After ‘Occupy’ Arrests, Protesters Plan to Keep Marching
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After nearly 170 arrests across the country early this morning at camps associated with the ‘Occupy’ movement, protesters said they plan to continue marching and occupying parks after curfews, defying police and city orders.
“Occupy Oakland will reconvene every day … until the camp is reestablished,” a note on Occupy Oakland’s website said after police dismantled and raided the group’s camp in Frank Ogawa Plaza late Tuesday night, arresting more than 100 people.
Fifty-two people were arrested without incident in Atlanta after refusing to vacate Woodruff Park at the closing time of 11 p.m.
In New York City, where the movement began over five weeks ago, protesters marched up from Zuccotti Park in the downtown financial district to Union Square in a show of solidarity with demonstrators in Oakland. Activists marched through the evening traffic, but it was a mostly peaceful demonstration. Still, several arrests were reported as protesters clashed with police throughout the night.
In Albuquerque, N.M., two dozen demonstrators were taken into custody after refusing to leave their campsite on the University of New Mexico campus after the school revoked its permit because of safety concerns, the Associated Press reported.
No arrests were reported in Orlando, Fla. However, after midnight police began moving items and people out of Beth Johnson Park, including the local “Occupy” group’s flag.
“We serenaded them with the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ as they took it,” protester Maria McCluskey tweeted.
According to McCluskey, protesters moved back into the park this morning.
But Oakland, Calif., was the most tumultuous scene, with allegations of police violence. Pictures have emerged from a skirmish showing a woman in a motorized wheel chair engulfed in tear gas and an Iraq war veteran being carried to safety after suffering a skull fracture from a projectile allegedly thrown by police.
The Oakland Police Department did not respond to multiple messages left by ABCNews.com today. However, at a press conference late Tuesday, Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan said police intervened after the protesters reportedly began throwing items at officers. Jordan said in that moment it became an “unlawful assembly,” according to ABC News station KGO-TV.
Jordan added that police were only using tear gas and bean bags, not rubber bullets, as had been reported.
Jordan Towers, who was at the scene, disputed the police chief’s claim on Twitter, tweeting a picture of rubber bullets.
“Oakland PD saying they didn’t fire in the crowd is [expletive]! Here are some of the shells I picked up!” Towers wrote.
Despite the arrests, protesters in all three cities and others around the country said they will remain resolute.
“I’ll be right here the next day,” Rhadona Stark of Albuquerque, N.M., told the Associated Press, something protesters in the other cities echoed. “This isn’t over.”
In New York, the problems in Zuccotti Park paled in comparison to Oakland. Representatives from the Occupy Wall Street movement had to answer to a Lower Manhattan community board about a throng of bongo drummers who were called a nuisance.
“Some people within the community wanted the drumming to be lessened since it was disrupting their meetings,” Occupy Wall Street spokesman Jason Ahmadi told ABCNews.com, as the pounding beats of a few dozen bongo players pulsed through the air at Zuccotti Park.
Drummer Jonathan Vergara said he and his friends were just trying to provide some energy for the movement.
“Some of us don’t have the talents to organize or speak to a large group,” he said. “This is our talent that we can share with the movement.”
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Go home people!
Posted by: THOMAS | October 26, 2011, 10:55 pm 10:55 pm
Notice the picture. All young white kids. Interesting
Posted by: thomas | October 26, 2011, 10:56 pm 10:56 pm
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” That’s straight from the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment in the Bill of Rights. Can anyone tell me why citizens all over the U.S. are being arrested today? Obviously they have been peacefully assembling. This is so disturbing. I was taught civics in school for many years – obviously it’s not being taught any longer otherwise the right of the people to freely assemble would not be broached.
Posted by: Karen | October 26, 2011, 11:26 pm 11:26 pm
I am in full support of the occupy crowd EXCEPT when it comes to deliberately antagonizing the police. I just heard an interview wherein a girl admitted the protesters threw rocks and bottles BEFORE the police moved in. This is unacceptable. I have also heard there are paid plants infiltrating the crowds to provide reason for police to respond and to turn the public against the movement. If this was one of those cases, it is a disgusting underhanded political trick. With Scott Walker in Wisconsin admitting to a person he thought was a David Koch that he considered it as an option, it’s really hard to not believe the worst.
