After May Day, there was some internal discussion in OWS as to both the success of the actions and the press coverage. If the goal of May Day was to give a boost to actions worldwide, it’s beginning to look as if it succeeded (without claiming that OWS or Occupy “caused” any non-Occupy events). It feels like something is happening, there’s a new wave of actions and certainly a new wave of repression. Media is another matter.
On Friday, there was a very substantial demonstration in the northern mining town of Calama, Chile, demanding a greater share of the revenues produced by the copper mined there. The town was blocked by barricades and there was a communal cacerolazo, the banging of pots and pans with spoons and forks.
Calama
Yesterday I saw barricades all the way along Union Square and University Place for some kind of march and there were needless to say cops everywhere. It turned out it was for the annual Union Square Dance Parade and some intrepid Occupy folks had got in on the event. Video by Randolfe Wicker:
In Chicago last night after the highly dubious arrest of three protestors as “terrorists,” a peaceful marcher named Jack from OWS was run over by a police van. There are many pictures on the #nonato twitter feed of injured people.
Today what even the Chicago Tribune, no leftist paper, called “a massive anti-war protest” culminated in a return of medals by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars that had many in the audience in tears.
Frankfurt 5 19
In Frankfurt yesterday, 20,000 protested the austerity regime after police mass arrested over 400 people on Friday. Note signs in Greek, German and English in this one photo, evidence that participants see themselves as part of a global movement now, even in Germany, anchor of the European austerity policy.
Montreal--"Crime: To Have an Opinion"
In Montréal, police used their new law against last night’s student demonstration, declaring it illegal as of 9pm and following up with 69 arrests. Student websites have closed to be replaced with anonymized sites that formally advise people not to attend the events that they list. The Quebec Liberal Party and the state Education Ministry websites were down for much of the day: it was inaccessible when I tried to access it. Who do we know that might have done such a thing? Hint: think Guy Fawkes.
Tonight, reports of concussion grenades and mass panic from the Montreal Gazette.
So here in New York a day of intense discussion and action following all this. The Occupy Theory Climate Assembly was a wide-ranging discussion that provided an interesting snapshot of the current state of the movement–it will be discussed at greater length another time.
Eagle in Washington Square Park for Occupy Theory
There was an eagle there, though, which must be some kind of a sign, right?
It turned into a discussion with Direct Action of how to call attention to the weekend-long series of dramatic events.
Soft circle in Times Sq. Credit: Lisa Sabater
OWS met at Fox News, the Military Recruiting Station in Times Square and at the nearby police station, soft linked arms and mic checked a statement, which read in part:
We are all Chicago, / we are thousands in the streets! / We will not be terrorized into silence / as we protest the illegitimate power / of financial and military elites / from the G-8 and NATO.
Mic Check! / We are all Montreal, / we are thousands in the streets! /we refuse the draconian emergecy law / invoked by the government; / we will continue to rise up / and strike against tuition-hikes. / Free education is a right!
Mic Check! / We are all Frankfurt, / we are thousands in the streets! /We stand against the globalization of austerity /and the punishment of the people / for the crimes of the bankers. / Another world is possible, / and she is on her way!
On Tuesday May 22 in New York there is a rally at 2 pm in support of Montreal on the 100th day of the Quebec Student Strike, outside Quebec government offices, 1 Rockefeller Plaza.
There will be a pop-up Free University in Washington Square Park from 5-8pm, with discussions on the situation in Canada, historical precedents and what it means for the movement.
At 8pm, March Against Repressive Anti-Protest Laws Worldwide leaves from Washington Square Park.
How much of this will appear in mainstream media outside the towns in which it has happened? If recent history is anything to go by, relatively little. Even OWS media advisory people felt that there was no new story on May Day without huge numbers of protestors (although I would argue that 50,000 people is an event) or arrests. Perhaps a truly global movement might merit a mention? Let’s get on it.
Police behavior and psychology at demonstrations might make for an interesting seminar. My friend Paul de Armond wrote a relevant account of police misbehavior and protest strategy following the 1999 WTO Ministerial in Seattle. Black Flag Over Seattle still contains useful lessons.
http://www.albionmonitor.com/seattlewto/index.html
Let’s hope that’s so, Jay–the sight of veterans returning medals was very striking yesterday. Modern police seem somehow immune to it all, there’s been increased hostility from them in NYC over the past months I would say.
As your inviting digest illustrates, the ambience of the movement is becoming more welcoming. Although police are in an unenviable position, they cannot be excused for running amok simply because they feel they are losing control of the situation. Of course, it will be more difficult to command them as they face more families and fewer hooligans.
As other unions and veterans become part of the mix, police morale will likely deteriorate. While this opens opportunities for consolidating movement gains, it is also fraught with the dangers of cops gone wild. Nevertheless, it is encouraging to witness the quick learning curve, despite media failures and government lies.
Another world is under way.