(no subject)
So, that whole thing about how OccupyBoston has been having a rather easy time of it what with Boston being such a liberal city an' all? Has apparently done a 180 pretty much overnight. Mayor Menino announced that OccupyBoston had "worn out its welcome" and that "civil disobedience will not be tolerated," which is pretty un-Bostonian of him. This is Massachusetts, man! Home of Henry David Thoreau! And, y'know, the Boston Tea Party, the most celebrated act of felony theft and property damage in history. And OccupyBoston has been bending over backward to avoid committing any property damage, by the way. Those durn dirty hippies are *all over* taking good care of the plants at the Greenway.
Anyway! Yesterday, the OccupyBoston camp got big enough that it expanded into the next square of Greenway, with the permission of the Greenway trust on the condition that they were good to the plants, and the BPD was all like "You cannot hang out on that square of this public park! You can only hang out at THAT square of the same public park! Also, something something ANARCHISTS!" and warned that if the 2nd camp was not gone by midnight, they were coming in to arrest everybody.
Well, the camp was not gone by midnight, and the riot police came in to arrest everybody. And grab veterans by the throat:
That woman is a member of Veterans for Peace, who valiantly showed up in solidarity with OccupyBoston to stand between them and the police, many of whom got arrested.
Anyway, in addition to knocking over and arresting a bunch of protesters, the police arrested a bunch of medical volunteers and destroyed most of the medical stock. When I checked the news updates this morning, they were asking very plaintively for replacement medical supplies.
After work I went to CVS and picked up a few things on their donations list, and went through my own stash for things that I thought might be useful (which turned out to be several tubes of toothpaste, since I have an epic backstock of toothpaste, and a power strip and extension cord that the media tent was asking for, although they were okay by the time I got there so I left it with Logistics), and went down to the camp, now reduced to one square of greenway. I got there a little after seven, which means it was during the General Assembly.
General Assembly was fuckin' PACKED. I could barely get through the crowds to get to the media and medical tents. So I guess this BPD attack did a good bit for consciousness- and support-raising, at least, although that doesn't really make it anything less than terrible that the protesters--particularly the veterans--got their faces all stepped on for hangin' out at a public park.
If you haven't already, I would very strongly suggest you look up your closest Occupied city and see what they need that you could possibly do to help. The Occupiers are speaking for the 99%, but "only" about 10% of Americans are unemployed enough to commit to full-time camping out. I'm sure other cities could also use any spare blankets, flashlights, duct tape, or medical supplies you may have around.
Anyway! Yesterday, the OccupyBoston camp got big enough that it expanded into the next square of Greenway, with the permission of the Greenway trust on the condition that they were good to the plants, and the BPD was all like "You cannot hang out on that square of this public park! You can only hang out at THAT square of the same public park! Also, something something ANARCHISTS!" and warned that if the 2nd camp was not gone by midnight, they were coming in to arrest everybody.
Well, the camp was not gone by midnight, and the riot police came in to arrest everybody. And grab veterans by the throat:
That woman is a member of Veterans for Peace, who valiantly showed up in solidarity with OccupyBoston to stand between them and the police, many of whom got arrested.
Anyway, in addition to knocking over and arresting a bunch of protesters, the police arrested a bunch of medical volunteers and destroyed most of the medical stock. When I checked the news updates this morning, they were asking very plaintively for replacement medical supplies.
After work I went to CVS and picked up a few things on their donations list, and went through my own stash for things that I thought might be useful (which turned out to be several tubes of toothpaste, since I have an epic backstock of toothpaste, and a power strip and extension cord that the media tent was asking for, although they were okay by the time I got there so I left it with Logistics), and went down to the camp, now reduced to one square of greenway. I got there a little after seven, which means it was during the General Assembly.
General Assembly was fuckin' PACKED. I could barely get through the crowds to get to the media and medical tents. So I guess this BPD attack did a good bit for consciousness- and support-raising, at least, although that doesn't really make it anything less than terrible that the protesters--particularly the veterans--got their faces all stepped on for hangin' out at a public park.
If you haven't already, I would very strongly suggest you look up your closest Occupied city and see what they need that you could possibly do to help. The Occupiers are speaking for the 99%, but "only" about 10% of Americans are unemployed enough to commit to full-time camping out. I'm sure other cities could also use any spare blankets, flashlights, duct tape, or medical supplies you may have around.