Activism
'Occupy Springfield' protesters crash Missouri Republican Assembly meeting
A group of "Occupy Springfield" protesters attended the 7th District of Missouri Republican Assembly's monthly meeting on Saturday to make their viewpoints known, according to KY3 News.
"Major corporations and very wealthy individuals have more influence on our political process than the average person does," said Christopher Smith. "I would like to restore the level of fairness that I believe all of us really want to have in our system of government."
The group did not disrupt the event, but Republican Rep. Todd Akin said some people felt the protesters had "[crashed] their party." But he acknowledged that the group also made the meeting more interesting.
The "Occupy Springfield" protesters plan to attend meetings by Democrats as well because both parties pander to large corporations, they said.
Police arrested eight "Occupy Springfield" protesters after they refused to leave a vacant lot near the Springfield Expo Center on Friday.
One protester had a dollar bill taped to his forehead, which was taken by the jail. The cash was returned as a debit card requiring a fee to use.
"You know they're very lined up with the banking institutions when they issue you a debit card," he said.
Watch video, courtesy of KY3 News, below:
Members of British far-right group arrested over threats to Occupiers
The Guardian reported on Friday that British police have arrested more than 170 members of the far-right English Defense League over threats to attack the Occupy encampment in London.
The arrests took place outside a London pub, but police believed that those arrested were preparing to head for the Occupy LSX encampment at St. Paul's Cathedral. EDL members have been threatening on Facebook to burn down the Occupy protesters' tents and some have recently attempted to enter the encampment.
The EDL is known mainly for its anti-Islamic protests and is often accused of racism and of fomenting violence. The Swedish mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik is alleged to have have extensive contact with the EDL and to have marched in their protests.
An EDL statement had been read to the Occupy LSX general assembly on Friday morning to make them aware of the threats. According to occupier Bryn Phillips, "They called us all sorts of names in the statement and said we should leave 'their' church and stop violating their religion."
Phillips described the police intervention, which was carried out under a law that permits arrests to prevent an "imminent" breach of the peace, as "fantastic."
Video from the Telegraph, November 11, 2011.
Mayor frees Occupy Burlington protester
Occupy Burlington scored a minor but unexpected victory Thursday when Mayor Bob Kiss personally authorized the release of one demonstrator.
Burlington Free Press filmed police just as they were taking 23-year-old Hayley Mason of Burlington, Vermont into custody.
"I didn't cross the [police] line!" she shouted.
"Let her go! Let her go!" the crowd chanted.
An officer could be seen loading tear gas rounds as Mayor Kiss tried to calm the crowd.
"Give us Hayley! Give us Hayley!" the crowd continued.
Kiss whispered something in one officer's ear before he stepped forward to make a statement.
"Under my responsibility, I'm going to ask the police to release Hayley," he explained.
"What do you do when you're under attack?" the crowd asked. "Stand up, fight back!"
Earlier in the day at City Hall Park, a 35-year-old man was fatally wounded. Police believe the shooting may have been self inflicted.
Watch this video from Burlington Free Press, broadcast Nov. 10, 2011.
Man shot and killed near 'Occupy Oakland' camp
A man was shot Thursday evening near the "Occupy Oakland" encampment in Frank Ogawa Plaza and declared dead after being rushed to the hospital, according to local media reports.
NBC Bay Area reporter Jodi Hernandez said she heard 6 to 8 gunshots at 4:59 PM PST, near the intersection of Broadway and 14th Street.
Protesters said they saw a group of men flee the scene after the incident and did not recognize the victim.
"This was not an internal incident," one of the protesters told the San Francisco Chronicle. "What happened was the result of neighborhood violence. Don't forget, we're in downtown Oakland."
Interim Police Chief Howard Jordan said two groups had gotten into an scuffle and one group fired at the other.
"What happened is not a symptom of 'Occupy Oakland,'" said another protester. "Crime is a symptom of the city."
An ambulance arrived at the encampment about ten minutes after the shooting and paramedics performed CPR on the bleeding victim, who was rushed to a local hospital.
Aimee Allison of RootsAction.com said the man appeared to be shot in the leg, and that protesters linked arms around the injured man and shouted "no pictures."
Some protesters also attacked a TV cameraman and others who tried to record the aftermath. At least two news photographers were reportedly hurt.
Protesters fear the police will use the incident to clear out the demonstration, which has now lasted a month. Organizers had planned a celebration for Thursday night.