Posted by: dan | October 26, 2011, 11:27 pm 11:27 pm
There are 330 million of us and we are all sick of the wealthy and cheats. The police have a number perhaps 500,000. I guess 60 citizens to every police officer gives you an idea of how successful the police will be if they push too hard. Just one shooting death of a protester and it will be a repeat of Kent State. So few cannot hope to rule so many. Our politicans better pay attention to the wishes of the American people and stop taking bribes from lobbyist.
Posted by: Gregory Miller von Richter | October 26, 2011, 11:58 pm 11:58 pm
They’re really cracking down on these ccupy protests since they’re gaining momentum and support. Apparently it’s starting to get some higher ups scared.
Posted by: Trey | October 27, 2011, 12:25 am 12:25 am
LOSERS!!!!! — Get a grip people!! — Is it any wonder the “support” for these people is plummeting in all national polls???
Posted by: TheLoyalOpposition | October 27, 2011, 12:31 am 12:31 am
This is a throwback to the protests of the Vietnam war. Rubber bullets ,tear gas..it didn’t work. Just made it worse, actually. Face it, these folks have a point, they are right and by attacking them, instead of the underlying problem, you just bring more solidarity, more folks feeling for them, sympathizing with them. Shooting at demonstrators during the 60s didn’t hurt their movement, did it? It helped it. If you wanted to escalate the movement, make it more powerful, you couldn’t have tried better. They’re not going away. When did the protests of the 60s go away??? when WE DID withdraw from Vietnam and those protesters were right, weren’t we? we lost that war. And………we were fine, right???? So apparently, we need never have gone, huh? yeah. Small things right wingers seem to forget about the 60s. The protesters……………………. were right. and so are these people.
Posted by: Johnny boy | October 27, 2011, 12:43 am 12:43 am
This movement needs to STOP WASTING TIME AND THEY ARE LOSING THE PUBLIC’S ATTENTION! No organization, no clear message, and this mess in Oakland could go the wrong way. They are all missing the point……the rich are not the problem…it is CONGRESS! The govenment “of the people” has become a myth. Our representative government has become a system of entitlement to the “connected”, laws are written by special interests and corporations, and the American Dream is becoming just that…a dream. If all these groups could agree to fight for just one change, the dam will crack: TERM LIMITS. No one is saying a word about this…Republicans in their debates and Dems praying for salvation. This country is not in decline…it is hurting…true…but unlike the constant dismal bleet from the right, we’ve been through worse and can recover from this. HOWEVER…we are lost unless we can get control of our government back from the corporations, special interests, the greedy and those lusting for power. With term limits the days of “powerful committee chairman” and filthy deal making won’t go away but will be lessened. Isn’t it ironic that the US is trillions in debt but falling apart because of a flood of money keeping the rich/powerful and connected in power/control. Come on “Occupy” folks…wake up, get organized, clean up your act and make something happen…simplify your message and pound it into America’s brains. When your local congressman actually has to work, no automatic pension and benefits instead of worrying about re-election…perhaps we can begin to get this country moving again. Pray…..
Posted by: Carlton | October 27, 2011, 1:13 am 1:13 am
You Foxbots are really on message lately. Keep up the talking points.
Posted by: Secondlook | October 27, 2011, 1:24 am 1:24 am
THEY ARE LOSING THE PUBLIC’S ATTENTION!– LOL. They’re front page news. And the cops have now started being violent toward them. They’re right, you know. No one has taken Wallstreet to task. The Tea party was a cop out. They got power and did nothing but have hissy fits over abortion and try to take Sesame Street off the air. Gee, that’ll show those corrupt CEOs huh????? These kids are right, and they’re causing real discussion about the crooks on wallstreet and what they got away with and that there needs to be some consequences for them!!!!! These kids are RIGHT. they are right.
Posted by: johnny boy | October 27, 2011, 1:25 am 1:25 am
If these people are defying the police that makes them lawless protestors. Time to use force to put them in their place. I believe rocks, bottles and sticks should be considered deadly weapons by the police and dealt with accordingly.
