NYT NEWS ALERT: Police in Riot Gear Raid Zuccotti Park, Order Protesters to Vacate

[Hissyspit]

Source: New York Times / NBC New York

Police in Riot Gear Raid Zuccotti Park, Order Protesters to Vacate

Police say it is a "temporary evacuation"

By Shimon Prokupecz and Jonathan Dienst | Tuesday, Nov 15, 2011 | Updated 1:19 AM ESTView Comments (2) | Email | Print

"10:54pm: NYPD in riot gear gathering beneath Brooklyn, Manhattan bridges, only blocks from #OWS. Cops say just a drill." via @LamarEsq on Twitter

Hundreds of police officers, some in riot gear, descended on Zuccotti Park after midnight Tuesday in a surprise sweep of the Occupy Wall Street headquarters.

It comes just two days ahead of a massive planned demonstration Thursday marking the movement's two-month anniversary.

Police handed out letters to protesters ordering them to temporarily evacuate the park. Police said the eviction will improve health conditions.

- snip -

Protesters were told they will be allowed to return to the park in several hours, after the park is inspected, but without their property, which will be brought to a sanitation garage.

Read more: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Occupy-Wall-Street-Protests-Sweep-Cops-Riot-Gear-133859263.html

---

@kristengwynne
Kristen Gwynne
Holy shit this us crazy pepper spray, pushing us, beating and arresting peaceful protestors#ows
8 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®

@OccupyWallStNYC
#OCCUPYWALLSTREET
Tents are being violently ripped apart. Peaceful progresses being dragged out. Press still not allowed to enter park. Reports of macing
1 minute ago via Mobile Web

@MMFlint
Michael Moore
NYPD raiding #OccupyWallStreet at this minute! We are heading down there. If nearby, join us! #ows

@maxberger
Max Berger
This is an eviction attempt. Folks linking arms and singing. We are peaceful. They are armed. #Ows #fb

@OccupyWallStNYC
#OCCUPYWALLSTREET
URGENT. We call upon All New Yorkers to immediatlty converge on Liberty Plaza to Defend our camp! live video bit.ly/v1TyPW

@OccupyWallStNYC
#OCCUPYWALLSTREET
Street carts are being told shut down. Police just threw young woman to the ground, unprovoked. #ows
3 minutes ago via Mobile Web

@LucyKafanov
Lucy Kafanov
Media reportedly being blocked access from #OccupyWallStreet #OWS #ZuccottiPark raid
37 seconds ago via Twitter for Android

@GregMitch
Greg Mitchell
Report: Brooklyn Bridge closed. Bulldozers said to be enroute. Cops going through Zuccotti.

@OccupiedWSJ
OccupiedWSJ
Pepper spray and arrests on broadway and cortlandt
32 seconds ago via Twitter for iPhone

@MMFlint
Michael Moore
"NYPD Counter Terrorism" unit sent in. Unfuckingbelievable when the terrorists are @ Goldman Sachs. twitpic.com/7eehku

[truthisfreedom]

1. Well, yeah, you don't announce your plans to shut down Wall Street Thursday on Monday, dammit.

First rule of Fight Club: There is no Fight Club.

Seriously, some secrecy could have been useful.

[rayofreason]

2. "truthisfreedom" on the merits of secrecy and obfuscation?

Amazing!!!!

[truthisfreedom]

9. I see them as highly vulnerable to violence. Seems like a bit of secrecy is a good idea

when you're trying to accomplish something.

[girl gone mad]

12. Yes, they are vulnerable to police violence.

As are all peaceful protesters in America.

[truthisfreedom]

19. It's kind of a "bring it on" approach, from my perspective.

[Hissyspit]

13. No. Wrong.

First off, impossible to mobilize largest amount of people. Second, violence is ON PD & BLOOMBERG, not OWS.

[truthisfreedom]

17. We must have crossed wires here. We're on the same side, hissyspit! I've been a member here for

many many years, and I've never seen you react to me in this way.

It's a Monday night. The OWS folks made an announcement that they're planning activities that will result in arrests on Thursday.

What do they expect? Of course the status quo will be enforced. They should have planned it more quietly, and announced it last-minute. Unless their objective was to cause the havoc/mahem/violence that happened tonight.

Tell me where I've gone wrong?

