One of the most remarkable moments we were able to follow, as it occurred, during the events of last night, as NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg carried out his middle-of-night eviction of Occupy Wall Street demonstrators at Zuccotti Park, happened at about 4am or so Eastern Time.
Despite the (outrageous) ban on media at the park, as hundreds of NYPD cops in riot gear cleared the peaceful demonstrators for “health” reasons — tossing them out of their tents, onto the streets and into the night — Mother Jones reporter Josh Harkinson was able to make his way under the barricades and back into the park.
At the time he did so, there were a few dozen protesters left, holding firm around what had been the Kitchen Tent. It seems he may have been the only reporter in the park at that moment. Then, as he described this morning, the cops began “indiscriminately dousing the peaceful protesters with what looked like pepper spray or some sort of gas.” He tweeted at the time that “Everyone I witnessed being arrested was resisting peacefully.”
But it was his incredible account of what had happened to him after that moment, as told in a series of tweets that he shared after he had made his way back out of the park last night, which was extraordinary. Here is that remarkable set of tweets, in the order he tweeted them…
That’s how we treat our journalists in November of 2011, USA.
This morning, Harksinson and fellow MoJo reporter James West, who was also reporting live from the streets of NYC last night, published this video account of the evening…
The actions today by New York official violated nearly every freedom our Founding Fathers entrusted Americans with. This is a shameful and sad day for our country. Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Assembly are being denied to these protesters. Freedom of Press was even muffled in the early hours of the morning as no reporters or even lawyers for the movement were allowed near the raids. Despite all of this and the abuse endured from Fascist Police Forces country wide, the movement continues even this evening in NYC. Stand tall and voice your opinions with the Occupy group. You can learn more, see political art and get informed at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot....allstreet.html
That is naked fascism and the unmistakable wrench of hypocrisy. I saw it before in South America many years ago. Now people have more rights in South America than US citizens do. How times have changed.
Just a preview of WHAT … is yet to come. So WHERE were these protectors of the public when the Tea Party folks were brandishing firearms at their “Corporate” demonstrations? The “Jackbooted” have little choice in this as they have their families to support… as agents of “The Corporation.” Can’t say I haven’t seen this coming for years! John R.
I think Mayor Michael Bloomberg is now fucked and will have to resign in disgrace. Media blackout? What a tyrant and what a bumbling and tactless moron:
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
I think citizens across the United States ought to take buses, planes, cars, walk to New York City in mass protest and demand Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s resignation.
Just a sudden thought…
How about many separate demonstrations by OWS all over the city at the same time? Perhaps with different places to go, should the police break up any particular group? Say…identify 70 or so different sites to occupy all at once, with a back-up of 50 or so more. Police couldn’t possibly hit them all at the same time.
Some sources are saying that these crackdowns are bing coordinated by Homeland Security.
What has to happen here is do exactly what Bin Laden said he was going to do to the US and he did.
That is to break them financially, having all these lunatic cops working double time etc is costing millions upon millions.
They were already laying off cops because of lack of money and this is what they do with what little money they have?
We need 10s of millions of protesters all over the country in ALL of the larger cities and just keep coming back, every time they evict come back with twice as many then 4X as many then 10X as many.
They will get the picture.
Then sue the living hell out of them because 90% of everything all these cops are doing is ILLEGAL.
Sue them and keep them at full force paying double and triple overtime sooner or later they will all be dead broke without a Militarized Fascist police force at all.
It is about the only way this can end well.
Also at the same sight linked by DREDD @ #7. Keith Olberman had rousing special comment about the fascist takeover of our Democracy, and Bloomberg’s role.
http://current.com/shows/countd...hael-bloomberg
There is nothing written in the First Amendment about permits, curfews, place, manner, safety and health issues, megaphones, drugs, tents, sleeping bags, generators, books, teach ins, being naked or saying mean things about the gilded fascist elite. It doesn’t mention the number of people required to be an assembly or even if they must be U.S. citizens.
The only requirement for a constitutionally lawful assembly is being peaceful.
The kind of violence being committed by the police under orders of their city administrators is Domestic Terrorism as defined by the U.S. Patriot Act.
Under the USA PATRIOT ACT, Section 802 of HR 3162 defines domestic terrorism as activities that:
1.) “involve acts dangerous to human life”.
2.) “that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States”.
3.) “appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;” or “to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion”.
People should start pressing charges against these domestic terrorists. Take their photos, get videos and find witnesses willing to testify. Then go to the DA’s office and demand arrests! Next, go to the FBI, the CIA or even to the U.S.Military and demand the criminals be designated as domestic terrorists. The law is for everyone to use, so use it!