All Updates Appear At The Top of The Blog
The time difference between New York and Japan is 14 hours.
Wednesday November 16
Mashed Potatoes are quite dangerous to the very existence of Zuccotti Park
Creating out of nothing reasons for removing the camp
Tuesday November 15
The Occupy Wall Street protesters have moved to Trinity church in New York they are unsure how along they will be allowed to there. They are holding a General Assembly at which it was announced that Labour Unions who are in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street will attempt to reenter the park.
From The Guardian
Micheal Bloomberg's news conference hasn't begun yet but the live stream is now being broadcast.
It looks like the news conference is about to begin.
Brookfield was behind the clean up of the park. At present there is a injunction enjoying the city of New York and Brookfield. Therefor the park will remain closed. Yesterday Brookefield demanded that the prk be cleared. He his saying that it has become a health and safety issue. Mayor Bloomberg sited an incident last week in which protesters tried to prevent first EMT's from helping a man with mental issues. He stated over and over again that the protest was becoming a lawless bunch of people not really protesting for the cause for which they first occupied the park. He said that the park was not accessible to the public as is required by law. He claimed that there had been reports of people defecating and urinating for several blocks around the block. Even the law requires that Brookefield keep the park open it will remain closed. About 200 people were arrested. Several hundred police officers were involved in the operation but, Raymond Kelly New York's Police Commissioner would not give specific numbers. Asked why the press wasn't allowed to witness the operation it was for their own safety. Mayor Bloomberg claims that Occupy Wall Street was preventing people from expressing their views.
Basically the news conference was used as a justification for vacating the park because those Dirty Fucking Hippies don't believe in Free Speech or keep themselves Clean, so they must be removed.
Photograph: Michael Tracey
Photograph: Craig Ruttle/AP
Photograph: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images
Photograph: Mary Altaffer/AP
From MSNBC
With crowds, and reporters, reportedly being kept a block away, the live video stream is more or less the only direct view into events inside the park, and it's oddly compelling. The camera just panned round to canvass views of activists huddling together, surrounded by police. "It's scary as hell but I'm not moving," one said. Another added: "I'm excited – I think the world knows what's going on."
The Occupy Wall Street live video stream seems to be showing the small number of protesters who remain inside the park, by the camp's kitchen area. When the camera pans round, you can see increasing numbers of officers surrounding the group, who clearly expect to be evicted at any moment. At the moment, however, it seems to be something of a standoff.
tweeting from the scene is Josh Harkinson, a writer for the magazine Mother Jones.
From the Guardian
The police have also prevented the press from entering the park.
Micheal Bloomberg has Tweeted that the protesters can return after all their belongs has been removed to the rubbish bin. How nice of him
Some comments: This is what a police state looks like: America has become a police: You can't throw away ideas.
There have hundreds arrested the exact number is unknown.
The live stream is showing the police throwing away all of the protesters belongings which they were told could be retrieved but the police wouldn't allow them back into the park.
Alternet Reporter Holy shit this is crazy pepper spray, pushing us , beating and arresting peaceful protetsers
The BBC is reporting that the camp at Occupy Wall Street has been surrounded by riot police. According to their reporter on the ground the police aren't allowing anyone to enter the site and when asked how many protesters were still in the camp he stated that that number was unknown.
Looking at the Live Stream picture it looks as though the police have erected barricades.
Al Jazeera have arrived at Zucatti park telling the protesters that they must leave the park and have started removing tents. Kath Turner the reporter on the ground has been told that among those part of the police operation are the anti-terror unit.
The time difference between New York and Japan is 14 hours.
Wednesday November 16
Mashed Potatoes are quite dangerous to the very existence of Zuccotti Park
Judge upholds eviction of New York 'Occupy' camp
A New York judge has upheld the city's dismantling of the Occupy Wall Street encampment, saying that the protesters' First Amendment rights don't entitle them to camp out indefinitely in the plaza.
Supreme Court Justice Michael Stallman on Tuesday denied a motion by the demonstrators seeking to be allowed back into the park with their tents and sleeping bags. (Read his ruling here.)