[Hissyspit]

20. Not reacting to you or upset. Just disagreeing.

Secrecy not necessary and wouldn't work anyway. This raid and any other reaction to the planned activity on 17th is part of the occupy movement. It shows everyone what the Powers That Be really are. Occupy will just adjust tactics.

:)

[Hissyspit]

79. Reuters Live Coverage Thread Here:

http://live.reuters.com/Event/Occupy_Wall_Street2

[socialist_n_TN]

93. Tough to have secrecy when you have this type of

organizational structure. Even when you have a "vanguard" as clannish as the Bolsheviks in the Spring/Summer of '17, you STILL don't keep secrets per se. About the best you can do is keep DOUBT in the mind of the opposition. But that doubt is enough to prevent a tightly organized opposition from developing.

I've said all along that the horizontal "leadership" and concensus decision making is GREAT for pointing out problems because everybody gets a gripe. But it's NOT so good at actually getting to solutions FOR those problems because there are too many points of blockage for those solutions.

[Leopolds Ghost]

121. On the one hand, I see no way to actually shut down WS now that you've announced it.

On the other hand, the police overreaction, and proof that Obama is anti-OWS, will anger and galvanize more people to actually show up on the 17th.

I wish I could afford to go.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

33. Well now would be a great time to shut down Wall Street.

I'll definitely be there Thursday.

[Zorra]

94. I will not drive or spend any money on Thursday in support.

I can't be there cuz in live in AZ.

[2pooped2pop]

39. I just left there.

First I know for a fact that this raid was planned before the big march was announced as I overheard the police talking to a construction worker about taking the tents and another cop came right out snd told me that we could count on it going down. And yes I reported it to several people but they thought that I had misunderstood more or less. Second there are police undercover in the park as well as a tower

with cameras snd listening devices focused on them at all times. It's almost impossible for them to keep anything underwraps. I was just on the phone with Hero if anyone is familiar with him, he had to run, literally as he was getting pepper sprayed. My husband and I are in tears. We are on our way home from there but now 9 hours away. I want to be there. I love those guys.
Im on my cell phone now and will get back with u all when I can get to my computer.
I can tell u that they will recover. There are a few other plans in the works though losing the tents will be a hardship.
Gotta get back to livestream. Please excuse errors.

[Hissyspit]

42. Thanks for being there.

Yes, OWS will reorganize.

[Hissyspit]

43. PHOTOS:

http://animalnewyork.com/2011/11/occupy-wall-street-getting-raided-by-nypd/

[RoccoR5955]

60. Thanks for your report. Godspeed! n/t

[iamthebandfanman]

54. never understood it either..

same with the 'annonymous' people.. always saying they are gonna bring down something at a specific time and date..

why would you want to give people warning so they can be prepared?
kinda defeats the purpose eh ?

[barbtries]

59. and if you keep it a secret,

how many people will show up? they HAVE to put the word out.

[iamthebandfanman]

64. as far as anonymous

they are 'group statements' , not word of mouth

but i can see your point for physical crowds

[TBMASE]

67. Actually it's Don't talk about fight club

2nd Rule of Fight Club is Don't talk about Fight Club.

[LeighAnn]

3. Livestream

http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution

CBS News Live Feed

http://www.therightscoop.com/cbs-news-live-feed/

[UnrepentantLiberal]

56. This live stream has a better feed:

http://www.ustream.tv/theother99

[coalition_unwilling]

4. Mods, is there some way to keep this at the top of LBN? This may

be the second most important day of our lives (the first being Sept. 17).

[Hissyspit]

16. PHOTO:

[Fire Walk With Me]

5. K&R!

[Fire Walk With Me]

7. The CBS helicopter feed just stopped

:(

[SoapBox]

6. Again and as always...the Police Militia Goon Squad, under the cover of darkness, moves in...

Funny how it's always when it's dark.

Guess they don't want the everyday, average guy/gal on the street, to see them in their Storm Trooper dress.

Time to take back the Police Militias, paid for with OUR tax dollars.

[slay]

8. Wow the cops are being very hands on

grabbing people - pepper-spraying and shoving the crap out of people from what I can tell. :(

It's bout time for a full scale revolution - fuck this police state bullshit!

http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution

[Dawson Leery]

10. The cop uniform serving the one percent.

[slay]

11. Livestream link saying park is blocked off from a block away on all sides

so no other protesters can go help. Won't let anyone even on the sidewalks. This is some 100% grade-A bullshit right here.

