Nothing Human Is Alien
18th November 2011, 14:14
The morning: I'm sure you've seen and read what happened (and if not, you can start searching -- there's lots out there). The official estimates were low. There were more than 1,000+ people there.
Early on there was a big gathering/rally in the square across the street from Zuccotti Park, which in my opinion was more of a waste of energy than anything. Routes were color coded. If you followed the green flag, it meant you were fully willing to get arrested. If you followed the red flag, it meant that you really didn't want to be.
Groups broke up into sections. The NYSE was basically approached from these different directions, at different times. The cops had barricades on the streets leading into Wall Street. There were apparently more barricades within those barricades.
In some cases, including where I was, the crowd actually forced the barricades back. Though I believe some of this was tactical on the NYPD's part. Eventually crowds were closer to Wall Street, with one group actually reaching it.
Despite beating a few people, pulling a few people on the road as an excuse to arrest them, pushing into the crowd full force with a barricade as a weapon, etc. (which is par for the course); the NYPD was rather restrained in my opinion. I don't think they wanted to deal with more arrests than necessary, and certainly didn't want to rile the crowd up any more. They managed to arrest something like 200 people anyway.
A few small groups tried to enter on their own. Some folks told me they found a stairway through a store and took it to Wall Street, but the cops noticed it quickly and covered it.
I also heard a group of several dozen people dressed as green pixies (!) emerged from a building and rushed Wall Street. (I later saw one of the "pixies" so it appears to be true).
Tons of rumors as always. From 9 AM - 9:20 AM, I must have heard 50 people say we delayed the ringing of the Stock Exchange's opening bell. I tried my best to keep reminding people that the bell doesn't ring until 9:30 (it rang without a hitch, with the people in the NYSE laughing and joking about the disturbance outside -- look for the video if you want to puke).
It didn't get the media coverage it should have (as you would expect). 1000+ people (heard some estimates or 2000-3000) trying to push their way through heavily fortified police barriers in the finance capital of the world seems newsworthy to me.
Cops were letting people with suits and/or IDs through, and keeping everyone else back. That lead to some interesting stuff. They also apparently shut down a bridge and set up ID checkpoints at some subway stations, letting only people who worked nearby out of the stations.
Word of "subway occupations" also had quite a response. Subway stations had dozens of cops in them. It's usually rare to see even 1 or 2. They had the police dogs out too, and even had cops riding the trains in large groups. Parks near the Brooklyn Bridge were closed down and filled with riot police.
I don't know what came of the calls for subway occupations. Apparently in a few stations people chained open the emergency exits so that people could come in without paying. I heard some people in crowds arguing for blockading subway stations, which would obviously be absolutely stupid -- what do you think would get more support: letting people in subways for free, or keeping them from entering them and going where they need to go?
In the end, the "Shut Down Wall Street" action absolutely inconvenienced people trying to get to their jobs (mostly in finance) if that's a victory. Saw one suit fuming to police that he couldn't get to his bank job.. cops just shrugged their shoulders. Someone told me the local news interviewed a 20-something year old worker in finance who was extremely angry that it took her an extra 15 minutes to get breakfast :lol:. She then apparently went into a rant that people don't get ahead by protesting, saying something like "I don't think the chief of my company got where he is by protesting." That was apparently the extent of their coverage.
A Starbucks was apparently blockaded to, until the cops broke it up.
I can't say the overall action was a "victory," but it did spread the word to some extent. It got some sympathy too. But not total. One trucker was stuck in the crowd and he was vocally supporting us and bumping fists. Another was pissed off and wanted nothing more than get away from us.
Noon - Afternoon: Linked up with some people I knew in Zuccotti. There was a crowd of about 1000. The usual scuffles over barriers with the cops. A few arrests. Noticeably less pro-police crap. Many anti-NYPD signs. Someone brought a radio and played "Fuck the police" by NWA and "That's the sound of the police" by KRS-ONE. Both got great responses.
Still a ton of illusions in capitalism, getting "money out of politics," and "letting capitalism work." None of the people promoting any of that can debate their positions for shit. I think it's largely a class thing (a lot of "independents" and "freelancers" making these arguments), but that's still largely an unpopular argument to make there where "we're all part of the 99%." :rolleyes:
At the same time, there is a lot of communist sentiment, and people are more open than I've ever seen to talking about communism -- especially in periods of action (like this (http://www.revleft.com/vb/long-report-back-t164475/index.html)). It's hard to argue this system works or that cops are your friends when a line of specially trained cops is charging at you with wooden clubs (but make no mistake about it, some boot-lickers still try).
Some hard hats showed up, most from the IBEW. They are working on the new tower across the street. Talked to some who said the local supported the occupation vocally but didn't mobilize anyone. Apparently the contractor they worked for sent out a memo that they couldn't be seen in the occupation, which was the main reason they came. They seemed more interested in just seeing what was going on that anything else. I would say they were neutral to luke warm in their personal levels of support.