Protesters filled Zuccotti Park after they were allowed back in about 5:30 p.m. EST, but without camping gear
Creating out of nothing reasons for removing the camp
The city claimed that giving protesters free reign over the park would cause unsafe and unsanitary conditions. They also claimed occupiers were stockpiling makeshift weapons including metal-pipes inside cardboard tubes, WNBC reported.
PhotoBlog: Dispatches from the disputed streetsThe park had become a health and fire safety hazard and that "unfortunately ... (it) became a place not to protest, but to break the law," Bloomberg said Tuesday.
"Inaction was not an option," he said. "We could not wait for someone in the park to get killed."
'Occupy' crackdowns coordinated with federal law enforcement officials
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.
Tuesday November 15
The Occupy Wall Street protesters have moved to Trinity church in New York they are unsure how along they will be allowed to there. They are holding a General Assembly at which it was announced that Labour Unions who are in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street will attempt to reenter the park.
BREAKING NEWS – Judge Orders Protesters Be Allowed Back in Park With Their Belongings
For Immediate Release: November 15, 2011
Contact:
Yetta Kurland – 917-701-9590
Daniel Alterman – 917-945-2599
Gideon Oliver – 646-263-3495
Margaret Kunstler – 917-331-8012
Daniel Alterman – 917-945-2599
Gideon Oliver – 646-263-3495
Margaret Kunstler – 917-331-8012
New York, NY: At around 6 AM on November 15, 2011, attorneys associated with the New York City Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild working as the Liberty Park Legal Working Group obtained a temporary restraining order against the City of New York, various City agencies, and Brookfield properties directing that occupiers be allowed back on the premises with their belongings.
Earlier, at approximately 1 AM, the NYPD began massing around Zuccotti Park “aka Liberty Park.” In the following hours reports surfaced that the NYPD entered the park with police in riot gear backed up by numerous police vehicles, including a bulldozer, evicting occupiers. In the process they destroyed property and arrested dozens of occupiers and protestors including NYC Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez and District Leader Paul Newell.
In the coming hours, days and weeks the LPLWG will pursue all legal options to enable the occupiers to continue to exercise their first amendment rights to speech and assembly for speech. Attorney Yetta Kurland, one of the attorneys from the LPLWG, said, “This is a victory for everyone who believes in the First Amendment. We will continue to fight for everyone’s right to continue the occupation.” In response to the injunction, Daniel Alterman, also an attorney with the LPLWG, stated that, “This is a victory for all Americans, for the constitution and for the 99%.” Gideon Oliver, another attorney with the LPLWG reacted by saying, “The LPLWG has been fighting to ensure their right to free speech from day one of the occupation. The occupiers right to free speech is based in our most core legal principles and we will be here till the end to fight for those rights.”
From The Guardian
Bloomberg ends with a peroration to New York City as city that prides itself defending the right to freedom of expression. Provided the court order "if it exists" (it does) is rescinded, that right will be restored in Zuccotti Park, he says. And with that, the press conference is over.
There have been numerous reports today that accredited journalists were prevented from witnessing the eviction of Zuccotti Park. Bloomberg is asked about this: he says the action was taken to "protect the members of the press. We have to provide protection and we have done exactly that."
Bloomberg says that property seized from the park will be available to be collected from the sanitation department in Manhattan later.
Bloomberg, taking questions now, says police were not able to gain access to the park to investigate allegations of criminality. He stresses that protesters will be able to return to the park when the safety situation is improved. However a full "occupation" of the park will not be permitted, he says. Safety and health conditions at the site became "intolerable", he says.
Micheal Bloomberg's news conference hasn't begun yet but the live stream is now being broadcast.
It looks like the news conference is about to begin.
Brookfield was behind the clean up of the park. At present there is a injunction enjoying the city of New York and Brookfield. Therefor the park will remain closed. Yesterday Brookefield demanded that the prk be cleared. He his saying that it has become a health and safety issue. Mayor Bloomberg sited an incident last week in which protesters tried to prevent first EMT's from helping a man with mental issues. He stated over and over again that the protest was becoming a lawless bunch of people not really protesting for the cause for which they first occupied the park. He said that the park was not accessible to the public as is required by law. He claimed that there had been reports of people defecating and urinating for several blocks around the block. Even the law requires that Brookefield keep the park open it will remain closed. About 200 people were arrested. Several hundred police officers were involved in the operation but, Raymond Kelly New York's Police Commissioner would not give specific numbers. Asked why the press wasn't allowed to witness the operation it was for their own safety. Mayor Bloomberg claims that Occupy Wall Street was preventing people from expressing their views.