[coalition_unwilling]

14. Pigs using pepper spray on non-violent, peaceful protesters, per

alternet reporter whose tweet is on the Global Revolution video feed screen.

[freshwest]

15. ...

:kick:

[alp227]

18. Live coverage is on WBAI 99.5 in NYC (WBAI.org) if you're too busy to watch video

[UnrepentantLiberal]

37. WBAI Pacifica

online live feed is http://stream.wbai.org/

[UnrepentantLiberal]

38. Pacifica Ustream:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/pacifica-community-tv-live!

[UnrepentantLiberal]

55. This is the best live stream:

http://www.ustream.tv/theother99

[Hissyspit]

21. @AntDeRosa Anthony De Rosa I just spoke with the CBS News desk and they were told to leave the airs

@AntDeRosa
Anthony De Rosa
I just spoke with the CBS News desk and they were told to leave the airspace above Zuccotti Park by NYPD
4 minutes ago via TweetDeck

[freshwest]

46. They're following Naomi Wolf's checklist well:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/apr/24/usa.comment

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

78. 5,6,9 & 10.

Not too shabby.

[Hissyspit]

22. $1,000 of dollars worth of personal belongings and donations being destroyed

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2310938

[Beartracks]

23. Some asshat on the livestream is asking...

... "How does it feel to have personal property violently taken from you?"

Clearly he must think that having it taken slowly from you by unethical means over many years is somehow better.

========================

[Hissyspit]

24. NYC Council Member Ydanis Rodriquez Arrested, Bleeding from Head

@JumaaneWilliams
Jumaane D. Williams
I can report that @ydanis, a #NYC Council Member, has been #arrested at #OccupyWallStreet & is bleeding from the head thanks to the #NYPD.

[coalition_unwilling]

28. Holy shit, did I read that right? Did the pigs club a member of the

City Council to the point where her head was bleeding?

[Beartracks]

25. Pulling a Mubarak

From twitter just now:

"Cut trains, prevent press, tear up tents, use pepper spray, & arrest journalists ? NYPD are pulling a Mubarak on #occupywallst #OWS"

===================

[tcaudilllg]

26. Well guys, this is the opportunity we've been waiting for.

I think we can have Bloomberg out of office by the end of the month.

[tcaudilllg]

31. The most significant event of our time, ladies and gentlemen.

Bigger than 9/11. The Bonus Army all over again. My advice is to call out to the cops in this moment of truth, because if enough of them rebel at this pivotal moment, the city government is certain to implode.

[Hissyspit]

27. NYT: Police Begin Clearing Zucotti Park of Protesters

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/nyregion/police-begin-clearing-zuccotti-park-of-protesters.html?_r=1&hp

Police Begin Clearing Zuccotti Park of Protesters

By COREY KILGANNON and COLIN MOYNIHAN
Published: November 15, 2011

Hundreds of New York City police officers began clearing Zuccotti Park of the Occupy Wall Street protesters early Tuesday, telling the people there that the nearly two-month-old camp would be “cleared and restored” before the morning and that any demonstrator who did not leave would be arrested.

The protesters, about 200 of whom have been staying in the park overnight, 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!” At least a couple of arrests were reported just outside the park, but details were not immediately available.

[Hissyspit]

29. Foley Square now occupied:

https://twitter.com/?photo_id=1#!/tedalexandro/status/136350803454722048/photo/1

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

30. this needs on the front page ASAP

.

[Hissyspit]

34. I guess even EarlG needs sleep.

:)

Less eyes is, of course, why this happened in the middle of the night.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

32. Take it back!

[Kaleko]

35. Nothing can kill the evolution happening here.

No one and nothing.

[coalition_unwilling]

36. 15 Food tent occupiers teargassed, thrown to ground and dragged out feet first, per

oral reports on Global Revolution feed.

[Hissyspit]

41. That's what The Nation's Josh Harkinson reported and he was in there at the Food Tent.

[coyote]

40. Rumor: Police cutting down trees that protestors are chained to.

unconfirmed from livestream

[dipsydoodle]

44. BBC - Occupy Wall Street: New York police clear protest camp

Police in New York have launched a pre-dawn operation to clear the Occupy Wall Street camp in Zuccotti Park.

