a fight he thinks hell win.

During the expected recall effort, Walker said he would contrast with what he called Wisconsins strong economy as a result of cutting spending with Illinois cash-strapped economy where tax hikes dwarfed spending cuts.

With all due respect to people of Illinois, Im going to use Illinois as a good example [of bad economics], Walker said.

I found it amusing to be referenced in the same vein as Rahm Emanuel, the mayor, but, really, some of the reforms hes trying to do here echo the things we try to do in the state of Wisconsin and I give him credit for that despite the fact Im a Republican and hes a Democrat, Walker said. He understands you cant look this in the face and not make major changes.

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Occupy Oakland: second Iraq war veteran injured after police clashes

Kayvan Sabehgi in intensive care with a lacerated spleen after protests in Oakland, a week after Scott Olsen was hurt. He says police beat him with batons

A second Iraq war veteran has suffered serious injuries after clashes between police and Occupy movement protesters in Oakland.

Kayvan Sabehgi, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, is in intensive care with a lacerated spleen. He says he was beaten by police close to the Occupy Oakland camp, but despite suffering agonising pain, did not reach hospital until 18 hours later.

Sabehgi, 32, is the second Iraq war veteran to be hospitalised following involvement in Oakland protests. Another protester, Scott Olsen, suffered a fractured skull on 25 October.

On Wednesday night, police used teargas and non-lethal projectiles to drive back protesters following an attempt by the Occupy supporters to shut down the city of Oakland.

Sabehgi told the Guardian from hospital he was walking alone along 14th Street in central Oakland – away from the main area of clashes – when he was injured.

"There was a group of police in front of me," he told the Guardian from his hospital bed. "They told me to move, but I was like: 'Move to where?' There was nowhere to move.

"Then they lined up in front of me. I was talking to one of them, saying 'Why are you doing this?' when one moved forward and hit me in my arm and legs and back with his baton. Then three or four cops tackled me and arrested me."

Sabeghi, who left the army in 2007 and now part-owns a small bar-restaurant in El Cerrito, about 10 miles north of Oakland, said he was handcuffed and placed in a police van for three hours before being taken to jail. By the time he got there he was in "unbelievable pain".

He said: "My stomach was really hurting, and it got worse to the point where I couldn't stand up.

"I was on my hands and knees and crawled over the cell door to call for help."

A nurse was called and recommended Sabehgi take a suppository, but he said he "didn't want to take it".

He was allowed to "crawl" to another cell to use the toilet, but said it was clogged.

"I was vomiting and had diarrhoea," Sabehgi said. "I just lay there in pain for hours."

Sabehgi's bail was posted in the mid-afternoon, but he said he was unable to leave his cell because of the pain. The cell door was closed, and he remained on the floor until 6pm, when an ambulance was called.

He was taken to Highland hospital – the same hospital where Olsen was originally taken after being hit in the head by a projectile apparently fired by police.

Sabehgi was due to undergo surgery on Friday afternoon to repair his spleen, which would involve using a clot or patch to prevent internal bleeding.

Thousands of protesters had attended the action in Oakland on Wednesday, taking over the downtown area of the city and blockading Oakland's port.

As demonstrations continued near the camp base at Frank H Ogawa plaza during the evening, a group of protesters occupied a disused building on 16th Street at around 10.30pm, with some climbing up onto the roof.

There had been little police presence during the day, but more than 200 officers arrived after 11pm. Some protesters had set fire to a hastily assembled barrier at the corner of 16th Street and Telegraph, in a bid to prevent access to the occupied building, but police drove demonstrators away from 16th Street using tear gas, flashbang grenades, and non-lethal rounds.

Sabehgi said he had not been in the occupied building, and was walking away from the main area of trouble when he was injured.

He said he had his arms folded and was "totally peaceful" before being arrested.

A spokeswoman for Highland hospital confirmed Sabehgi had been admitted. Oakland police were not immediately available for comment.

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Move Your Money

In a national effort to make the so-called one per cent listen, hundreds of thousands of people have withdrawn money from leading banks in the United States. National Bank Transfer Day may be a grassroots movement but its definitely making a move.

The idea behind the movement is simple: close accounts with the big guns and move your money to smaller players like credit unions. And its catching on as statistics show that since September 2011, over 650,000 people have made the swap, tired of hidden charges, poor customer service and overall corporate greed. Many say that despite the large number of people switching to credit unions, the impact of Move Your Money will not be felt by giants such as Chase, which holds nearly 30 million accounts nationwide.