Basically the news conference was used as a justification for vacating the park because those Dirty Fucking Hippies don't believe in Free Speech or keep themselves Clean, so they must be removed.
Michael Bloomberg is scheduled to hold a press conference at 8am (1pm GMT). We will, of course, be covering it on this blog.
Photograph: Michael Tracey
Michael Tracey has just tweeted this photo of the now-cleared Zuccotti Park.
In other Occupy-related news, 60 protestersamong the 700 or so arrested on Brooklyn Bridge during a march at the start of last month, an incident which prompted accusation of heavy-handed police tactics, will be arraigned at Manhattan criminal court this morning. We'll be reporting from there.
Sarah Maslin Nir of the New York Times has tweeted a couple of photos of the dawn-light general assembly in Foley Square. More worryingly, someone has brought along their conga drums.
There were plenty of tweets earlier about the supposed arrival of union supporters of the protest. Adam Gabbatt emails to say that at least some of this was true:
There was confused discussion this morning about union support arriving at one of the proposed general assembly locations. The general assembly ended up taking place at Foley Square, and it appears union members are beginning to arrive.Derek Grate, political coordinator at 1199 SEIU, said he was at the square "just to support the First Amendment rights of the people"."I got emails from some of our folk," he said. "We have contacts down there [at Zuccotti Park]"."We will continue to support the rights of these people who are here for peaceful protests".Grate said the operation to remove protesters from Zuccotti Park had been "absolutely terrible"."They say it's about cleaning up the park, we think it's about sabotaging and breaking up the movement."
Photograph: Craig Ruttle/AP
Another photo from earlier: police and protesters clash at Zuccotti Park
Adam Gabbatt has managed to get a rare glimpse of events inside the park, albeit at second hand. He writes:
Andrew Carbone, who is in the media working group and has been involved in Occupy Wall Street since before 17 September, was one of the few on the Zuccotti Park side of the barrier at 4.30am."It's packed out with sanitation workers," he said. "The sanitation workers are taking stuff and throwing it into the garbage truck." He said there were protesters who had been allowed out of Zuccotti and were sat down within the barriers. They had not been arrested.Many were forced further away. Another activist, Ben Swenson said he was "shoved" out of
the park in a small group. "They shoved us out in rounds," he said. "I was in the first round, the police came in and said take out your tents and leave the park immediately."I was moving around trying to tell people what was happening, but then they pushed us out in groups."He said he was hit on the head by a police baton, but believes it was by mistake. "Well, they said sorry," Swenson said.
Photograph: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Mary Altaffer/AP
Now for a couple of photos. Firstly, a protester yells at police after being ordered to leave the park.
Ryan Devereaux, a reporter for Democracy Now, filing for the Guardian. He writes:
Hundreds of officers with the New York City Police Department descended on the Occupy Wall Street encampment in Lower Manhattan late this evening. At approximately 1.00am protesters say the NYPD set up emergency vehicles around the park and turned on massive flood lights. Scores of officers in riot gear began entering the park and handing out notices of eviction. Protesters say there was little time to respond the department's orders to disperse. Several hundred of the demonstrators rallied around the park's central eating area.With roughly 200 protesters collected in the kitchen space, police and sanitation workers began tearing down tents and any standing structures around the park. Protester's belongings were thrown into massive piles then loaded into large trucks.Media were repeatedly directed away from the square and eventually confined to a metal pen at the far end of the block. Police buses were later parked in front of the pen, blocking clear shots of the park.Meanwhile in the kitchen area six protesters reportedly used bicycle locks to chain themselves together by the neck. The demonstrators gathered at the centre of the park were free to leave but chose to stay, forming seated columns with their arms locked.A mass of police officers began to gather around the kitchen area to begin arresting the remaining protesters. Reports from inside indicated the arrests were orderly and non-violent, but some protesters and press who managed to leave the area reported that they saw officers beating and stepping on demonstrators.