The city mayor's office said on Twitter that the protesters should "temporarily leave and remove tents and tarps" but could return once the park was clear.

>

The New York Times said that as the operation in Zuccotti Park began at about 01:00 (06:00 GMT), police gave an announcement, saying: "The city has determined that the continued occupation of Zuccotti Park poses an increasing health and fire safety hazard."

>

Occupants were told to "immediately remove all private property" and that they would be arrested if they interfered with the operation, said the notice. Any belongings left behind would be put into storage.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15732661

[pam4water]

45. Damn the NYC police and government.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

47. Photo of Zuccotti Park totally cleared

from http://twitter.com/#!/JoshHarkinson of Mother Jones who was live-tweeting from within the park as the eviction took place.

[Danse]

48. Police State

Video of cops attacking protesters at Liberty Park.

http://www.twitvid.com/SGWD9

This is really sick stuff. When I think about the beauty of Occupy Wall Street, all of the organizing, the "people's library" and "people's kitchen", reaching out to the homeless, all of the extraordinary effort and cooperation and hope. Apparently independent book stores from all over NY donated books, which are now landfill.

Occupy camps are the very antithesis of our society, so it is no surprise that they are under direct attack.

LRADS and Tear Gas now being deployed in NY. Ritual displays of humiliation, garbage being dumped ONTO people's belongings before being thrown into dumpsters. Shades of Palestine in the form of bulldozers. God willing, these actions will actually grow the movement ten-fold.

[Danse]

49. Who is coordinating this?

MMFlint Michael Moore
"NYPD Counter Terrorism" unit sent in. Unfuckingbelievable when the terrorists are @ Goldman Sachs.



MMFlint Michael Moore
Dozens of Occupys across US raided this weekend-& now NYC- Planned & coordinated by the Dept. of Homeland Security? Did O give green light?
7 minutes ago Favorite Retweet

[Fire Walk With Me]

50. RT are live on the park being cleared

https://rt.com/on-air/police-zuccotti-park-occupy/

[pam4water]

51. What happened to the livestream feed?

[dipsydoodle]

52. Guardian - Empty park

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2011/nov/15/occupy-wall-street-police-action-live

[Fire Walk With Me]

65. They're scrubbing it down:

[fasttense]

53. Our government that was supposedly of the people, by the people and for the people

are now beating and arresting the people.

A handful of greedy bas**rds can not control millions of people without their consent.

[tcaudilllg]

66. The good news: if Bloomberg can be brought down, there is hope for Russia as well. :)

[RoccoR5955]

57. I may nave to go down there today,

and to hell with work. This is much more important than my stupid job.

[Hissyspit]

68. Reorganization points seem to be Foley Square and Broadway & Pine

although that may change. Seems to be a General Assembly at Foley.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

They're meeting at Foley Square at 8:15 and then heading to

Canal Street.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

73. They're meeting at Foley Square at 8:15 and then heading to

Canal Street.

[obietiger]

89. if I were in New York

I would go with you

[pam4water]

58. I can't get video but the audio is coming through.

[No Joe]

61. Duplicate of Hissyspit's Thread, Please Delete

Source: AP

NEW YORK (AP) -- Occupy Wall Street protesters have been ordered to leave Zuccotti Park, their longtime encampment in Lower Manhattan, but they've been told they can return once it has been cleaned.

At about 1 a.m. Tuesday, police handed out notices from the park's owner, Brookfield Office Properties, and the city saying that the park had to be cleared because it had become unsanitary and hazardous. Protesters were told they could return in several hours, but without sleeping bags, tarps or tents.

Minutes later, the mayor's office tweeted that the protesters should "temporarily leave."

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OCCUPY_ZUCCOTTI?SITE=KING&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

---

"Cleaned"? No, purged, like the Soviet Union under Stalin! FUCK!

[tcaudilllg]

62. Um I'm thinking the future is bleak for that company.

[fasttense]

63. Didn't they try this once before and it didn't work?

It really bothers our government and the 1% that protesters dare occupy a city/state/federal space.

