#OWS You can’t evict an idea whose time has come.

You can’t evict an idea whose time has come.

Two months ago a few hundred New Yorkers set up an encampment at the doorstep of Wall Street. Since then, Occupy Wall Street has become a national and even international symbol — with similarly styled occupations popping up in cities and towns across America and around the world. A growing popular movement has significantly altered the national narrative about our economy, our democracy, and our future.

Americans are talking about the consolidation of wealth and power in our society, and the stranglehold that the top 1% have over our political system. More and more Americans are seeing the crises of our economy and our democracy as systemic problems, that require collective action to remedy. More and more Americans are identifying as part of the 99%, and saying “enough!”

This burgeoning movement is more than a protest, more than an occupation, and more than any tactic. The “us” in the movement is far broader than those who are able to participate in physical occupation. The movement is everyone who sends supplies, everyone who talks to their friends and families about the underlying issues, everyone who takes some form of action to get involved in this civic process.

This moment is nothing short of America rediscovering the strength we hold when we come together as citizens to take action to address crises that impact us all.

Such a movement cannot be evicted. Some politicians may physically remove us from public spaces — our spaces — and, physically, they may succeed. But we are engaged in a battle over ideas. Our idea is that our political structures should serve us, the people — all of us, not just those who have amassed great wealth and power. We believe that is a highly popular idea, and that is why so many people have come so quickly to identify with Occupy Wall Street and the 99% movement.

You cannot evict an idea whose time has come.

Watch an Innocent Guy Get Shot with a Rubber Bullet By the Oakland Police for No Reason

Scott Campbell was peacefully filming #OccupyOakland when he was shot with a projectile by the police. For no freaking reason. Seriously, unless cameras are the new guns, he did nothing wrong! It’s disturbing to see the police, people who are supposed to serve and protect, attack an innocent man like this.

If you watch the video, you can hear Campbell repeatedly ask the police if “this is okay?”. I think it’s safe to assume that Campbell was verifying with the police if it was okay to film them and if he was at a proper distance from the police line. He asks this question multiple times before continuing to film. Hearing nothing back, Campbell films the rest of the police line at a respectable distance until… he gets shot by an asshole police officer. What the hell? You can see the rubber bullet (bean bag? another projectile?) being fired and hitting Campbell in the video.

Look, I can understand why police presence might be necessary at these events. Maybe things get out of hand? Maybe fights break out? Maybe just maybe it’s supposed to increase the peace? Whatever. But I can’t for the life of me see how it was necessary for that police officer to so blatantly abuse his power and attack a man who was merely documenting Occupy Oakland.

From: GIZMODO

Interesting similarities between COINTELPRO and #OCCUPYTOGETHER provocateurs

Looks like the authorities would do ANYTHING to stop a movement they don’t like.

#OCCUPYTOGETHER is a general movement that starts from the very heart of everybody involved, that is becoming so popular that authorities are afraid of it, the 1% is afraid of losing privileges, wealth, and mostly they are afraid of losing the grip that they are imposing on all the people of the WORLD.

See this documentary, I know it’s kinda long but it’s really, really illuminating, and can explain what happened in Oakland, where there is a possibility that the violent acts have been STAGED, to make the protesters look like a bunch of unorganized, violent thugs. Like in Rome on #OCT15, or Seattle during the G8.

The 1% is trying to crush the #OCCUPY movement

Ok, here we are. The movement is gaining momentum and the people are starting to listen to us, and to understand what we are talking about. And looks like the motivation must be valid, because there is more and more people joining the #OCCUPY in cities all around the World. Good.

Not good for the 1%, that sees the privileges (Tax cuts, huge bonuses, free bailouts from the mess they made…) in danger. So, what does the 1% do? They can’t, of course, give any good reason for the movement to stop, but they REALLY want it to be gone, finished, stopped and possibly crushed.

So they start another kind of action… They infiltrate a few provocateurs, to make the #OCCUPY movement look like a bunch of violent thugs that get their fun by burning cars, destroying Wells Fargo branches and generally make trouble. You think I’m paranoid?

