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Occupy Activists Retake Wall Street while police focus on New Year’s Eve in Times Square
'Whose Year? Our Year'
Celebration: Protesters returned to the park en masse shortly before midnight in downtown Manhattan. The Occupy Wall Street movement made a surprise invasion of Zuccotti Park last night while the police focused on New Year's Eve celebrations elsewhere in New York.
Around 800 demonstators piled up metal barricades, hoisting American flags and banners while scuffles broke out between activists and police.
Shortly before midnight, 100 NYPD officers had surrounded the park in downtown Manhattan with reports of pepper spray being used.
One individual was arrested after an officer was stabbed in the hand with scissors. The policeman was taken to Bellevue Hospital and believed to be in a stable condition.
Zuccotti Park hasn't been occupied since police cleared it on November 15 in an early morning raid. The movement escalated at 8pm last night, when around 100 protesters entered the park and erected a small tent.
The New York Times reported: 'By about 10.30 pm, there were more than 300 people inside... One man carried a big white placard that read - New Years Revolution.'
Shortly before midnight, OWS protesters announced on Twitter that they had reclaimed the park and unfurled a huge hand-painted banner reading 'OCCUPY WALL STREET'.
They tweeted: 'Barricades being torn down at liberty [Zuccotti] park...Happy new years!!'
As the new year was welcomed around the city, demonstrators chanted: 'Whose year? Our year.'
On Occupy Wall Street's official website it stated: '2011 was an amazing awakening. Let's start 2012 off right! Come celebrate with thousands of other members of the 99%, at our park and in the streets, as we make our special New Years Revolution together.'
Police in riot gear entered the park at 1:30am where 150 people remained and arrested five demonstrators. Authorities closed the park until 9am this morning.
Activists had been camped out in Zuccotti Park since September 17 to protest against the unjust distribution of wealth in the U.S. and the excessive influence of big business on government.
The movement spread to other U.S. cities including Los Angeles and Portland as well as Australia, Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, Ireland and Portugal.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered the protest to be cleared in November because health and safety conditions had become 'intolerable' in the crowded plaza.
One million revellers filled Times Square to welcome in the new year last night amid tight security. More than 1,500 members of the NYPD were patrolling the massive 17-block party to ensure everyone’s safety. They also used more than 3,000 cameras and numerous check-points with bag inspections. Alcohol was banned from the event.
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113 Comments so far
Show AllI can only say that fighting with the police only reinforces what Fox news say's about Occupy. It may be fun for those involved but this is simply not helpful at this point.
If we cannot transfer this energy into political action it will remain recreational. I truly don't see how this kind of attention is advantageous? The poll's seem to agree with what I am saying.
bittymouse, you say that actions taken by occupiers are "fun" and "recreational". You seem to have a strange idea about being arrested, beaten, pepper sprayed, tear gassed, and/or arrested. And if you truly believe that "If we cannot transfer this energy into political action it will remain recreational", I would strongly suggest that you get yourself down to your nearest Occupy and join in a General Assembly and see if you can come up with some specific proposals for political actions that will move the participants away from their "recreational" actions. Who knows, you might even have something worthwhile enough to contribute that you might even get consensus around some of your well thought out ideas. If you feel strongly enough about your convictions, then by all means, push yourself away from your keyboard and be a part of the process to take back the peoples constitutional and economic rights. It's really hard to build a better world for all of us without you. Thanks in advance for your participation in making a better future for our children and all future generations.
"Who knows, you might even have something worthwhile enough to contribute that you might even get consensus around some of your well thought out ideas."
The arrogance of the bulk of your post is ironically offset by the ignorance demonstrated in this sentence.
The notion that Unanimity-Seeking Consensus is a method for discovering whether or not ideas are "worthwhile" is truly hilarious in its disconection from reality, and must be the result of:
a) lack of experience with such consensus processes.
b) experience with such consensus processes solely as one of the unrecognized Minority Rulers.
