The Duplicitous Mr. Bloomberg

[marmar]

Occupy Wall Street Update: NYC Protesters Fight Against Eviction, Another Pepper-Spray Victim Presses Charges


Here are some of the latest developments regarding Occupy Wall Street and other occupations around the country:

--A showdown is brewing in Zuccotti Park/Liberty Plaza over clean-up of the occupation space. In one corner is Mayor Bloomberg, who's dispatching sanitation workers to the square on Friday and has ordered the occupiers to comply with the workers' clean-up efforts (which would involve "temporarily" vacating the area). Bloomberg swears the protesters will be able to return in the park "provided they abide by the rules that Brookfield has established for the park." But the protesters are (understandably) worried that officials will start enforcing park rules (no tarps, no laying down, etc.), effectively destroying the infrastructure of the space. So they have a different plan to clean up the area, while keeping their park. Their statement, via Gothamist:

On Wednesday/Thursday, all campers/supporters should reach out to friends/family/anyone to donate or purchase brooms, mops, squeegees, dust pans, garbage bags, power washers and any other cleaning supplies to be collected at sanitation. The sanitation committee should move full-speed ahead on purchase of bins allocated by consensus at GA.

After General Assembly on Thursday, we'll have a full-camp cleanup session. Sanitation can coordinate, and anyone who is available will help with the massive community effort! Then, Friday morning, we'll awake and position ourselves with our brooms and mops in a human chain around the park, linked at the arms. If NYPD attempts to enter, we'll peacefully/non-violently stand our ground and those who are willing will get arrested.

Afterwards, we'll march with brooms and mops to Wall Street to do a massive #wallstcleanup march, where the real mess is!

Update: MoveOn started a petition asking Mayor Bloomberg not to evict the protesters. Also, if you live in NYC, you can call 311 to voice your concerns.

Update 2: The Post confirms that protesters won't be allowed to bring their tents, coolers, or gear back into the park with them after the official clean-up. “People will have to remove all their belongings and leave the park,” Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told the paper. “After it’s cleaned, they’ll be able to come back. But they won’t be able to bring back the gear, the sleeping bags, that sort of thing will not be able to be brought back into the park.” Ugh. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/679714/occupy_wall_street_update%3A_nyc_protesters_fight_against_eviction%2C_another_pepper-spray_victim_presses_charges/

[Warpy]

1. If he evicts them from one place, they'll simply gather in another

The cost in overtime for the police combined with the stress on the courts will soon have people calling for his head on a platter.

That depends on a steady stream of people who are so completely fed up they don't care if they get arrested.

Somehow I think that might just be the case. I've been saying for a couple of years that I haven't felt this kind of anger since I'd visited my classmates in black ghettos in the late 50s. It's been building under the surface for a very long time. Even if they manage to jail all the occupiers, that anger will just continue to get stronger and the next movement will not be so polite.

The plutocracy has two options: cede much of what they stole through taxes or have it taken by force. There are no other options left, not even hiding it offshore. Offshore isn't that safe, either. The 99% are everywhere and we're all angry as hell.

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. If Bloomberg is truly stupid, he'll end up calling into play all of the violent folks.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[flamingdem]

4. So much for Mr. Nice Guy

Mayor Villaraigosa should go over there with some dudes from Compton and kick his corporate hiney.

Well at least they've been supportive up until now in LA...

[marmar]

5. Why from Compton?