I think I’m not. this kind of strategy has been documented, and PROVEN, in Rome on #OCT15, where a COP has been photographed together with the violent part of the demonstration, the part that ruined everything, because the press is still talking about the FEW VIOLENT IDIOTS, instead of the 250000 peaceful protesters that were on the streets.

San Francisco has some cops among the protesters, too!

Now that I think about that, though, I wonder what happened in Seattle, a few years ago…

Let’s not forget about the (not so) famous COINTELPRO!!!

Co-Intel, Agent Provocateurs, and Propaganda Techniques of the US Regime.

All Patriots should familiarize themselves with this knowledge before taking any pro-freedom action against the regime.

COINTELPRO (an acronym for Counter Intelligence Program) was a series of covert and often illegal projects conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation aimed at investigating and disrupting dissident political organizations within the United States. The FBI used covert operations from its inception, however formal COINTELPRO operations took place between 1956 and 1971. The FBI motivation at the time was “protecting national security, preventing violence, and maintaining the existing social and political order.“

According to FBI records, 85% of COINTELPRO resources were expended on infiltrating, disrupting, marginalizing, and/or subverting groups suspected of being subversive, such as communist and socialist organizations, people suspected of building a “coalition of militant black nationalist groups” ranging from the Black Panther Party those in the non-violent civil rights movement Students for a Democratic Society, the National Lawyers Guild, almost all groups protesting the Vietnam War, and even individual student demonstrators with no group affiliations, and nationalist groups such as those seeking independence for Puerto Rico. The other 15% of COINTELPRO resources were expended to marginalize and subvert “white hate groups,” including the National States’ Rights Party.

The directives governing COINTELPRO were issued by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, who ordered FBI agents to “expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit, or otherwise neutralize” the activities of these movements and their leaders.

Methods.

According to attorney Brian Glick in his book War at Home, the FBI used four main methods during COINTELPRO:

1. Infiltration: Agents and informers did not merely spy on political activists. Their main purpose was to discredit and disrupt. Their very presence served to undermine trust and scare off potential supporters. The FBI and police exploited this fear to smear genuine activists as agents.

2. Psychological Warfare From the Outside: The FBI and police used myriad other “dirty tricks” to undermine progressive movements. They planted false media stories and published bogus leaflets and other publications in the name of targeted groups. They forged correspondence, sent anonymous letters, and made anonymous telephone calls. They spread misinformation about meetings and events, set up pseudo movement groups run by government agents, and manipulated or strong-armed parents, employers, landlords, school officials and others to cause trouble for activists.

3. Harassment Through the Legal System: The FBI and police abused the legal system to harass dissidents and make them appear to be criminals. Officers of the law gave perjured testimony and presented fabricated evidence as a pretext for false arrests and wrongful imprisonment. They discriminatorily enforced tax laws and other government regulations and used conspicuous surveillance, “investigative” interviews, and grand jury subpoenas in an effort to intimidate activists and silence their supporters.

4. Extralegal Force and Violence: The FBI and police threatened, instigated, and themselves conducted break-ins, vandalism, assaults, and beatings. The object was to frighten dissidents and disrupt their movements. In the case of radical Black and Puerto Rican activists (and later Native Americans), these attacks – including political assassinations were so extensive, vicious, and calculated that they can accurately be termed a form of official “terrorism”.

The FBI also conducted more than 200 “black bag jobs”,which were warrantless surreptitious entries, against the targeted groups and their members.

In 1969 the FBI special agent in San Francisco wrote Hoover that his investigation of the Black Panther Party (BPP) revealed that in his city, at least, the Black nationalists were primarily feeding breakfast to children. Hoover fired back a memo implying the career ambitions of the agent were directly related to his supplying evidence to support Hoover’s view that the BPP was “a violence-prone organization seeking to overthrow the Government by revolutionary means”.