As funny as that is however, the arrogance in your attitude is -if you really represent a part of OWS as you hint- not at all funny.
Because it is the pervasiveness of such arrogance that is the main cause of this movement's likely stagnation and failure. ;(
Matti, seriously. The arrogance contest is decidedly won, by you, hands down.
Ah, but I am not trying to organize a movement that claims to operate in the name of "the 99%", now am I? ;)
And really, what arrogance have I demonstrated and how?
The belief that my analysis is correct?
The refusal to let folks just assert that it is not without arguments that hold water?
I am one of "the 99%", am I not?
This Occupy thing speaks for me does it not?
It is "consensus" based, is it not?
So, sorry if my opinions and arguments are a "spanner in the works" of the consensus that OWS isn't just the bestest thing ever, but that it has also done so, so much good work for the cause.
But it isn't arrogance to assert one's right to participate equally in a quest for consensus carried on in one's name, is it?
Brilliant post Matti.
I know of only one government that ruled by absolute consensus and that was Poland in the 15th-17th centuries when they were absolutely incapable of doing anything and gobbled up by their neighbors. How were they gobbled up? Each of the neighbors bought off one or two nobles and the Sejm couldn't come to any decision.
Many of us do not like the fact that absolute democracy is a failure, so we simply deny that fact. Interestingly, we are ready to allow the "99%" to force the 1% (Which really seems more like the 40-50% that vote Republican) to heel. And then we rationalize that that is different...
I didn't know that example, thank you.
And I agree that it really seems that "the 1%" label is morphing into a partisan one.
But I'd only credit the Red Party with 25%-or-so loyalty, gotta remember all the non-voters. ;)
"15th-17th centuries when they were absolutely incapable of doing anything and gobbled up by their neighbors"
The 'gobbling up' and 'incapable of doing anything' took 200+ years, did it?
I don't think you and Matti understand the consensus process. It is a process.It is not absolute. It can be a great guide if you use it right. The democratic method is not a failure.It hasn't been applied in Congress or the Senate since the Republicans thought they should blow up Congress to obstruct Obama.
There is no "absolute democracy". We are a blended government.We are a Democratic Republic. We have elected representatives who are voted in to represent us and the democratic method is one that is supposed to prevail in our government.You are right to acknowledge that it hasn't been happening. Why do you think that is not so?
Please take this seriously and don't try to pick a fight because you disagree.There are many great websites to learn how the process of our government was designed to work. www.civiced.org is a great site.There are many others.
By conventional standards, it may take a tinge of arrogance to say what matti has said. And in the face of the run-of-the-mill arrogance that pervades CD threads, maybe a tinge of arrogance x2. That notwithstanding, he's right :P
The farcical, ludicrous, sanctimonious, dumb po-faced utopian quality of the Unanimity-Seeking-Consensus was in full effect when Occupy Atlanta refused to let Congressman John Lewis speak at their assembly. After I saw that video, I had trouble taking any of it seriously.
Matti,
Good posts...
Thomas Gilbert-
How many times do you have to use the "arrogance" to get your point across that you are offended?
I have some experience with the consensus process as a facilitator.Consensus is reached through collaboration, a decision that every member will support to some degree. It is not unanimous agreement. Everyone shares their values and ideas,understands that conflict is part of the process,is encouraged to share possible solutions, then the group attempts to discover the best solutions and forms a team to plan, implement and evaluate the outcome.It is a slow but worth while process.Please don't mock.Its what our Congress needs right now.
Cheers!!!
An excellent response. Thank you.
Not alone in my "arrogance" I see, eh, hue? ;)
Rebel Farmer
You seem to be missing my point. Doing this is not helping. It is only helping the folks at Fox make their point.
I do not think this in any way at this point is building a better world. Obstructing things can get attention, but so what if it's negative attention. And that is what it is according to everything I see. People agree with us about Wall Street, they do not seem to admire all the crap that is going down.
