OntheWilderSide

Two things:

One: I believe that one reason the NYPD was as arrogant and violent as they were last night, is because of new policies and legislation passed by Obama and Congress in the last few weeks. People need to slow down and check out what our entire government – both parties – have been doing to change our rights as citizens and human beings in this country. [See NDAA info here. See HR 347 info: here.]

Two: For people who think they are okay and safe from police abuse because they won’t demonstrate, or get in trouble with the police: You see what the police are doing to these demonstrators? — accidentally shoving, casually breaking glass with their heads, standing by while someone they arrest has a seizure, barricading people in and out of public spaces — that is what they are going to do to you when there is a little commotion on the bread line or the gas line. (And, the bread line and the gas line are coming up for a lot of us. Know anyone who is unemployed? Know anyone who is losing their home?)

I was watching live video of the march last night. I heard someone describe seeing a woman have a seizure while police kept certified medics away. I was not sure if I could believe such an atrocity happened. The story is in the NY Times today. If you read between the lines, you can see the police were slow to act when the woman needed medical attention.

Story at OccupyWallSt.org: here.
Updated: Occupiers Retake Liberty Square, Celebrate 6 Months of #OWS

Yesterday, on the 6-month anniversary of the original Occupation of Wall Street, #OWS went back to our origins. After a weekend of marches on Wall Street complete with spring training exercises, a St. Patrick´s Day march, floating tents, and dancing in the streets, Liberty Square was re-occupied by thousands of Occupy supporters. Unfortunately, bringing back memories of November 15th, NYPD violently evicted us from our home once again while Occupiers were hugging old friends and celebrating the coming of spring in the park. According to the New York Times, ¨scores¨ were arrested, and more injured, during the attack. At least one person was taken to the hospital. On Livestream, peaceful protesters are seen being tackled, punched, stomped, choked, hit with batons, and thrown against cars for no reason other than sitting down to peacefully protest inequality in a public park. At around 3:40 in the following video [at bottom of post], watch as NYPD slams a medic´s head against a glass window and shatters it.

Solidarity marches are planned for tonight (Sunday 3/18) in Portland, Chicago, and elsewhere.

(excerpt from NY Times)
Scores Arrested as the Police Clear Zuccotti Park
By COLIN MOYNIHAN / May 17, 2012

1:09 a.m. | Updated Scores of Occupy Wall Street protesters were arrested on Saturday night as police officers swept Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan and closed it.

Dozens of demonstrators sat down and locked arms as officers moved in about 11:30 p.m….

At one point, a woman who appeared to be suffering from seizures* flopped on the ground in handcuffs as bystanders shouted for the police to remove the cuffs and provide medical attention. For several minutes the woman lay on the ground as onlookers made increasingly agonized demands until an ambulance arrived and the woman was placed inside…

* On Live Video streaming last night, someone thought they heard that the name of the demonstrator having seizures was Cecily McMillan. NY Observer suggests that is the case. Cecily was featured as an occupier in Rolling Stone. See more about Cecily, and the police attacking her last night at The NY Observer: here.

Video. Posted at OccupyWallSt.org
(Note: Strong language, and upsetting scenes of police violence.)
At 3min40sec, police smash a demonstrator’s head into a glass door.

Filed under: Action Alert!, activism, local, New York State Politics, News, Occupy Wall Street, politics, progressive politics, US Politics Tagged: | #m17, Cecily McMillan, HR 347, HR347, Liberty Square, National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA, new york city, New York City Police Department, NY politics, NYC, NYC politics, NYPD, occupier has seizures, occupy seizures, Occupy Wall Street, ows, Police Abuse, police violence, protest, Right to Protest laws, social change, Zuccotti Park