Hoover was willing to use false claims to attack his political enemies. In one memo he wrote: “Purpose of counterintelligence action is to disrupt the BPP and it is immaterial whether facts exist to substantiate the charge.”

In one particularly controversial 1965 incident, civil rights worker Viola Liuzzo was murdered by Ku Klux Klansmen who gave chase and fired shots into her car after noticing that her passenger was a young black man; one of the Klansmen was acknowledged FBI informant Gary Thomas Rowe. Afterward COINTELPRO spread false rumors that Liuzzo was a member of the Communist Party and abandoned her children to have sexual relationships with African Americans involved in the civil rights movement. FBI informant Rowe has also been implicated in some of the most violent crimes of the 1960s civil rights era, including attacks on the Freedom Riders and the 1963 Birmingham, Alabama 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. In another instance in San Diego the FBI financed, armed, and controlled an extreme right-wing group of former Minutemen, transforming it into a group called the Secret Army Organization which targeted groups, activists, and leaders involved in the anti-War Movement for both intimidation and violent acts.

Hoover ordered preemptive action….”to pinpoint potential troublemakers and neutralize them before they exercise their potential for violence.”

See the ORIGINAL

Cops caught infiltrating the #OCCUPYTOGETHER movement

Here we go… This is an old strategy, used all over the world, to make a demonstration turn violent, and have an excuse to send in riot police and break it.

DON’T FALL FOR IT! INSULATE THE PROVOCATEURS!

See what happened in Rome, on #OCT15, with COP infiltrated in the demonstration and then read about the Strategy of Francesco Cossiga.

This MUST be taken with extreme seriousness, watching out for one another and being extremely careful about who is mixing in the crowd. Violence must be avoided at all costs.

We are NOT violent, let’s not allow some corrupted provocateurs to ruin everything!

Arrested #OccupyNashville protesters

The protesters arrested for Occupying Nashville, specifically Legislative Plaza after the 10 p.m. curfew, come from different walks of life but share some common traits. For the most part, they’re white and unemployed or underemployed. They feel let down by the American Dream and hope their participation can make the country better for others.

Forty-eight were arrested, six of those twice. Some chose to share a glimpse of their lives with The Tennessean:

John H. Allen, 36, of Nashville works in data entry for a small Nashville company, but it’s a temporary job ending in January. Two weeks ago, he joined the movement by bringing supplies to the protesters camping on Legislative Plaza. “When I saw the police swarming in, it just wasn’t right,” he said.

Corey B. Amons, 23, of Cottontown is an artist and recent graduate of Vol State Community College. He is planning to go to Chicago to work on his bachelor’s degree in education. He has been with the Occupy Nashville movement from its beginning earlier this month.

Mike Anger, 30, of Lexington, Ky., is an unemployed bartender with a 6-year-old son. “It hit home with me,” he said. “You can’t miss what’s going on in our country. … I’ll stay with it until the end.”

Alesandra T. Bellos, 33, of Nashville and her sister run a company working with textiles. She stayed only a few nights on the plaza before being arrested. She and her husband stayed at a hotel on Wall Street during Occupy Wall Street.

James R. Bradley, 39, of Nashville is married to Bellos and runs a small software company in Nashville.

Jeremiah M. Carter, 19, of Bellevue co-owns a record label and works as a musician. He was in New York City for the Occupy Wall Street march and rallies in September and nearly got arrested there but escaped approaching officers.

Michael P. Custer, 47, of Nashville works as a cook. He said he has been a political activist his whole life and vows to be with the Occupy Nashville group on Legislative Plaza until he is “arrested or killed.”

Elizabeth Drake, 22, of Memphis is a student attending Southwest Tennessee Technical Community College but hopes to start nursing school in the fall. She was one of three Occupy Memphis protesters who came to Nashville to help the movement get more exposure. She, Alexandra Pusateri and Robert “Jade” Stowater were arrested together.