Don't know how else to say it. I cannot see this as helpful if it does not transfer to political action. If it doesn't, then I'm sorry to say its nothing but street theater in my opinion.
Good to see you back. I take your comments at face value and admire your positive outlook; forget the nihilistic (i.e. "everything is shit") and condescending comments from Matti, who seems more inclined to throw insults than participate in a meaningful conversation.
As for bittymouse, he doesn't get that OWS IS political action at a fundamental level. Nowadays elections may be about as far from real political action as you can get.
If you had watched the events unfold on livestream (as I did), you wouldn't be making this comment as you would have seen who started the fight, who carried out the violence and, ultimately, how much fun being beaten up, dragged on the street, pepper sprayed and brutalized can be.
The scissor incident is a non-issue.
Apparently the scissor incident is not a non-issue when/if people are basing their entire opinion of the movement and the events that unfolded last night on that single lie. Imagine what FAUX Noise and the Right Wing will do with that bit if even the so-called "progressive" media is lying about it. This is how propaganda wars that affect the population of entire countries begin, with the either deliberate or inadvertent use of hostile semantics. Let the mind run with it and it's over before it has started.
Also, the kid that had the scissors was arrested and I'm willing to bet that he was charged with no less than assault on an officer with a deadly weapon or some other bullshit like that.
Indeed.
"fun" and "recreational" are good terms for OWS at this point. When there is a leader and a platform and candidates, that will start to look interesting. For now it is just another new year's party.
The polls do indeed say that OWS is an interesting concept, but it is played out. It needs to grow or be sidelined.
John, if you aren't personally participating in your local occupy, how do you know "it is just another new year's party". Now that most of the major occupy sites have been forcibly disbanded, how do you know what these folks are up to? Sure, they stick their necks out once in a while and try to retake a park to let you know that they are still there, but what are they doing in the in-between times? Organizing? Educating? Helping the poor and disenfranchised find their voice? Or maybe getting an amendment to the Constitution that declares that corporations are not "persons" and that money is not "free speech"? Maybe making great strides to get the legalized bribery of "our" representatives by the corporations/elites put in the dustbin of history? If you are happy with the status quo and don't want anything to get done to change any of that, you are going to be very surprised by what is actually being done out of your sight that the MSM is not talking about. You are going to wish that these folks were back in those parks and public squares where you could keep your eye on them. Now that they are out of sight, you have no clue what they are up to or what they are doing. Or if they or growing. Or if they are played out. Polls of those who have no clue as to what is really going on are useless.
Do you call yourself progressive? Or are you here merely on a reactionary basis, like a dislike of the alternative?
pro·gres·sive/prəˈgresiv/ Noun A person advocating or implementing social reform or new, liberal ideas.
Progressivism by its nature seeks improvement. One of the problems of the 'leader/follower' paradigm is that once you assign a leader to your group, you make it incredibly easy to pervert the entire movement. One can effectively derail such movement by getting to the leader(s). We have seen this as recently as 2008 when the Tea Party movement was seamlessly co-opted by the political machination in Washington D.C. Where is the improvement in going about a movement using the same tried and failed method(s)?
Even the supposed barbaric Islamist (don't agree with the term nor its meaning, but is the CW) have figured this out and are focused on building headless movements to avoid such decapitation. Your predominately reactionary and traditional stance make your political ideology very much a suspect, as either lacking examination or bordering cluelessness, not to mention straight up troll.
You are correct and I wonder if the same folks who in the beginning were predicting the the movement would be taken over by politics as usual and then would be dead are the same ones who are now saying that the movement is dead because it is not a political party with candidates and a platform.
The Jeerleaders here all of a sudden have a new faith in the money rigged electioral system and the bloody battles of the revolution in other countries are the model but when a cop unfortunately gets his hand cut that is proof the movement is dead.
I wonder because this New Years Day occupation made me happy.
You seem to be suffering from a similar pathology as a victim of battered wife syndrome, that is, you examine events around you based on what your 'abuser' thinks/says about them.
