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Pro-democracy activist being detained and arrested at a direct action at the World Financial Center, December 12, 2011.
About 17 pro-democracy activists were arrested in the Atrium at the World Financial Center on December 12, 2011. After the activists were detained and the rest of the activists physically thrown out of the Atrium, the NYPD used riot police to form a wall around the detained activists and would not allow fellow activists or journalists to witness the arrests being made.
About 40 people were arrested yesterday in a direct democracy action dubbed "Re-Occupying Space" including retired Episcopal Church's chief chaplain, Bishop George Packard, once a much decorated second lieutenant in Vietnam.
When you visit the OccupyWallStreet camp you are immediately overwhelmed by the number of causes represented in the park and this has brought criticism from some for the group giving the appearance of being unorganized.
But it all makes sense when you take into consideration the amount of influence the 1% has had on policies that have favored the corporations for years and adversely affected We the People. From fracking to credit default swaps these 1% policies are making us the 99% poorer and sicker every single day while they the 1% get richer and more powerful.
Explored Dec 13, 2011 #169
Stephanie Keith, the AP photojournalist behind this incredible image displays her frustration with the NYPD, who yesterday, formed a wall and denied journalists access to the pro-democracy activists being arrested inside the Atrium at the World Financial Center. (December 12, 2011)
Broadway became the walk of shame as protesters were arrested and then marched down the middle of Broadway as onlookers chanted "Shame, Shame, Shame" at the NYPD officers.
Everyday the occupation holds General Assembly where news is passed along and anyone can get up and speak. Some speak of having futures stolen. Some speak about not being able to find a job for the last three years and some speak about losing everything because a loved one got sick. These people are college students and executives, steel workers and teachers, they are us and we are them, we are the 99%
My friend reminded me of a quote tonight from Fight Club and it's kind of fitting.
"I see all this potential, and I see squandering. God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off." -- Tyler Durden
A pro-democracy activist arrested and handcuffed in the Atrium at the World Financial Center. Activists have complained about these types of cuffs cutting off circulation and in some instances possibly causing nerve damage. #D12
Commanding Officer of Patrol Borough Manhattan South – Assistant Chief Thomas Purtell looking out of the Atrium overseeing the arrests of pro-democracy activists. #D12
Assistant Chief Thomas Purtell has some history with the department and illegal no-knock searches. It appears that he was in charge of the Emergency Services Unit back in May 2003 when, off of an erroneous tip from a confidential informant, several members of the elite group of heavily armed officers used a concussion grenade in the mistaken raid that left a 57-year-old Harlem woman dead.
The death was ruled a homicide by the city's chief medical examiner but no one was ever held criminally accountable. Assistant Chief Purtell was transferred to the department's Housing Bureau shortly after the homicide only to resurface three months later in October of 2003 and quietly named Bronx Borough commander. That same month the city would end up paying out $1.6 million to the family of Alberta Spruill, the elderly woman murdered back in May. There is an apparent history of this within the NYPD so I wonder how many other white shirts have shady histories of employment?
This murder caused the city to review the use of flash-bang/concussion grenades and according to this report from February 2010 the department has used such distraction devices exactly two times: once in 2004 and once in 2005, according to police officials. Never in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, or so far in 2010, has a single grenade been thrown as part of a tactical response by the Police Department.
Assistant Chief Thomas Purtell was promoted to Commanding Officer of Patrol Borough Manhattan South in March of 2010 where he was quoted as saying "More of our focus will be obviously terrorism, public relations. Also, coming from the Bronx, we dealt with a lot of quality of life issues that affected day-to-day lives of the residents of the borough.”
So far I would say Assistant Chief Thomas Purtell has failed to reach any of the above stated goals in his reign over OccupyWallStreet in the last few months and it’s probably best for his career interests that he has failed. So, I would not be surprised if he has no problem shooting flash bangs first and asking questions later. If his order ends up killing someone he’ll just get transferred and the city will cover it up and somebody below him will take the fall.
Photographers and journalists were specifically targeted on Monday, December 12, 2011, for nothing more than having a lack of official NYPD press credentials. As of this morning, two days later, these people are still being detained at the 7th Precinct. Two days in the hole and counting for nothing more than exercising their constitutionally guaranteed freedoms. #D12
Leading lambs to slaughter on the Brooklyn Bridge.
After warning protesters that they would be arrested if they blocked traffic this officer ordered his officers to step aside and then proceeded to lead the protesters onto the bridge.
Kind of weird because all along the route the police wouldn't let the protesters step off the sidewalk and the protesters complied but as the front of the march proceeded onto the pedestrian walkway to the bridge and after the announcement was made about arrests the police turned there backs on the protesters and proceeded to lead them up the roadway.
I can understand if the officers felt that they were in danger from the crowd but why then would they turn their backs on the 1,000+ protesters that they so effectively controlled up to the bridge? Why would some of the officers allow themselves to be caught up in the front of the march (see the two officers in the background and to the left) if they felt they were in danger?
This was staged and planned ahead of time to maximize arrests of peaceful protesters and in the process this police officer put thousands of peoples lives at stake because if this had played out differently you could have seen people falling off the bridge. If the officers had held their ground at the foot of the bridge the balance of the protesters would have proceeded along the pedestrian walkway instead of up the roadway.