It really bothers them that protesters dare protest. It's as if they feel the spaces being occupied are their own and how dare some working class slob, or worse a poor person, capture it as a symbol of inequality and injustice. How dare the commoners continue to vocalize the obvious inequalities without the filter of reporters and mass media costs. It gets in their craw, it annoys the hell out of the 1%.

These stupid 1%. They just can't leave well enough alone. They have to have control of absolutely everything.

[Danse]

69. At about 1 a.m.

In other words, midnight.

Gee, I wonder why they chose that time to "clean" the park? Perhaps occupiers should invest in some night-vision gear.

The park needed no such cleaning; Occupy WS has done more in terms of health, cleanliness and general well-being of Liberty Park than all park rangers combined. They have also helped the homeless (and the homeless have helped them in turn) than any bureaucrat or politician in recent memory.

This is brute intimidation and nothing more. They have destroyed the people's library.

If NY doesn't show up IN FORCE, by the tens of thousands, we should rename the movement "Occupy Oakland" or "Occupy Lisbon" or "Occupy Auckland" or something. Come on NYers, I have faith in you.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

70. Allison Kilkenny's "In These Times" report is a good summary of all the night's details

I linked it here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2311540

[Danse]

71. Great post

"Ever since protesters first took Liberty Square back in September, they've been discussing when Mayor Bloomberg would make the move to raid the camp. The general consensus has always been the mayor would dispatch the NYPD in the middle of the night, and in the early hours of Tuesday, that prediction proved correct."

Clearly these criminals prefer cover of darkness. All criminals do.

The bizarre fact is that Bloomberg et al even destroyed the People's Library. Book burning is not cool; and you would think, theoretically, that his handlers would have informed this lil' Mussolini of this fact. When you destroy books, you destroy our future.

The cold reality is that the PTB are now attempting to eliminate the occupy movement -- and that includes Obama. Their actions will prove grossly unsuccessful, I predict.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

72. Corporate media coverage scant to none this morning

It's all Penn State and Rick Perry.
Guess they're waiting for Bloomberg's official story at the press conference and then they'll have their narrative.

[Danse]

74. Corporate media

As you know, the corporate media is the enemy. Harry Belafonte discussed this point in a recent interview regarding OWS -- he said that the NY Times and other corporate media outlets were strictly opposed to MLK, especially when he started to question capitalism; only AFTER the fact did they hop on board for MLK Day. He also stated that he wished he could "kiss" everyone involved in OWS.

If the goal is to garner corporate media support, we will not achieve an inch. They will NEVER support ANY movement that challenges corporate dominance. There may be a journalist or two that bucks the trend, but the intended course is pre-fabricated.

We -- I -- intend to challenge that course. And we will win. We are many, they are few.

[slackmaster]

83. It was the lead item on NPR's news update a few minutes ago

:hi:

[RoccoR5955]

75. Tell me what a Police State looks like!

This is what a Police State looks like!

[randome]

81. A police state? Really?

This is a temporary clearing of the area. Protesters are free to return. The government went to court to get this done.

Again. This is a police state?

[Hissyspit]

82. Yes, a police state.

Judge just issued an injunction against the raid.

So you're saying if it is a subtle nuanced police state, it's not a police state because it only every once in a while looks like an overt police state?

The monied interests demanded action on the part of the mayor's office and he complied using a police force with equipment as good as any advanced military force against unarmed peaceful assembly with actions in violation of the 4th and 1st amendments.

[randome]

84. An injunction in support of the protesters does not a police state make.

Incredible hyperbole on this subject.

The 'monied interests'? A large group of people camping out on public property for 2 months and then being given advance notice they will need to leave TEMPORARILY hardly sounds like corporate overlords calling the shots to me.

[Hissyspit]

86. Wake up.

They told the protesters they could have their belongings returned, yet they were destroyed, so the "temporary" stuff was bullshit. And don't get me started on the suppression of the Press.

[randome]

90. The 'temporary' referred to clearing the park.

Property should not have been destroyed, no disagreement from me there. But does that equal a police state? Sheesh!

I'm in training for the rest of the day and the next 2 days so forgive me for posting and running but the words 'police state', when applied to clearing public spaces, is a little overdone, IMO.

[Hissyspit]

115. "Clearing of Public Spaces."

There you go. Thanks.