Went to a few universities where meetings or "student strikes" were supposed to be. Saw 40 graduate students meeting at one, 20 students at another. Nothing special.
Afternoon - evening: Student rally at Union Square @ 3 pm. 500 - 750 people there would be my guess. Didn't stay around long for the "student testimonials." They started with the chant: "students and workers, shut the city down" which I've never heard from a mass crowd before; but also saw a lot of "professional" signs like "Pass Obama's job bill" that came from various political lobbying, fronts, PACs, etc. -- this was the beginning of something larger.
Made it to Foley Square, where the big rally was happening. First time I saw the left sects out in force. They were all there: RCP, LRP, ISO, WWP, PSL, Sparts, etc.
When the square was first filling up, people coming in were very open to calls for going forward via occupations of workplaces and spaces coming from Insurgent Notes (http://www.revleft.com/vb/insurgent-notes-n17-t164571/index.html). Lots of approval and verbal agreement. I wasn't around them long enough to see how that progressed though.
The square was soon flooded. It was one of the fastest crowd growth's I've ever seen. Contingents came in from all sides, and also surrounded the square. In a matter of minutes there were thousands upon thousands. Most of the unions were there. The SEIU & co had their peace marshals out. All the professional activists, NGOs and the like (e.g. Make the Road by Walking) were there, and they took control as they always do via their permits, bused-in supporters, stages, sound systems, marshals, pre-made signs, screeching speakers screaming tired old slogans, etc.
It was interesting to see the immediate transformation. So far, the Occupy movement here has been soundly outside of the usual, of the norm, of acceptable politics. That changed pretty quickly, with all the people who have been standing out in the rain getting beat down by cops finding themselves marginalized.
It quickly became clear that this was turning into another typical reformist funeral procession.
Contacts I made prior who were with what I was saying about communism but otherwise not previously "into politics" were sending me text messages saying things like "fuck this circus, I'm out of here."
Having been out something like 12 hours and freezing cold, I went home before the "regularly scheduled" march across the bridge happened. Apparently there were some symbolic arrests at the base of the bridge of a few dozen, including the president of the SEIU and some city councilman (great propaganda for them later on: "see, I got arrested for you people!").
Also heard the student contingent got into some sort of conflict with cops on the way to the main march, and that the New School had been occupied (http://www.revleft.com/vb/liberated-building-t164568/index.html).
After the march ended, all but a very few packed up and went home.
Where this goes from here I think depends entirely on what happens next: back to challenging for space, on to occupations, spreading to rank-and-file workers, etc., or pulled into the formulaic bureaucratic-reformist swamp.
Early on there was a big gathering/rally in the square across the street from Zuccotti Park, which in my opinion was more of a waste of energy than anything. Routes were color coded. If you followed the green flag, it meant you were fully willing to get arrested. If you followed the red flag, it meant that you really didn't want to be.
Groups broke up into sections. The NYSE was basically approached from these different directions, at different times. The cops had barricades on the streets leading into Wall Street. There were apparently more barricades within those barricades.
In some cases, including where I was, the crowd actually forced the barricades back. Though I believe some of this was tactical on the NYPD's part. Eventually crowds were closer to Wall Street, with one group actually reaching it.
Despite beating a few people, pulling a few people on the road as an excuse to arrest them, pushing into the crowd full force with a barricade as a weapon, etc. (which is par for the course); the NYPD was rather restrained in my opinion. I don't think they wanted to deal with more arrests than necessary, and certainly didn't want to rile the crowd up any more. They managed to arrest something like 200 people anyway.
A few small groups tried to enter on their own. Some folks told me they found a stairway through a store and took it to Wall Street, but the cops noticed it quickly and covered it.
I also heard a group of several dozen people dressed as green pixies (!) emerged from a building and rushed Wall Street. (I later saw one of the "pixies" so it appears to be true).
Tons of rumors as always. From 9 AM - 9:20 AM, I must have heard 50 people say we delayed the ringing of the Stock Exchange's opening bell. I tried my best to keep reminding people that the bell doesn't ring until 9:30 (it rang without a hitch, with the people in the NYSE laughing and joking about the disturbance outside -- look for the video if you want to puke).
It didn't get the media coverage it should have (as you would expect). 1000+ people (heard some estimates or 2000-3000) trying to push their way through heavily fortified police barriers in the finance capital of the world seems newsworthy to me.
Cops were letting people with suits and/or IDs through, and keeping everyone else back. That lead to some interesting stuff. They also apparently shut down a bridge and set up ID checkpoints at some subway stations, letting only people who worked nearby out of the stations.
Word of "subway occupations" also had quite a response. Subway stations had dozens of cops in them. It's usually rare to see even 1 or 2. They had the police dogs out too, and even had cops riding the trains in large groups. Parks near the Brooklyn Bridge were closed down and filled with riot police.