Police blocking access to Zuccotti. Tried at corner of Bdway and Cortlandt St and then at Trinity Pl and Cortlandt, turned away #OWS
There's a lot of Twitter anger among the media in New York City about not being allowed anywhere near the eviction operation, and police ignoring press passes. There seems to be a consensus that police have made a deliberate decision to keep journalists away from the park as far as possible tonight.
if everyone saw it earlier: as the cops
were taking all of the belongings of OWS and literally trashing them, including all of their high tech equipment, they were laughing and smiling and smirking to be destroying all of their stuff.
From MSNBC
'Freaking out' Sparro Kennedy, a member of group that supplies clothes and other necessities to protesters living in the park, said she and others had gone on a scavenging trip to pick up supplies and returned to see the eviction unfolding. They were about one block away from the square, and she noted there were about 25 protesters behind barricades.
"They're throwing people out of the park forcibly, right now, they are pulling up with a ton of buses ... we're going to try to get in," she said, noting that about half of their team was in the camp.
"We are just like freaking out right now ... we can't get people water, we can't get people blankets ... it's really sad, they are dragging people out right now," she said.
Protester Han Shan, 39, left his job to work on the movement full time. He was at the park helping get out media equipment and supplies as the eviction took place and then moved one block away to "bear witness."
With crowds, and reporters, reportedly being kept a block away, the live video stream is more or less the only direct view into events inside the park, and it's oddly compelling. The camera just panned round to canvass views of activists huddling together, surrounded by police. "It's scary as hell but I'm not moving," one said. Another added: "I'm excited – I think the world knows what's going on."
The Occupy Wall Street live video stream seems to be showing the small number of protesters who remain inside the park, by the camp's kitchen area. When the camera pans round, you can see increasing numbers of officers surrounding the group, who clearly expect to be evicted at any moment. At the moment, however, it seems to be something of a standoff.
tweeting from the scene is Josh Harkinson, a writer for the magazine Mother Jones.
Almost whole park is already clear except for food tent
Only #OWS supplies left are in a big heap by the red sculpture
A slew of riot cops with batons heading down broadway
Cops have a giant orange bulldozer that they've used to scrape everything up
From the Guardian
The police operation, of course, follows yesterday's clearance of the Occupy Oakland camp in California. There, police in riot gear arrested 33 people and removed around 100 tents.
You can, of course, follow a lot of this via Twitter, although searching the #ows hashtag does give you one of the fastest-moving message streams I've ever seen. When it slows down enough to read, a lot of tweets seem to be telling protesters to move to nearby Foley Square, though it's by no means clear anyone is doing this. There's undeniably a lot of anger from Occupy supporters.
According to the New York Times, there were about 200 people camping in the park at the time police swooped. The newspaper has this description of the start of the operation:
The protesters... resisted with chants of "Whose park? Our park!" as officers began moving in and tearing down tents. The protesters rallied around an area known as "the kitchen" near the middle of the park and began building barricades with tables and pieces of scrap wood.The officers, who had gathered between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges and then rode in vans along Broadway, moved into the one-square-block park shortly after 1 a.m.As they did, dozens of protesters linked arms and shouted "No retreat, no surrender," "This is our home" and "Barricade!"
The camp has been there since 17 September and attracted worldwide attention. While the wider movement has its roots in earlier actions in Spain, the momentum from New York helped spread the movement to a number of other cities, both in the US and elsewhere, for example London.
The police have also prevented the press from entering the park.
Micheal Bloomberg has Tweeted that the protesters can return after all their belongs has been removed to the rubbish bin. How nice of him
Some comments: This is what a police state looks like: America has become a police: You can't throw away ideas.
There have hundreds arrested the exact number is unknown.
The live stream is showing the police throwing away all of the protesters belongings which they were told could be retrieved but the police wouldn't allow them back into the park.
Alternet Reporter Holy shit this is crazy pepper spray, pushing us , beating and arresting peaceful protetsers
The BBC is reporting that the camp at Occupy Wall Street has been surrounded by riot police. According to their reporter on the ground the police aren't allowing anyone to enter the site and when asked how many protesters were still in the camp he stated that that number was unknown.
Looking at the Live Stream picture it looks as though the police have erected barricades.
Al Jazeera have arrived at Zucatti park telling the protesters that they must leave the park and have started removing tents. Kath Turner the reporter on the ground has been told that among those part of the police operation are the anti-terror unit.
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