William W. Howell, 64, of Nashville works as a lobbyist and community organizer for Tennesseans for Fair Taxation. He has been married for 39 years to his wife, Margaret. They have two grown daughters. As troopers surrounded the group, Howell led protesters in reading from the Declaration of Independence.

Christopher Humprey, 24, of Nashville writes for The Contributorhomeless newspaper and also sells copies. Before he was homeless, he worked as a cook and barback. “I know how beautiful America is and how great it can be, and I want it to be that way,” he said “I want my rights and liberties.”

Adam K. Knight, 27, of Smyrna teaches eighth-grade English at Two Rivers Middle School and has been following Occupy Wall Street from day one. “If Metro Nashville Schools chooses to fire me for standing up for my constitutional rights, so be it,” he said.

Lindsey G. Krinks, 26, of Nashville works part time as a homeless advocate and is a student at Vanderbilt Divinity School along with her husband. “My faith compels me to be out here,” she said. “That’s my main motivator.”

Tyler Lawson, 25, of Mt. Juliet is employed as a sheet metal worker in a union. He was at the Thursday protest but said he decided not to get arrested because he had to work the next day.

Paula E. Painter, 55, of Cumberland City, Tenn. has been unemployed since last year. Her last job was at a local museum, which she had to leave to care for her ailing father. She has been arrested and released on environmental issues over the years.

Shauna C. Pluskota, 25, of Nashville works as a bartender downtown. When she first heard about Occupy Wall Street, she and a friend jumped in a car and went for three days. “I guess now I’m an activist,” she said. “I came to that realization this morning when I walked out of jail.”

Alexandra Pusateri, 20, of Memphis works as a freelance journalist and is a junior at the University of Memphis majoring in journalism and international studies. She was involved with Occupy Memphis for about a month before coming to Nashville.

Megan L. Riggs, 25, of Nashville works for Tennesseans for Fair Taxation. She handed her cellphone and journal to her boyfriend and then went to lock arms with those being arrested.

Connie L. Smith, 30, of Murfreesboro works as a customer service representative in the retail industry, has one child and found the Occupy Nashville group on Facebook.

Ben Spencer, 22, of Murfreesboro is unemployed and essentially homeless, bouncing around from friend to friend and living in his car. He last worked with a summer camp in Vermont.

Robert “Jade” Stowater, 27, of Memphis works in construction. On Thursday, someone came up to him in Memphis and announced that a group was leaving for Nashville in five minutes and had one seat left. “I think we need to get the rich people pretty much off their butts,” he said.

Eva N. Watler, 34, of Pegram works as a massage therapist and has been with Occupy Nashville since the beginning. She was at the Centennial Park rally this month.

Michael T. Weber, 35, of Fayetteville, Tenn., has been unemployed for a little more than two years. Before to that, he was over international development for a foundation based in New York. He is originally from Tennessee and moved back here when he lost his job.

William White, 21, of Mt. Juliet has been unemployed since graduating from Whites Creek High in 2008. “I watched Occupy Oakland on Livestream and saw how those protesters were being treated, and I knew I just couldn’t sit and watch anymore,” he said. “I had to get involved.”

From: The Tennessean

#OCCUPYOAKLAND Protesters’ confrontation with police ends peacefully

It appeared protesters and gas mask-wearing police officers would clash again Saturday night on Oakland streets, four days after a violent police crackdown shoved the Occupy Oakland movement into the international spotlight, but, just as emotions peaked, organizers held up peace signs.

Marchers turned around, patted themselves on the back and returned to their adopted home, Frank H. Ogawa Plaza.

Saturday’s near-confrontation happened on another roller-coaster day for Occupy Oakland: Someone created and circulated a fake letter and website in the name of Jean Quan, the embattled mayor; protesters planned for a citywide work stoppage Wednesday; and an injured war veteran and protester changed hospitals.

night appeared set to spiral out of control shortly after 8 p.m. as an anti-police violence rally wrapped up and protesters picked up signs and headed toward Oakland Police Department headquarters.