Police cordoned off a large area where the shooting took place to search for evidence.
"Our condolences and greatest sympathies go out to the man’s family and friends," said Occupy Oakland in a statement. "Come down to support the occupation now — bring candles and flowers to show solidarity with victims of violence."
Earlier Thursday, another man died from a gun shot at the "Occupy Burlington" protest in Vermont. Witnesses said the shot was self inflicted.
Watch video of the aftermath of the shoot, courtesy of Twitvid user Tyska, below:
Updated 10:33pm ET
Protesters 'Occupy' Bachmann campaign event
Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann briefly paused a foreign policy speech in South Carolina Thursday as protesters from the Occupy movement interrupted.
About 10 minutes into the speech aboard World War II-era aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, about 30 protesters began chanting.
"You capitalize on dividing Americans, claiming that people that disagree with you are unpatriotic and you promote discrimination," they said, according to a statement provided to Mount Pleasant Patch. "You parade as a grassroots candidate but your campaign is funded by Americans for Prosperity, a group that takes advantage of legalized money laundering."
The protesters continued: "You cater to the 1 percent. You oppose paying hardworking Americans a living wage and refuse to promote realistic solutions to economic problems."
After several moments of listening to the demonstrators, a police officer escorted the candidate from the stage until the protest was over. They left the room chanting, "We are the 99 percent."
"Don't you love the first amendment?" Bachmann asked supporters before resuming her speech.
Watch this video from the MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell Reports, broadcast Nov. 10, 2011.
(H/T: MSNBC First Read)
Video of police attack on peaceful protesters at Occupy Berkeley
This video is difficult to watch and some viewers may find the footage from Berkeley, California disturbing. In it, a line of police in riot gear attempt to surge into a line of peaceful protesters, jabbing with night-sticks. Cries of pain and alarm are heard as the protesters are jabbed in the gut, punched, and knocked to the ground.
In spite of what is apparently a police effort to scatter them, however, the protesters stand firm. They lock arms and chant "Stop beating students!" in unison and the video ends in a tense standoff.
Watch the clip, embedded via YouTube, below:
Raw Video: Occupy protesters begin march to DC
"This is what America looks like!" says a group of Occupy Wall Street protesters in this AP video as they set out to march from New York City to Washington, DC. According to Agence France Presse, the marchers' every move was monitored by a heavy police presence as they left Zucotti Park and boarded the ferry across the Hudson to New Jersey.
From there they plan to walk about 20 miles a day to make the approximately 200 mile trip, stopping in towns and cities along the way.
Ohio protester: Occupiers 'stand with the unions'
MSNBC host Ed Schultz spoke with one protester in Ohio on Tuesday who said the Occupy movement "stands with the Unions."
While the movement generally considers itself to be non-partisan, many protesters showed up Tuesday night to celebrate the defeat of Ohio Gov. John Kasich's (R) Issue 2, a measure that would have stripped public employees of collective bargaining rights.
"Because the 99 percent are firefighters, they are police officers, teachers and nurses," the activist told Schultz. "And the fight of the unions is the same fight of the occupiers. We all have the right to collectively come together and organize and to say things under one unanimous voice together. And that's why we are proud to stand with the unions here today."
"So this is a victory for the 99 Percent movement?" Schultz asked.
"Absolutely," the protester replied. "The issue of the 99 Percent movement or the Occupy movement and the issues with the unions are the same. It's people putting down and stifling people's voices. And we're not going to have it anymore."
Kasich told reporters Tuesday night that it was "time to pause" anti-union efforts.
“It’s clear that the people of spoken and you know, my view is when people speak in a campaign like this, a referendum, you have to listen when you are a public servant. There isn’t any question about that. …. It requires me to take a deep breath.”
Watch this video from MSNBC's The Ed Show, broadcast Oct. 8, 2011.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Seniors block busy Chicago street to protest cuts to social programs
Chicago police on Monday issued citations to 43 senior citizens and their supporters who linked arms to block an intersection near the city’s financial district.
The action was part of a protest against proposed cuts to Social Security, Medicare and other benefits.
The Jane Addams Senior Caucus (JASC), their supporters and "Occupy Chicago" began the demonstration with a rally outside the office of Illinois Sens. Mark Kirk (R) and Dick Durbin (D). The group, which organizers claimed was nearly 1,500-strong, then marched to the Federal Plaza.
Traffic at the intersection of Jackson Boulevard and Clark Street was blocked for about an hour, according to the Chicago Tribune.
