Photos from yesterday at Washington Square where Occupy Wall Street temporarily took over the park.
The group held a “General Assembly” and encouraged participants to join working groups. A speaker stated “we want to hold political and economic elites accountable. In the process of direct democracy, there is no hierarchy.” It’s a process where we are “all responsible along with a responsibility for each other. The process is meant to empower each and every voice.”
The speaker said, “Since [we started] September 17th, we were waiting to come to Washington Square Park to spread, with your help, this movement.”
Actor Mark Ruffalo was doing an interview by the Fountain and hung around for awhile. One thing he said — “[I recognize] When I’m losing hope, it’s because I’m not doing enough.”
Overall however — a bit of an over reaction on the part of the City? Arch and Fountain and Lawns all fenced off and under NYPD and PEP (Parks Enforcement Patrol) watch.
The top of the Arch reads: “Let us raise a standard to which the wise and the honest can repair. The event is in the hand of God. – Washington.”
More at WSP Blog on Occupy Wall Street.
Also see Occupy Wall Street web site.
Photos: Cathryn.
I spent 20 years of my life around Washington Sq Park..lived just around the corner and for large demonstrations they do protect the grassy areas. What I don’t like is them not allowing people to use the bathrooms. Where do they think people are supposed to go wee wee? Hmmmm. Your tax dollars pay for that bathroom usage.
The primary goal of the protest ought to be term limits, 12 years for the Senate and the House and the Supreme court. Death ought not to be the only thing that limits thier obvious mistakes. This is the only way to curtail the visionary ideologist, who promise the voter if elected; the sun, the stars, the moon and a solar system to vote against the opposite party. Remember the bail-out of Savings and Loan Banks about 15 years ago, we were assured then that it would not happen again. Both parties work the system to the no-benefit of themselves.
Interesting that the Parks Department intentionally left a couple of inches of water filling the bottom of the fountain so that the demonstrators could not use the natural amphitheater it forms when empty.
Shouldn’t the Parks Department be cited by Dept. of Health for intentionally creating a mosquito-breeding pool, under NY City law which tickets homeowners for failing to clear up standing water?
Mitchel Cohen
Coordinator, No Spray Coalition against toxic pesticides
http://www.NoSpray.org
sound ideas, mack–but how would we ever compel our electeds to vote themselves term limits? even if we did, they’d get their lifetime pensions and other benefits no one else in the ordinary world can ever realize.
perhaps it is we, the voting public, that impose these term limits at the polls: put these bozos on notice in one of the very few ways we have the ability to do.
Even though it would have been sad if the protestors had damaged the park, I’d still say the city went just a wee bit overboard.
The Constitution of the US would have to be amended to impose term limits on the Senate and House. The Constitution also provides – with good reason – that all Article III judges – Supreme Court, Circuit Courts of Appeals, and US District Courts – are appointed for life. This is supposed to make them immune from the political pressures af having to run for elections, or having to sway whichever way the prevailing political wind blows rather than following the law and precedent as they are supposed to.
The real travesty is the way Mike Bloomberg circumvented term limits due to a city charter that is a much more poorly written constittution than the federal one and due to his undue influence on the City Council – he will use his $$$$ to support the opponents of anyone who dares cross him. Because of this illegal 3rd term, we now have a zealot as DOT commissioner who is foisting ridiculous tourist plazas at our crossroads and clogging our emergency routes with ill-conceived permanent bike lanes.
The police were guarding “The Arch?” Guarding the arch? Guarding the what? Pardon me here but were the protesters coming to attack the arch? Was the arch the subject of any controversy? Were anti-arch factions from Zuccotti Park armed with cans of graffitti spray ready to write “This is what democracy looks like” across the high curved structure? How many police does it take to protect one arch? How many police does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Oops, I’m sorry, my mind wandered. We are the 99% (And so are the police).
Thanks everyone for your great comments!! Really appreciate each and every one’s thoughts and reaching out here. OWS is coming back to Washington Square on Saturday last I heard. Will post more —
Cathryn.
p.s. I did ask two police about guarding the Arch and will write more about that…
thanks again!
There’s going to be an all-students general assembly in the park on Saturday afternoon, then to Times Sq. was what I last heard.
Thanks Angela!
Term Limitations and all political money from the news media so that the media cant keep us divided so they can get those millions spent on polical ads. Not to mention heavy penalty’s for the media if they are found to intentually Hide, distort or just plain lye
Oh yea not to mention to cut all salary’s of politicians to no more than 20,000 a year ! it is not a job it is a service!
Darn you all ! dont you all know they will not do a damn thing unless they fear for there life! they will wait us out! and do nothing!
Viva La revolution! force them all out all and put in there place Vets or comman Men. Politicans don’t have common sense monopilized.
Hi Dinjee,
It is true many of the politicians look at it as their careers and Bloomberg has really used the news media to co-opt the whole political ‘game’ here in NYC. (Not that there aren’t problems elsewhere!)
Keep on it and keep speaking out. Thanks for stopping by!
Cathryn
WSP Blog.