Check yourself.
Still nothing about Obama signing NDAA? Not important news?
CD non-partisan?
I was thinking exactly the same thing. I also noticed that they failed to carry Greenwald's latest article http://www.salon.com/2011/12/31/progressives_and_the_ron_paul_fallacies/singleton/ which points out that Ron Paul is actually to the left of Obama on many issues, but that many progressives just can't wrap their minds around that idea. It is a superb example of critical thought, and I entirely agree that if nothing else, Paul exposes the failure of progressives to come to terms with the fact that Obama just isn't progressive.
Like Greenwald, I'm not defending or supporting Paul or Obama, but I do think there is a reason that piece wasn't posted here. If there is anything this world needs, it is less partisan lockstep marching and more independent critical thinking.
The NDAA is yet another entry in a long list of Obama's civil liberties abuses, and as a Harvard Constitutional Law graduate, all I can say is that he knows exactly what he is doing and that it is wrong more than anyone in this country. He has no excuse. From here on out, I think every person trying to round up votes for Obama is going to have a very hard sell given that he's taking us further down the road to fascism.
"If there is anything this world needs, it is less partisan lockstep marching and more independent critical thinking."
Believe it or not that's what ronnie reagan suggested in his maiden political speech back in the fall of '65. I was there. (The venue was Occidental College, which is coincidentally also where 0 discovered his addiction to adulation.) When ronnie was asked why he was nonetheless aligning himself with the Republicans, he stuttered something to the effect of the duopoly being the only game in town. For an actor, he was very unconvincing.
So, are you implying that just because Ronald Reagan used the same logic makes it invalid without examining the aforementioned logic's merit?
Assuming your answer to the above question is 'No', the only logical next question is, what's your point?
Merely an anecdote illustrating the faux populism that got this jerk into power.
When the USA was in its infancy the founders hoped against hope that party politics could be kept at bay.
There's a good article about it (NDAA) written by M. Chossudovsky: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=28441 ........... Highly disturbing.
Thanks Gail, I am a regular visitor to global reasearch. At least they are non-partisan, CD clearly apologizes for a corrupt D/R duopoly system and cheerleads the "good cop" side of the puppets of ruling kleptocratic oligarchy
Glenn Greenwal also was all over it when Obama signed NDAA, we knew it was coming.
Its very sad to hear that one of the policemen was stabbed in the hand with a scissors - whoever did that is NOT in the spirit of Occupy, as has been amply illustrated across the country. Over time the truth will out as to the nature of the aggression. Prayers for a full and speedy recovery.
The argument that that a movement united by common interest must itself become political does I think miss an important point. Each region deals with differentiated concerns of unique specificity, and indeed have been inspired to local actions that are fundamental to grass roots unity. I would respectfully submit that Occupy represents the public commons and our common identity that transcends politics and can, as has been seen, support more effectively the alternate efforts and those more inclined to that specific sort of engagement. It is a place where people who have been disenfranchised can gather, feel solidarity and learn and make choices for further action or join in the transformation of the public alienation that politics hath wrought for yea so many years. Just a thought...along with best wishes for the New Year.
"Its very sad to hear that one of the policemen was stabbed in the hand with a scissors - whoever did that is NOT in the spirit of Occupy, as has been amply illustrated across the country."
You are correct. It wasn't in the spirit of Occupy. The brute stabbed HIMSELF as he was going thru the pockets of an Occupier he had just arrested and who had a pair of scissors in his pockets. Nothing like a knee-jerk reaction absent any facts or knowledge of the event.
I think it's the opposite of sad if indeed a cop got stabbed violating the constitutional rights of people on Wall St's behalf. The only downer here is that there aren't vital organs in the hand.
Look at the articles on this site regularly about the sonic, heat and other weapons being developed to use against American protestors. The police are there to brutalize people and people darn well have a right to self-defense.
