#OWS Live Blogging - 10/6/11

(Note:yesterday, I went bottom up (to much confusion); today, top down).

Before we get started, I'll recap yesterday's events. Following live feed and twitter, I reported on it as it unfolded, here. The following is a recap as well as events or matters that occurred late in the evening.

Despite massive crowds and widespread support from labor and community organizations, the big news at Occupation Wall Street was once again police violence. According to multiple, contemporaneous twitter reports, large groups of protesters attempted to breach police barricades to go onto Wall Street. The police maced many protesters and well ... here's the video:



There were several claims that the police had plants (agitators?) in the crowd. At approximately 8:15 (EST), journalist Laurie Penny (PennyRed) reported as follows via twitter:

Couple of 'protesters' with badges move out of the back of the crowd and join the police.

I have tweeted Ms. Laurie requesting denial or confirmation, but she has not responded. There were widespread reports of "planted" police officers, but no confirmation.

By approximately 9:30 EST, #OccupyWallStNYC confirmed 18 arrests (Democracy Now reported 28 arrests). Among the arrested was this armless man:

And this gentleman who wrote the word LOVE on the sidewalk with chalk (which apparently is a crime in NYC):



When the arrested are taken away, the crowd asks their names so they can be located. Ryan Devereaux reported that one woman, with "total[] poise" said:

Troy Davis, Medgar Evers, Emmett Till, Martin Luther King.

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Alright, let's start live blogging - Day 20 - 10/6/11

(All times Mountain Standard, unless otherwise indicted)

7:52 AM:

Here is Sarah Jaffe reporting that the march was 20,000 strong and that this is only getting bigger. By the way, all of the print and video commentary (that was worth anything - no Andrew Ross Sorkin, for example) is posted to the left - the list is updated at the end of each day.

Democracy Now - the young woman who says she's "Troy Davis, etc." is on film, plus great video of yesterday's march, Naomi Klein and more.

9:03 AM:

Sam Seder's Majority Report and Citizen Radio team up for live broadcast from Liberty Plaza; Naomi Klein is guest.

11:52 AM:

Occupy Together
Today is another big day across the globe with many many more cities in the US and around the world beginning their occupations in solidarity with Occupy Wall St. As the map grows, it would be impossible for us to wish you luck individually so together, we wish all of those fighting for the cause to stay safe, stay peaceful, and to keep marching on.

3:17 PM:

Matt Stoller most recent piece.

Naomi Klein will be speaking at 6:00PM EST - live feed here.

#OccupyDC is reported to have about 1,000.

4:06 PM:

Laurie Penny (Penny Red) compares European anti-austerity and #OWS.

4:14 PM:

#OccupyDC creates human 99%:

4:39 PM:

A couple words about Erin Burnett. If you don't know who she is, she a CNBC anchor who now has a CNN show and, more importantly, she's a devoted Wall Street lackey (she worked on Wall Street, she recently married a Citibank executive, you get the idea). On her very first CNN show, she had a segment on #OccupyWallStreet entitled "Seriously?". It was my impression that "Seriously?" is intended to be a regular segment. As for Burnett's treatment of #OccupyWallStreet, I really don't have anything to add to Glenn Greenwald's take down (and may you never be on the receiving end of a Glenn Greenwald takedown).

I actually have a minor point, which is this: In response to the fact that Burnett has a segment entitled "Seriously?!", I'm tempted to say: Seriously?! But I won't because I fucking hate that phrase (and it's twin "Really?!"). As Richard Dawkins has pointed out, the Argument from Personal Incredulity is a logical fallacy: "You think we're related to apes? Seriously?" is not a valid form of argument. In fact, all it does is make you look like a snide and/or ignorant asshole. So, it's a small point I know, but anyone with a regular segment entitled "Seriously?!" deserves scorn even if she wasn't a Wall Street water girl (which she is).

5:19 PM:

Kevin Gosztola, What Liberals Now Aim to Do With the Movement's Energy (excerpted):

What should the Occupy Wall Street organizers do? They should continue on the path they were on prior to all the labor and Democratic Party support. They should put the movement first and not bow to any Democratic Party or liberal organization operatives who seek to channel the movement into electoral politics or compel the movement to lower its sights. It should work to maintain a level of discipline and make sure it establishes what it is not. It should continue to aim for the impossible and remember that they have earned their power because they have occupied the park and stood their ground in the face of a media blackout, police brutality and contemptuous criticisms.

The occupiers did not come together to be the Tea Party of the left. They came together to take on corporate power and address problems that impact Americans who are conservative and liberal, left wing and right wing. And, to continue to grow as a movement that challenges the influence of corporations, special interests and the top 1% in government, they need to make clear this is not about building a better Democratic Party. This is about the war on poor, working class and middle class Americans, the constant attacks on unions and how Americans are begin to have influence over their government so the assaults on poor and working Americans come to an end.

5:39 PM: More #OWS police brutality on video:



6:15 PM (h/t Nebraska Sower)

6:26: Occupy San Fransisco (police violence):



6:28 PM: Reports from Occupy DC:

DustinSlaughter Dustin M. Slaughter
Almost nonexistent police. People continue to filter in. Hundreds here. #OccupyDC #oct6 #StopTheMachine mypict.me/maIeg

DustinSlaughter Dustin M. Slaughter
"Free Bradley Manning! Free Bradley Manning!" Hundreds of candles. #oct6 #OccupyDC #StopTheMachine mypict.me/maIo5

6:36 PM (Occupy Santa Cruz):

OccupySantaCruz Occupy Santa Cruz
The website (occupysantacruz.org) now has up-to-date twitter postings from the camp and will have live... fb.me/OyflkX7F

6:41 PM: Occupy Nashville - for those of you not familiar, "Expect Us" is an Anonymous tagline:

OccupyNashville Occupy Nashville
#OccupyNashville protests kicked off today & are STILL going!!! The occupation is coming Nashville. EXPECT US #OccupyWallStreet

6:43 PM:

Uneditedcamera September 17
#occupywallstreet Liberty Sqaure is alive alive alive! People from one side to another, music, general assembly, working groups, and dinner.

6:48 PM: From Occupy Portland (reports of 5-6 thousand protesters):

MegMcA Meg McArthur
@PlutocracyFiles Local NBC Affiliate reports Portland Police estimate five to six thousand protesters. #OccupyPortland

6:53 PM: Michael Moore says this is a must read. Here's the photo that runs with the article:

7:42 PM: Tim Karr, Portraits of a Protest

8:36 PM: Great Keith Olberman segments on #OWS:





8:44 PM:

henryrollins henryrollins
In DC. Ian MacKaye and I went to Freedom Plaza few hrs. ago. Looking great. People everywhere. Momentum building. Neverletup!

9:49 PM:

There are reportedly more than 1,000 people at Occupy Austin.

9:59:

There have been additional reports (twitter via NeWYorkist) of undercover cops infiltrating Occupy New York.