I don't know what came of the calls for subway occupations. Apparently in a few stations people chained open the emergency exits so that people could come in without paying. I heard some people in crowds arguing for blockading subway stations, which would obviously be absolutely stupid -- what do you think would get more support: letting people in subways for free, or keeping them from entering them and going where they need to go?
In the end, the "Shut Down Wall Street" action absolutely inconvenienced people trying to get to their jobs (mostly in finance) if that's a victory. Saw one suit fuming to police that he couldn't get to his bank job.. cops just shrugged their shoulders. Someone told me the local news interviewed a 20-something year old worker in finance who was extremely angry that it took her an extra 15 minutes to get breakfast :lol:. She then apparently went into a rant that people don't get ahead by protesting, saying something like "I don't think the chief of my company got where he is by protesting." That was apparently the extent of their coverage.
A Starbucks was apparently blockaded to, until the cops broke it up.
I can't say the overall action was a "victory," but it did spread the word to some extent. It got some sympathy too. But not total. One trucker was stuck in the crowd and he was vocally supporting us and bumping fists. Another was pissed off and wanted nothing more than get away from us.
Noon - Afternoon: Linked up with some people I knew in Zuccotti. There was a crowd of about 1000. The usual scuffles over barriers with the cops. A few arrests. Noticeably less pro-police crap. Many anti-NYPD signs. Someone brought a radio and played "Fuck the police" by NWA and "That's the sound of the police" by KRS-ONE. Both got great responses.
Still a ton of illusions in capitalism, getting "money out of politics," and "letting capitalism work." None of the people promoting any of that can debate their positions for shit. I think it's largely a class thing (a lot of "independents" and "freelancers" making these arguments), but that's still largely an unpopular argument to make there where "we're all part of the 99%." :rolleyes:
At the same time, there is a lot of communist sentiment, and people are more open than I've ever seen to talking about communism -- especially in periods of action (like this (http://www.revleft.com/vb/long-report-back-t164475/index.html)). It's hard to argue this system works or that cops are your friends when a line of specially trained cops is charging at you with wooden clubs (but make no mistake about it, some boot-lickers still try).
Some hard hats showed up, most from the IBEW. They are working on the new tower across the street. Talked to some who said the local supported the occupation vocally but didn't mobilize anyone. Apparently the contractor they worked for sent out a memo that they couldn't be seen in the occupation, which was the main reason they came. They seemed more interested in just seeing what was going on that anything else. I would say they were neutral to luke warm in their personal levels of support.
Went to a few universities where meetings or "student strikes" were supposed to be. Saw 40 graduate students meeting at one, 20 students at another. Nothing special.
Afternoon - evening: Student rally at Union Square @ 3 pm. 500 - 750 people there would be my guess. Didn't stay around long for the "student testimonials." They started with the chant: "students and workers, shut the city down" which I've never heard from a mass crowd before; but also saw a lot of "professional" signs like "Pass Obama's job bill" that came from various political lobbying, fronts, PACs, etc. -- this was the beginning of something larger.
Made it to Foley Square, where the big rally was happening. First time I saw the left sects out in force. They were all there: RCP, LRP, ISO, WWP, PSL, Sparts, etc.
When the square was first filling up, people coming in were very open to calls for going forward via occupations of workplaces and spaces coming from Insurgent Notes (http://www.revleft.com/vb/insurgent-notes-n17-t164571/index.html). Lots of approval and verbal agreement. I wasn't around them long enough to see how that progressed though.
The square was soon flooded. It was one of the fastest crowd growth's I've ever seen. Contingents came in from all sides, and also surrounded the square. In a matter of minutes there were thousands upon thousands. Most of the unions were there. The SEIU & co had their peace marshals out. All the professional activists, NGOs and the like (e.g. Make the Road by Walking) were there, and they took control as they always do via their permits, bused-in supporters, stages, sound systems, marshals, pre-made signs, screeching speakers screaming tired old slogans, etc.
It was interesting to see the immediate transformation. So far, the Occupy movement here has been soundly outside of the usual, of the norm, of acceptable politics. That changed pretty quickly, with all the people who have been standing out in the rain getting beat down by cops finding themselves marginalized.
It quickly became clear that this was turning into another typical reformist funeral procession.
Contacts I made prior who were with what I was saying about communism but otherwise not previously "into politics" were sending me text messages saying things like "fuck this circus, I'm out of here."
Having been out something like 12 hours and freezing cold, I went home before the "regularly scheduled" march across the bridge happened. Apparently there were some symbolic arrests at the base of the bridge of a few dozen, including the president of the SEIU and some city councilman (great propaganda for them later on: "see, I got arrested for you people!").
Also heard the student contingent got into some sort of conflict with cops on the way to the main march, and that the New School had been occupied (http://www.revleft.com/vb/liberated-building-t164568/index.html).
After the march ended, all but a very few packed up and went home.
Where this goes from here I think depends entirely on what happens next: back to challenging for space, on to occupations, spreading to rank-and-file workers, etc., or pulled into the formulaic bureaucratic-reformist swamp.