Manhattan, NY – Occupy Wall Street activists said Saturday they aren’t giving up their fight to use public spaces despite police raids in the past week that cleared out encampments in Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
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“The occupy movement is more powerful than ever, despite a violent and systematic wave of evictions enacted by mayors who fear the power of open and visible dissent,” said Laura Gottesdiener, who read a “call to reoccupy” to about 100 protesters gathered in lower Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park.
The protest against economic inequality started Sept. 17 at Zuccotti, a public plaza that is owned by developer Brookfield Properties. At its height, the encampment aspired to be a self-contained community serving meals and providing sleeping bags to those who arrived without them.
Gottesdiener said activists around the country should set up new camps on Dec. 17, the three-month birthday of the movement.
Meanwhile, the protesters, who have not been allowed to spend the night at Zuccotti since Nov. 15, pressed for access to an alternative space owned by a historic New York church.
The protesters want Trinity Wall Street, an Episcopal church that dates to the colonial era, to let them use a vacant lot it owns at Sixth Avenue and Canal Street. The fenced-in property was the scene of arrests on Nov. 15.
“They say, ‘Ask and you shall receive,'” protester Zak Solomon said. “We need that space.”
Three protesters said they were starting a hunger strike Saturday to try to pressure Trinity to let them use the vacant lot.
Trinity officials did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Other activists are staging 24 hours of street performances on Broadway near Times Square.
Saturday’s lineup was to include playwright Adam Rapp, actress Kathleen Chalfant, who was in the original Broadway cast of “Angels in America” and cast members from the touring production of “Hair.”
Good. Let them starve, then maybe we can resume our normal lives. Bunch of freeloaders!
They will get their message out even if it takes bombs & killings!
Society either allows what went on (lawlessness) those 2 months in Zucotti Park or they limit it to “freedom of expression” and keep it within the confines of “the letter of the law”. What we saw in Zuccoti Park was disturbingly reminiscent of the 60’s. Those who beg to differ, weren’t there in the 60’s to see it. The president was mum on the topic. Actually, he did mention them recently & he had nothing bad to say about them other than “we hear you” etc. This president “hears” this type of “noise” and reminds him of his youth & his ghetto. He has members of his cabinet that did exactly that back in the 60’s. Think its a coincedence? I think not! This president is unfit for high office. He has brought down the prestige & respect of high office to that of low-life swindler.
Sadly, there are many that can’t see past his shrewdness. They don’t have the life-experience to see it for what it is. But I do, and many others as well. And we will get past him just as soon as the next election comes up.
This movement is over. Done!
All went back to the homeless shelters. It was a nice 3 months getaway for them