Vernon on 23/10/2011 at 12:30
Ya I think you'll find it was Bismarck in 1877 actually
gunsmoke on 24/10/2011 at 11:16
Quote Posted by Vernon
All that said, look at what you are seeing. I'd like to see you standing there getting charged by a bunch of dumb fucking goon police, be grabbed by the head, arms or legs and get dragged along the floor coughing and spluttering, have your head ground into the dirt a few times, spend a night in a cell, then come back here and say you thought it wasn't violent. What
I have and I still agree with Vasquez's first post. In fact, I was already cuffed and one cop (Officer Berger, CPD) broke my left pinky while telling me in my ear "yeah, you like that? huh?".
Whatever, you watch all of these videos of the police reacting to idiots antagonizing them, then go out and do the same thing in another place don't get mad when they react the same way to you. This shit ain't new, either. This is what tends to happen at these things. It always has and it probably always will.
june gloom on 24/10/2011 at 11:34
Doesn't make it right, bro. Police have a duty to us and they violate that duty when they abuse their power to knock down a few harmless granola eaters and smash their bongos. Unless someone is armed, there's no reason to start popping faces.
gunsmoke on 24/10/2011 at 11:39
Didn't say it was 'right', just that's the way it is. Don't be shocked when it happens.
heywood on 26/10/2011 at 11:07
I live in Sydney and am quite shocked at how the OWS is being mocked by the general population and media. It doesn't help that they requested government funds to have WIFI, garden beds planted, food, tents and private toilets. This is not the way you should act when you are protesting against greed and materialism. I also read a poll in the major Sydney paper that said that almost 80% of people don't support the movement, what are we doing wrong?That's an actual quote from somebody on the (
http://occupywallst.org/forum/sydney-ows-protest-farce/) OWS web site.
Before I explain further, I want to say I think the Melbourne protest was no big deal and didn't need to be broken up.
On the Friday it started, my wife and I were in Melbourne for a long weekend to celebrate our anniversary and we inadvertently stumbled into the protest site on our way back from dinner (I hadn't realised Occupy had gone global). It was more of a street party at that point - with about half the people in the square dressed up for a night out and just stopping by to listen to the music, chat, and see what was up. We also saw them marching through Federation Square on Monday while having lunch at the ACMI. It was a small and relatively quiet group as far as protest marches go. I went back again last Monday night and it was looking more organised and camp-like, but still relatively small and still had a bit of party atmosphere. And it didn't seem to be affecting local businesses at all, maybe even attracting some clientele out of curiosity. The cafe next door was packed. I guess you could say it seemed more like an urban carnival event than a protest. And I have to admit that City Square makes a nice site for a protest camp, with the building, steps and trees giving it a kind of cozy, almost enclosed feeling.
Now, on to Sydney.
After hearing about the Melbourne protest getting busted up, I stopped by Martin Place in Sydney this past Saturday just to compare. It was strange in that the cops were letting them assemble, protest, sleep, and bring in some furniture, but no tents because that would be illegal camping. It was pretty low key with some people sitting around, some people playing music, not many signs up - with a lot of passers by just going about their business, ignoring the protesters and being ignored by the protesters. Granted, I was there Sat. afternoon and I heard it gets going on week nights when a lot of workers who live in the city join the protest after work.
Anyway, what really shocked me about the Sydney protest was stories like (
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/occupy-sydney-protestors-issue-demands-to-clover-moore-than-include-wifi-electricity-and-port-o-loos/story-e6freuzi-1226171807226) this. A quote:
Quote Posted by The Daily Telegraph
The protestors, who claim to be campaigning against greed, also want their own free parking spots in the CBD, free internet, and electricity.
The protestors have given a list of requests for luxuries to make their camp out easier including electricity, free wi-fi, parking spots, recycling bins, compost bins, a planter box for a garden, port-a-loos, umbrellas and blankets.
Councillor Shayne Mallard said it was laughable that they were intending on planting gardens while they were being moved on in Melbourne after their sixth day camp out.
Yes, that's right, it wasn't enough for the city to tolerate their presence. They expected the city to spend public funds to give them some nice perks and make them comfortable. No wonder there wasn't much sympathy when they were broken up. But I'm still not sure *why* they were broken up. Like the Melbourne protest, it wasn't really causing much trouble.
Also, I'd say the Occupy movement in Australia is significantly more Green than what I saw in London and read about in New York and Boston. Lots of signs and talk about energy policy here because of the carbon tax debate, and only half hearted criticism of the banks.
JoshAnnie&Jenna on 28/10/2011 at 10:25
Quote Posted by heywood
Before I explain further, I want to say I think the Melbourne protest was no big deal and didn't need to be broken up.
I agree with this much anyway. Melbourne was probably never going to get up and go...
As far as the requests for parking and gardening etc in... wherever... a minority of folks, interviewed and... naturally, their bullshit blown out of all proportion by our friends in the media.
Is it wrong to support the basic idea behind this global action? I say no. I say good on them and I also say that I hope nobody gets hurt except the bastards who are too rich to care.