You didn't read my comment. I watched the entire event on livestream. He stabbed HIMSELF while going thru the kid's pocket. The sad part is (not mocking you) that even DemocracyNow is reporting it wrong. As I had predicted, the kid has been charged with criminal assault and faces 7 years in jail. They're escalating the violence and the charges. Won't be long before they capitalize on this movement and start charging them with DNAA and provide a life-time of slave labor for the Prison Industrial Complex. The genius of capitalism is that they capitalists always figure out a way to profit from everything from birth to death and everything in between.
If I were to guess, I would say that somebody brought small scissors to cut the plastic ties police use instead of handcuffs. A cop grabbed at the scissors and stabbed himself in the hand. Now the cops are blaming OWS who have taken every precaution to stay non-violent.
That's kinda what happened. The thug was going thru the pockets of an Occupier that had just been arrested and who had a pair of scissors in his pockets. That's how he got "stabbed." Now, here's the real question: considering how the police have been escalating the severity of the charges on those the arrest, will this kid now be charged with...gasp! terrorism, possession of a deadly weapon or what have you and become the first casualty of Obusho's new "Security" law?
Did anyone commit any crimes at Times Square? I figure, given any crowd of people in a major city like NY, there are statistical odds of certain things happening. I wouldn't consider anyone who stabs a cop in the hand a member of Occupy, anymore than I would consider someone who gropes a woman at the New Years Eve Times Square event - steals their purse, or sells drugs, a representative of New Years Eve Times Square revelers. It is these little comments in one view, without any commentary on the million in another area, that is most revealing to me, as a reader.
No crimes committed (well, if you don't count the ones committed by the police against the protesters). See, the Occupiers had the best police "protection" our tax dollars can buy. Elsewhere throughout NYC, however, the crooks went to town and not a one was caught. Oh, well...
On the Occupy Event itself - this is exactly what all the Occupy should be doing, IMO. "Retaking" the parks we were thrown out of. There is a lot of talk about "where do we go next?" -- and most of that is due to Occupy having been coopted by the mayoral administrations that threw them out of the parks and told them to ask themselves exactly that question. Meaning that - a leaderless movement - was suddenly vested with leadership, without the willingness or conscious decision making power of the People. So it is very important to go back and retake the public squares for that reason - and also because the tents are so critical a representation as to what is going on. Or maybe there should be more specific dialogue about what the tents really mean. I think the tents are extremely important for six-fold reasons, just off the top of my head: (1) There is a free speech Constitutional issue - and theoretically, it is absurd to ban the tents. I could be wearing a tent - and you're telling me, if it touches the ground, it's suddenly illegal? (2) There is the right to sleep - you are not breaking the law if you don't have a home and if you don't go to a homeless shelter. You have a right to sleep somewhere - like a park - and the right to have appropriate shelter over your head. And parks are public - for the People. Not the corporations or politicians who are representing those corporations, when they should be representing US INSTEAD. (3) Being "out there" in the open - gives us more power - and more ability to unite. (4) It stimulates the economy - creates economy in a bad economy - creates a society to replace the one that isn't working. (5) It is an important free cultural and artistic - that by necessity flourishes in this environment. So sadly ironic these politicians who speak about artistic freedom in China and do the same thing as the Chinese authorities at Wall Street! Bloomberg and all you other Mayors whispering together - you are all hypocrites!
Oh, lord! You, Lefties/Progressives whatever other don't worry be happy adjective you wanna attribute to yourselves, are your worst enemies.
What are you talking about? The last thing my post represented was "Don't Worry Be Happy." If you're going to disagree with someone, at least understand what they're saying first.
This is what I'm talking about "There is a lot of talk about "where do we go next?" -- and most of that is due to Occupy having been coopted by the mayoral administrations that threw them out of the parks and told them to ask themselves exactly that question." Co-opted? Are you effing serious? If y'all don't like something, like monkeys, you pull it out of your ass to prove your point. Sickening and dishonest at the same time. Y'all are your own worst enemies.