@OccupyChicago
Occupy Chicago
This is disgusting RT @OccupySeattle: Pepper spray has been deployed against protesters including a priest and a blind woman #occupyseattle

@nydailynews
New York Daily News
Protesters are being searched before they can enter Zuccotti Park, Kerry Wills reports: live.nydailynews.com/Event/Showdown… #OWS

[tcaudilllg]

99. What's happening is Americans are waking up about Bloomberg

The entire nation sees the grave threat before it and is now rallying to put this evil devil in the deepest hole they can find until it expires.

[RoccoR5955]

87. They did not go to court. They just did it.

Troll!

[randome]

91. You must have a lot of people on your Ignore list.

Man, I thought DU was a place for honest discussion of the issues.

You do a disservice to those who labor under 'real' police states if you think clearing public parks of protesters AFTER TWO MONTHS of protesting is equivalent.

[October]

92. This is how it starts...

[brentspeak]

96. Oh, yeah, when cops in riot gear swoop in to clear an area of protestors

accompanied by a muzzle on the media, its done merely for routine maintenance purposes.

[randome]

97. They protested for 2 fricking months!

You can't just take over another city's public space for an indefinite amount of time.

This is now the goal of OWS? To fight cops?

I am all in favor of changing the system and fixing the financial nightmare that occurred. Just not sure this is the way to go about it.

(Pointing out again that I'm in training for the next 3 days so apologize for the post-and-run bit.)

[RoccoR5955]

98. Educate yourself!

This is NOT a public space. It is a PRIVATE space that, under contract, shall remain open to the public 24/7/365.

If I am on anyone's ignore list, it's simply because they do not know the entire issue that I am addressing.

[randome]

102. I didn't say YOU were on anyone's Ignore list.

I was protesting that you called me a troll.

This 'private space' belongs to New Yorkers, not all of whom, I would think, approve of losing their park for an indefinite camp-out by outsiders.

I am trying not to be a pessimist. It just seems to me that if OWS has no stated goal other than to change the system, how is getting in fight-outs with cops going to change ANYTHING?

[snort]

106. "Outsiders"?

Americans anywhere in America aint "Outsiders" harry. I'll protest from Barrow to fuckin Miami Beach if that's o.k. by you.

[randome]

108. I am NOT protesting against protesting.

Full speed ahead! I mean that!

But camping out in public spaces for 2 months? Who are they directing the protests to? The police? They don't have anything to do with the financial meltdown. They certainly don't have the power to change the laws to better favor people over corporations.

Protesting to Wall Street is a lost cause, too. High financiers are like corporations -mindless greed machines. They can't be told, 'Behave better!'

Take the protest to the legislators who opened the barn door for them. It's not stealing when our lawmakers say, "Here. Take what you want." They let this happen and OWS wants to fight the police?

I am truly not wanting to dismiss any concerted effort to change the world, even a small part of it, for the better. I just don't see that anything productive is going to come from skirmishes with local police.

(In training for 3 days, sorry for the post-and-run.)

[unionworks]

116. welcometo my ignore list n/t

[RoccoR5955]

111. When the cops start the fights

it makes the cops look like the thugs that many of them are.
Their goals are obvious. If you cannot see them, I might suggest you go down there, and inquire as to why they are there.

[Warren Stupidity]

100. The right of the people peaceably to assemble

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

As decided by the Civil War and subsequent amendments (the 14th to be precise) this applies to the states as well. The right to peaceably assemble is a fundamental right, an explicit right, a right without qualification or ambiguity. The unlawful police action that violated the rights of those assembled in that park was the action of a state that has discarded its legitimacy and substituted force for law.

[randome]

103. Oh, please.

'Without qualification'? We accept qualifications to the 14th amendment every day of our lives.

Do you have the right to call a protest meeting in a movie theatre? In a church? Do you have the right to interrupt people's lives WHEREver and WHENever you want? No.

The protesters did their thing for 2 months! What's the next step? IS there a next step? Other than to stay put and fight the police?

[Warren Stupidity]

105. Public space.

No you do not have the right to occupy somebody else's church, or theater, or home, or building. You do have the right to peaceably assemble - in a public space, any public space - and that right is unqualified other than 'peaceably'. There is no time limit. There is no 'other people want to use the park too' limit.