“At every level of society, Americans are under attack," said Karen Bocker, an "Occupy Chicago" participant and grandmother of four.
"When the economy tanks, social programs are cut, not corporate tax breaks. We are under attack, and frankly, I’m tired of it. The very people who are hurt most from cuts to social services – services that our tax money are supposed to guarantee – are those who can least afford it.”
The protesters were joined by Durbin, and Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D), Danny Davis (D), and Mike Quigley (D) in the morning.
Watch video, courtesy of independent YouTube reporter John Sheehan, below:
'Occupy Chicago' protesters host family fair in Grant Park
Protesters participating in the ongoing "Occupy Chicago" demonstration aren't just using the signs and chants to highlight the consolidation of economic and political power.
On Saturday, the protesters joined with the International Bedlam Society to host a family fair in Chicago's Grant Park. The event, called "Keep Your Children Occupied," included free face painting, coloring, bubbles, hula hoops, bean-bag tossing games, live music, balloon animals, and sing-along’s.
The International Bedlam Society said it was hosting the kid-friendly event to raise awareness about poverty in America.
"Because 1 in 5 American families is food insecure," the Society said on its website. "Because children are only 25% of the country’s population, but 40% of the population living in poverty. Because our schools are broke and our prisons are full. We want a better world for them. And we’re going to celebrate and sing while we do it."
More than 300 "Occupy Chicago" protesters were arrested in Grant Park on two occasions in October after they set up tents and refused to leave the public park after closing time.
The protesters have been demonstrating day-after-day at a busy corner outside the Federal Reserve Bank since September 23.
Watch video, courtesy of independent YouTube reporter John Sheehan, below:
'Anonymous' documentary film 'expected' in 2012
A documentary film about the hacker activist collective "Anonymous" is set for release next year, according to a new trailer released recently by production firm Luminant Media.
"We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists" aims to probe the beginnings of "Anonymous" from the early days of the hacker scene and the first hacker collectives, all the way through the berth of "Anonymous" as a global protest movement.
"Anonymous was kind of like the big, strong, buff kid who had low self esteem," one of the film's sources explains in the trailer. "And it all the sudden punched somebody in the face and was like, 'Holy shit, I'm really strong!' Anonymous calls itself the final boss of the Internet, and sometimes it proves to be really fucking true. If you are going to violate the freedoms of the Internet, you certainly better watch the fuck out."
It's not immediately clear if the film will take a critical look at the group, or merely serve to launch it to mythical status, but the trailer certainly seems to take an upbeat view of the hackers' global struggle for truth and transparency.
Filmmakers said their documentary should be, like the hackers tend to say, "expected" sometime in the early months of 2012. Until then, check out the trailer, below.
(H/T: Politicus USA)
Watch: 'Occupy Oakland' protester shot by rubber bullet while filming cops
In a video published to YouTube, an unidentified protester holding a video camera, filming a police line during the early hours of Thursday, Nov. 3, is apparently shot with a rubber bullet even after repeatedly asking officers, "Is this okay?"
Rubber bullets, though considered non-lethal, have killed people before. They can also cause serious internal injuries and even break bones. Despite their name, rubber bullets are small metal cylinders merely coated with a layer of rubber, and can be launched from traditional firearms. (Update: There's been some speculation that this person may have been shot by a beanbag round instead, but it remains unclear.)
The incident took place following Thursday's call to general strike, which saw tens of thousands of protesters shut down one of the city's major highway overpasses. Though the event was largely peaceful, police said they made 103 arrests, mostly for protesters who failed to disperse after being told to leave public spaces. There were also reports of some vandalism and broken windows, although it was not widespread.
Police were heavily criticized for their alleged role in beating Iraq veteran Kayvan Sabehgi with nightsticks as he was walking home from the protest. Although he suffered a ruptured spleen and was in extreme pain pleading for medical attention, none was given, and officers allegedly accused him of being a drug addict. Sabehgi was finally allowed to see doctors 18 hours later, when paramedics had to physically remove him from his cell because he was in too much pain to walk. Authorities said they were investigating the incident.
He was the second Iraq veteran to be seriously injured by riot police in Oakland amid recent protests. On Wednesday, Oct. 26, Marine veteran Scott Olsen, 24, that has impaired his ability to speak after he was hit in the face with what protesters claim was a police tear gas canister.
This video was published to YouTube on Nov. 5, 2011.
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