If you are looking for sickening and dishonest, take a look at your own post, luv. so I'm a "progressive, lefty, WHATEVER" and that's an insult? Along with your "pull it of your ass" ? Where have you been for the last 100 years in American politics? A little touchy, aren't we, about the suggestion that Occupy is very, very vulnerable to being co-opted by corporate communications and the political machinery they own!! Did you even happen to watch what happened in Oakland, L.A., Atlanta, or NYC? Not to mention the smaller towns and cities? You're either a total fucking idiot or one of the sleeziest infiltrators commondreams has seen yet. With your "shade" friends and "The Voice of Reason." Oh, that's right, you're in religion: so you know all about corruption and rationality, don't you, "Reverand"! When are you going back to one of your right-wing forums to truly be all that you can be. Or is it a board room? And I love monkeys, dear. I have no problem being related.
Seriously Jack? People protest every day without tents and they seem not to be attacked by thugs. The comparison to the Chinese is banal and ignorant. You really think that Occupy People's Square would last for a couple months? Really?
"People protest every day without tents and they seem not to be attacked by thugs."
What are you talking about? You don't indicate an understanding of what I said, and you don't make any sense about what your position is, either.
Occupy has been subjected to repeated police brutality and hundreds upon hundreds of arrests - or haven't you been watching?
And it's now over - the Poetry readings, the art shows, the economy, putting up tents in the square.
Oh Poor You - I compared your Fucking American Mayors to the Chinese Leadership!!
While 35 million Americans are unemployed, 40,000 New Yorkers are HOMELESS, 45,000 Americans are STILL dying every year because they don't have health care!
What's your salary BUDDY? What is YOUR pension? What is YOUR health care plan? What district do YOUR children go to school in? What is your house worth? How much debt are your kids accumulating for college? What did you have for dinner tonight? Hm?
Fuck you.
Gotta do more than try and camp out in city parks for vague reasons in 2012 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The utter failure of the current Imperial system is going to shine, shine, shine in this Election Year -for all of those who do not retreat into the TV-induced delusion-world, that is.
But a look around the globe at some of the "third world" countries -that already live with the sort of income- and political power-disparities that "the 1%" would like to bring to this country- shows that the portion of the population that can be expected to stage such a retreat from reality is significant.
In many places, it is large enough to coalition with the portions that are cowed in fear, seduced by greed, or just plain twisted by a sick society, and keep even the most incompotent and lazy kleptocracies in power.
So we can't just expect the Obamas and Romneys of this county to self-destruct in the People's eyes. And we CERTAINLY should not be looking for their Masters to do so either.
They are going to need a push. ;)
Is Occupy that push?
So far, whatever else we want to think, I seems the objective answer is: No.
Can Occupy- or the next phase that spawns from it- be that push, and will it be so in 2012?
Impossible to say at this point.
But one thing is certain: 2011's way DID NOT DO SO.
OWS's proto-possum needs to evolve into a for real Rodentia...and it needs to do so fast, fast, fast. ;)
Matti says "Is Occupy that push? So far, whatever else we want to think, I seems the objective answer is: No."
Really? Maybe others out there in the ether would like to give their opinion/observations about what the occupy movement has accomplished in just over 3 months. Here, I'll start the conversation: (1) Has raised public awareness and civic engagement in a conversation about how our entire political/economic system has been perverted/taken over/controlled by the fat cats/elite/financial institutions/corporations of the world. (2) Raised awareness of the impact of the Citizens United case where the Supreme Court decided that corporations are "persons" and money is "free speech. This has already unleashed over 13 proposed amendments to the Constitution in the halls of Congress. (3) Occupy has shown the world what terror the elites' enforcers will unleash on peaceful demonstrators who are brave enough to exercise their constitutional right to free speech, assembly, and airing of grievances. Not to mention that they will jail and harass journalists that would faithfully do their duty and bare witness to the atrocities these thugs visit on those they supposedly "serve and protect".