I suck at reporting so here's the account from lasts night illegal detainment of protesters on 53rd street;
Outside a Manhattan fundraiser attended by President Barack Obama last night, the New York City Police Department deployed a new and legally questionable tactic against Occupy Wall Street demonstrators and the press. . . . Protesters in the NYPD's free speech zone were trapped there. Not only could nobody enter after a certain point, but for about an hour and a half, nobody could leave. When I arrived outside the Obama event, a $1000-a-head fundraiser at the Sheraton New York, I found that the police had cordoned off the sidewalk a block in all directions and were not admitting the press.
Every day protesters ring the outskirts of Liberty Park with small signs that give some insight into the persons story/history and a majority of those stories are similar to this mans story.
Every day I watch members of the MSM skip right over these people and question the person with 301 body piercings, tattoos under their finger nails and an odor filled cloud surrounding them like Pig Pen from the Peanuts. I'm sure someone of this standing could have a PhD in something but more than likely it's not the case and the MSM knows that but this persons distorted world view plays better on TV and gives people something to hate.
The guy in this picture is the real story but his story isn't sexy, it's the realest of real reality TV but the MSM will continue to ignore him and the rest of the 99% in the interest of keeping their ratings up for their 1% corporate masters.
Today was the three month anniversary of the birth of OWS and all hands were on deck for the reoccupation of a park owned by Trinity Church.
Iraq Veterans Against the War, #OccupyMarines and a number of other Veterans groups marched on Wall Street, November 2, 2011, in solidarity with OccupyWallStreet.
Protesters on the steps of the Federal Courthouse at the march on Wednesday.
I wish I had my wide angle handy because this was just an amazing sight to see. This is just the middle section of the steps. To the left and to the right there were just as many people. And again, this doesn't look like a rag tag bunch of hippies as FOX News would like you to believe and this is the scene all over the country but the State run media doesn't want you to see it.
Protest in Time Square looking uptown. I like that I captured the word "Occupy" going across the scroll.
Pro-democracy activists reoccupying Duarte park in lower Manhattan by laying a ladder up against the fence surrounding the park and climbing over.
I'm finding it ironic that almost every image that I've taken and look at afterward from this protest I can find symbols and advertising from the very corporations and banks we are protesting against. They're everywhere, from peoples clothes to advertisements that roll by on the side of a tour bus and people seem to be oblivious to it.
Like it or not the corporate logos and symbols are becoming the backdrop of this movement. And I'm sure someone somewhere in an office building just looks at as free advertising.
The NYPD, providing personal security to the 1% since 1845.
Mayor-for-Life Bloomberg recently stated that these protests have cost the city approximately $2 million.
That's a shame and We the People would like to pay our tab. Please break down the cost by how much has been spent protecting our freedom of speech and how much has been spent providing personal security to the 1% and we will gladly pay the $10 spent on protecting our personal freedoms.
Pro-democracy activists marching north on 7th Avenue. Today marks the three month anniversary of the OWS movement.
OWS protesters got off to an early start this morning, leaving Liberty Park at 0700 this morning to protest in front of Goldman Sachs in a show of solidarity for the port closures on the west coast.
Or OccupyChristmas? Almost forgot about this shot taken at about 5 AM on the night that Mayor-for-Life Bloomberg thought he would be evicting OWS from Zuccotti Park.
Many of celebrities and politicians have made their way through the park already but you know you're onto something when you receive the backing of Santa Claus.
I believe I have captured my Christmas card for this upcoming Holiday season.
#OccupySesameStreet marched in solidarity with #OccupyWallStreet in the Greenwich Village Halloween parade tonight.
Despite a nor'easter barreling down on the north east today protesters from OWS met up and marched with protesters from Occupy the Hood to reclaim foreclosed properties for the community in Jamaica, Queens.
Additional marches spread out from Zuccotti park and some 400 church members showed up first thing this morning to show their solidarity with the movement and then marched up to Time Square.
The weather does not seem to be a factor when practicing your basic first amendment rights to assemble and peacefully protest.
Protesters marched up and down Broadway and through side streets of the Village tonight overwhelming police and taking the streets to show solidarity with the Occupy protesters in Oakland.
At the tail end of the march was this couple just taking a leisurely stroll holding up about 6-8 police cars from reaching the main body of protesters. They were so into their conversation that I don't think they had any idea of the police cars surrounding them.
Approximately 500 OWS protesters marched past City Hall on Sunday night on their way to re-Occupy Liberty Park and conduct a seed swap. December 4, 2011.
Citizen beware, don't you dare cross that line separating you from the banks that destroyed our economy.
Protesters in Zuccotti park this morning prior to Mayor Bloomberg and the park owners making the decision to back down from evicting the protesters.
Reflection of pro-democracy activist in the window of the new Goldman Sachs building at 200 West Street. #D12
A young child plays in front of signs marking the deaths of men killed by the NYPD.
Protesters gathered at Union Square, yesterday October 22, 2011 to protest against police brutality.
A whole new generation is being shown what the other part of Democracy looks like when your elected officials refuse to listen to their constituents or they put their corporation friends interests in front of the needs of the 99%.
On the three month anniversary of OWS pro-democracy activists reoccupied Duarte park in lower Manhattan.
Entering Liberty Park on Sunday night protesters were subjected to body pats and bag checks conducted by private security as the NYPD stood outside the park and watched as some private guards pushed back on protesters for moving to fast. December 4, 2011.
Police civilian redirecting traffic in Time Square as the volume of protesters sporadically shut down the square to motor vehicle traffic.