Officers had not been seen all day, but lines of riot police wearing gas masks began flanking the marchers until Seventh and Clay streets, less than two blocks from police headquarters. Marchers stopped and began taunting the police, but just as emotions reached a fevered pitch, organizers announced: “Peace people to the front!” Numerous march organizers walked in between the police and protesters, faced the marchers and held up peace signs with both hands.

After a few minutes, the march retraced its steps and snaked its way back inthe direction of the tent city.

Sporadically, on the return to the plaza, protesters tagged anti-cop graffiti with spray paint and smashed parking meters despite organizers’ pleas, and as they returned to City Hall someone busted a window of the Oakland police recruitment center. Police appeared to escort the group from afar and did not intervene.

The rest of Saturday was not nearly as tense, but Quan’s difficult week continued as someone created a fake website and circulated a bogus letter on city letterhead with her forged signature, saying the mayor apologized for “ordering” last week’s “violent repression” of the first Occupy Oakland camp.

Read more on THE MERCURY NEWS

#OCCUPYOAKLAND under siege again!

Swat Teams and Riot Police put on gas masks and are now preparing for second round of clashes with Occupy Oakland which is unfolding now on the Livestream

Participants in the nationwide Occupy Wall Street movement in Oakland were beaten and abused less than 48 hours ago by the Oakland PD. The devastation including police grenading protestorswho were trying to help an unconscious injured marine with a fractured skull lying on the ground and bleeding profusely.

The tensions is now building up as police in Denver just hours ago beat, maced, peppered spraying  and fired rubber bullets at protestors. Occupy Denver is still facing an 11 PM eviction notice.

Now, on the west coast, thousands of protestors are squaring off with police on the Occupy Oakland livestream. Swat teams are reportedly on scene as the police put on gas masks and full riot gear as a second round of clashes now appears to be imminent.

At the time of this post, protestors were chanting: “Show me what a Police State looks like! This is what a Police State looks like!”

Egyptians march from Tahrir Square to support #OCCUPYOAKLAND protestors

As they vowed earlier this week to do, Egyptian pro-democracy protesters marched from Tahrir square to the U.S. Embassy today to march in support of Occupy Oakland—and against police brutality witnessed in Oakland on Tuesday night, and commonly experienced in Egypt.

Above and below, photos from Egyptian blogger Mohammed Maree, who is there at the march live-tweeting. He is a journalist with Egytimes.org, a human rights activist, and a veterinarian. All photos in this post are his.

NLG Condemns Excessive Force Used by Oakland Police Against Occupy Demonstrators

From Rachel Lederman, Bobbie Stein, Michael Flynn
Berkeley Daily Planet Wednesday October 26, 2011 – 12:14:00 PM

The National Lawyers Guild San Francisco Bay Area Chapter (NLGSF) condemns Oakland Police excessive force against Occupy demonstrators and violations of OPD Crowd Control Policy.

The Oakland Police Department’s violent response to last night’s peaceful march was unjustified and their actions violated OPD’s own Crowd Management / Crowd Control Policy. That Policy, developed in collaboration with NLG and ACLU attorneys, was adopted by the City of Oakland as part of a federal court settlement, arising from the OPD’s 2003 violent clashes with longshoremen and anti-war demonstrators at the Port of Oakland.

“The police violated just about every provision of their own Crowd Control Policy last night,” said Bobbie Stein, a NLGSF attorney. “Tear gas canisters and flash bang grenades were thrown directly at protesters. A man’s skull was fractured when he was hit by one of these objects. Demonstrators were shot with rubber bullets and shot-filled ‘bean bags’. All of this is prohibited under the Policy that we helped write and under which all OPD officers and commanders are required to be trained.”

The violent police action began at 4:30am yesterday when hundreds of officers moved in on sleeping demonstrators. They tore down the Occupy Oakland encampment and made 115 arrests.

“The NLG is committed to defending the demonstrators until all are released from custody and cleared of all charges,” said NLGSF Executive Director Carlos Villarreal.