OCCUPY WALL STREET

[atomiczombie]

This is from Occupy News on FB:

DEFEAT: OWS is no longer allowed to camp at Zucotti Park. Now it is up to see if Mayor Bloomberg keeps his promise and opens the park up for protests during the day. The restraining order protecting the protesters has been repealed.

[SoNotHer]

Oh yeah. Even if you've seen this, it's the inspiration we need right now:

[atomiczombie]

http://current.com/shows/countdown/v...campment-raids

He says the Obama administration has helped mayors coordinate the raids against encampments in NY, Oakland, Denver, etc.

[Toughy]

Originally Posted by atomiczombie

http://current.com/shows/countdown/v...campment-raids

He says the Obama administration has helped mayors coordinate the raids against encampments in NY, Oakland, Denver, etc.

Can he back that up? I didn't hear anything about where he got this info.

[atomiczombie]

Originally Posted by Toughy

Can he back that up? I didn't hear anything about where he got this info.

All I saw is his interview with Keith. I haven't seen anything else about this either.

[atomiczombie]

Go Keith! Go!

[Cin]

Originally Posted by Toughy

Can he back that up? I didn't hear anything about where he got this info.

It appears all references to this comes from this reporter Rick Ellis and his conversations with a source in the Justice Department. Perhaps the reincarnation of Deep Throat? Most all other articles talking about the federally coordinated crackdowns refer to this article as their source. Oakland Mayor Jean Quan mentioned a conference call with 18 cities regarding the Occupy movement during an interview with BBC, but has since refused comment.

I believe it is true. But without an admission from the federal government or from sources willing to go on record there really isn't 'beyond a shadow of a doubt' proof here. And even if there were, Obama certainly has plausible deniability and six degrees of separation to boot. I'm sure it is in his best political interest to have his effort to help get rid of the protestors be understood by the 1% while being seen by the rest of us as probably misinformation or mere speculation. Sounds like the same old, same old to me.

Occupy' crackdowns coordinated with federal law enforcement officials

Rick Ellis
Minneapolis Top News Examiner

Over the past ten days, more than a dozen cities have moved to evict "Occupy" protesters from city parks and other public spaces. As was the case in last night's move in New York City, each of the police actions shares a number of characteristics. And according to one Justice official, each of those actions was coordinated with help from Homeland Security, the FBI and other federal police agencies.

The official, who spoke on background to me late Monday evening, said that while local police agencies had received tactical and planning advice from national agencies, the ultimate decision on how each jurisdiction handles the Occupy protests ultimately rests with local law enforcement.

According to this official, in several recent conference calls and briefings, local police agencies were advised to seek a legal reason to evict residents of tent cities, focusing on zoning laws and existing curfew rules. Agencies were also advised to demonstrate a massive show of police force, including large numbers in riot gear. In particular, the FBI reportedly advised on press relations, with one presentation suggesting that any moves to evict protesters be coordinated for a time when the press was the least likely to be present.

The FBI has so far failed to respond to requests for an official response, and of the 14 local police agencies contacted in the past 24 hours, all have declined to respond to questions on this issue.

But in a recent interview with the BBC," Oakland Mayor Jean Quan mentioned she was on a conference call just before the recent wave of crackdowns began.

"I was recently on a conference call of 18 cities who had the same situation, where what had started as a political movement and a political encampment ended up being an encampment that was no longer in control of the people who started them."

At the time this story was updated, Mayor Quan's office had declined to discuss her comments.

http://www.examiner.com/top-news-in-...ement-agencies

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/1...nd,-Berkeley,-

http://redgreenandblue.org/2011/11/1...al-government/

[Cin]

6 Burning Questions About the Violent Crackdowns on Occupations Around the Country
By Lynn Parramore
November 15, 2011
Alternet

In the aftermath of a city-by-city crackdown featuring hundreds of arrests and evictions of Occupy encampments, plenty of questions demand answers.


Occurring without provocation, the Occupy crackdown gives the appearance of an orchestrated effort to thwart an emerging protest movement. Early morning Tuesday, in New York City, hundreds of police officers, many in riot gear, swept down on Zuccotti Park, throwing away private property, restricting press and using aggressive tactics to remove protesters and supporters. Here are some things we’d really like to know.

1. Who convened the mayors call? In an interview with the BBC, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan alluded to her participation in a conference call with leaders of 18 US cities just prior to the raids on encampments across the country. Mayors' associations do exist, but they do not typically organize police interventions or local decision-making in such detail. Given the abuses of the past, such as the notorious COINTELPRO and other intervention programs that the U.S. government organized during the Vietnam protests, the public has a right to know the details of who organized that call.

2. Was there an attempt to control press coverage? New Yorkers awoke to front-page stories and photographs in both the New York Post and the New York Daily News. Coverage by the two papers was supportive of the mayor and the police actions but disparaging toward the protesters. An AlterNet reporter, arriving on the scene at 1:30am, shortly after the raid began, could get nowhere near Zuccotti Park due to police barricades (and was subjected to pepper spray while attempting to report on events). How did the friendly reporters gain their access? Was there advance coordination to allow certain media outlets access and block the rest? Why was press access restricted? Were some reporters' credentials confiscated? How will reports of unwarranted force on the part of police toward the press be addressed?

3. What, if any, was the role of the White House? Who was in charge of following the nationwide Occupy crackdown at the White House? What does President Obama, the man who celebrated the uprisings in Egypt (and who is currently out of the US, in Asia), think about the raids and the encroachments on the civil liberties of peacefully protesting Americans? As a constitutional scholar, what is his view of the restrictions of the press and the arrests of journalists?

4. Was the Department of Homeland Security involved in the raids? Filmmaker Michael Moore tweeted this question, asking if the Department may have given the green-light to the raid. The DHS has been reportedly following Occupy Wall Street Twitter feeds and other social media networks. Did it play any role in the crackdown?

5. What, if any, was the role of the FBI? Suggestions are circulating that the FBI and other federal agencies may have advised local law enforcement agencies on how to conduct the raids and even how to handle press relations. Did this happen? Was there any coordinating of arrests across the country on the part of the FBI?

6. Where are the libertarians? In the face of all the clamor about “states' rights,” local government and the Constitution, we want to know where all the libertarians have suddenly gone. It’s enough to drive you to drink an emergency cup of tea.

[Dominique]

Well, dare I say FINALLY (?) Occupy Pittsburgh made a statement
last night. They we demonstrating outside the convention center where a huge meeting of Haliburton exec's and like people where congregating.

They were asked to move off of Covention center property. Convetion center was funded with tax payer dollars (according to OPgh) there fore they felt they had a right to be there. Police asked them several times to move across the street. Most did. A few did not (5) and they were all arrested for tresspassing.

According to the morning news, It never got out of hand, (noisy) but that's all. The morning news also ran a film clip from one of the Opgh folks of the convention atendee's pressed up against the glass watching the whole thing.