[randome]

107. You're right. There is no time limit.

Not sure if camping on public property for 2 months is the same as protesting.

And yes, I do know some actual protesting went on. But not enough, IMO, and not directed at the right people.

But maybe we'll just have to agree to disagree.

[Warren Stupidity]

109. So you would allow the state to act as the protest judge?

"You raggedy ass hippies over there, you are not a protest?"

No I think that is not a valid approach to implementation of the clear intent of the 1st amendment. I think you know that too. The intent is clear.

[LiberalEsto]

76. fascist pigs

and their corporate masters

[Enthusiast]

77. MFers!

[onehandle]

80. NYPD clears park of Occupy Wall St. protesters

Source: New York Times



Hundreds of New York City police officers cleared Zuccotti Park of the Occupy Wall Street protesters early Tuesday, arresting dozens of people there after warning them that the nearly two-month-old camp would be “cleared and restored” before the morning and that any demonstrator who did not leave would be arrested.

The protesters, about 200 of whom have been staying in the park overnight, initially 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.

Over the next two hours, dozens of protesters left the park, while a core group of about 100 dug in around the food area. Many locked arms and defied police orders to leave. By 3 a.m., dozens of helmet-clad officers, watched over by Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, closed in on the remaining protesters. They pulled them out one protester at a time and handcuffed them. Most were walked out without incident.

The Police Department’s chief spokesman, Paul J. Browne, told The Associated Press that 70 people had been arrested in the park, including some who had chained themselves together.




Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/nyregion/police-begin-clearing-zuccotti-park-of-protesters.html

[backtoblue]

85. Press not allowed to enter park???

WTF?

:grr:

[RoccoR5955]

88. Suppress the press

This is a POLICE STATE practice. So much for the FIRST AMENDMENT!

[Uncle Joe]

95. The fascists are doing their best to destroy the First Amendment and they don't want witnesses.

I doubt you will see this on an episode of COPs.

[suffragette]

101. "press pen"

From Josh Harkinson of Mother Jones in an account he posted on twitter:

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/11/occupy-wall-street-raided

#
I told him that I am a reporter with a national magazine, He asked me who, I said Mother Jones. That's when he said I had to leave.
Josh Harkinson

I said I would not,.That he would have to arrest me, but I would go peacefully.
Josh Harkinson

He said that all the press is in the press pen, and that's where I had to go
Josh Harkinson

He literally started hauling me across the park. My feet were slipping on the ground.
Josh Harkinson

[bottom line]

104. Le News

The absurdity of the times... Bloombergs puss & Sandusky's puss on the news at the same time. We mustn't do anything to upset the 1% raping 10 year olds for an NFL shirt or tickets to an NFL game. Honestly, Bloomberg forever linked to Sandusky. If it wasn't so sick, this would be hilarious :) "No cameras allowed in the shower" Goodness Police, it is about time to refuse orders. Bloomberg & Sandusky for all time. Excuse my French "Fuck Me"

[certainot]

110. limbaugh's main station is WABC, right near Penn Station NYC

limbaugh has been wall street's biggest mouthpiece the last 20yrs, done more to get us here than any other single person, from selling iraq and big insurance and wall st deregulation and tax breaks to billionaires and torture, to swiftboating and attacking and lying about all progressive candidates and ideals.

and more recently, getting a total free speech free ride to attack and insult OWS protestors and egg on local pols and cops to break up protests.

[unionworks]

119. amen n/t

[tavalon]

112. Could you tell me which stream you took those pictures from?

thanks. I want to see if the stream is still functional. Thanks.

[Hissyspit]

117. This one, Tavalon:

http://www.livestream.com/occupynyc

I was also watching this one at the same time: http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution

And here's one, too: http://www.ustream.tv/theother99

[and-justice-for-all]

113. Then even more people need to show up...

thousands and thousands of them. This is police raid, is in my opinion a clear violation of constitutional rights.

[unionworks]

114. anti terrorism unit?

Knew all along when they started forming all the fatherland security militias that in the end, they would end up being used against "we the people". This is chilling.

[TK421]

118. bulldozers said to be en route? like the scoops in Soylent Green?

"The scoops are on their way...the SCOOPS ARE ON THEIR WAY"!

[Zorra]

120. kick