Posted by: Paul | October 27, 2011, 2:30 am 2:30 am
The evidence is out there ABC. There is obviously some problems with the OPD claims. Why are you not investigating and reporting it. A ¨free press¨ that never asks questions is no good for anyone.
Posted by: John Tucker | October 27, 2011, 2:40 am 2:40 am
THIS IS GONNA BE FUN. AS a former Marine. I can say. Domestic Enemies. Beware. Our loyalty to the American people is guided by the Majority RULE. and so far. .. The minority seems to have the loudest voice: ie- Media, Media Reps, All the News Corp, Youtube, All Mainstream websites, and all police officers also regarded as the majority of weekend warriors (Military Reservists) and so on, whom can barely be called warriors. unless you consider comparing 1/12 a warrior to any average soldier. thats based on training and full service, especially over the last decade. However, all the highly skilled military men. the true men of honor that would leave their homes in a heart beat to jump infront of any machine gun laying police unit. or rogue statesmens unlawful orders are simply waiting for the sounds of the american will to rise. To all those over mid age or 45 years or so. YOUR TIME as in Vietnam. You all failed us. DON”T GET IN OUR WAY!! so we can finish what you failed. I don’t blame you, but you failed yourselves and the generation before you failed aswell. If you don’t think so. Look around. I’m only 29. this is not a mess we created, but it will not pass our generation. The Majority Rule rests on those usually under mid age. this is our opportunity, support us or move out the way. becuase regardless, we will be the vanguard for you too. Just please MOVE! it’s our generation that trying to start those small businesses, but can’t becuase no-one had our futures in mind. We will not pass on that worthless inheritence. SEMPER FI! I don’t care for the movements. i only care about my nations security and welfare and rights of the American Citizen. NO matter what it takes to achieve. PERIOD!
Posted by: TOOEASY | October 27, 2011, 2:47 am 2:47 am
Id gladely water the tree of freedom with my patiotic red blood strip, and with the blood of any domestic enemy.
Posted by: Eye4anEye | October 27, 2011, 2:54 am 2:54 am
“”"”"”Our politicans better pay attention to the wishes of the American people “”"”" WHAT? Then why are these people not congregating in DC? That’s where we have problems. America is turning into a nanny state by both the state and federal governments. It’s embarrassing for us normal hard working Americans to see these idiots complain about corporations when the largest danger to our country is the federal and state governments. Corporate greed will not take us down, the national debt will.
Posted by: commonsenseparty | October 27, 2011, 2:59 am 2:59 am
TOOEASY | October 27, 2011, 2:47 am —— Your math is way off, I am 47 and was in Kosovo, Iraq 1 & 2. This is not YOUR time, you are young and ignorant. It appears you are ready for some kind of battle here. “”No matter what it takes to achieve”"? So exactly what are you trying to achieve? These people want handouts and wealth redistribution. If you’re with them, you’re an idiot. If they put as much energy into their personal lives that they do protesting, we would all be better served. So tell us, what do you want out of this young man?
Posted by: commonsenseparty | October 27, 2011, 3:05 am 3:05 am
Fight The Power
Posted by: Shaba | October 27, 2011, 3:32 am 3:32 am
COMMONSENSEPARTY, Thank you for living up to your illustrious name and for using sound “common sense.” I was hoping someone would address the incompetent statement made by TOOEASY. Bravo and please, please keep posting.
Posted by: New Dawn | October 27, 2011, 5:27 am 5:27 am
They compared these losers to the tea party. Sorry, we don’t break laws and act like idiots….what a sham the occupy movement is. Please go back to your holes.
Posted by: nancy | October 27, 2011, 5:33 am 5:33 am
What a crock…the pictures of the supposed rubber bullets are pictures of bean bag shells. Now why wouldnt the author of the article state this? Because the author is trying to influence events, which is not his freakin job! if you are a media member you are supposed to report news not your opinions unless stated as commentery. OWS needs to go away…..bunch of spoiled rich kids and good for nothing trash. I have heard this often in regard to OWS….get a job!
Posted by: Kevin | October 27, 2011, 5:45 am 5:45 am
Obamatrons, please report to Rachel maddow for more downloads.
Posted by: jonny | October 27, 2011, 6:19 am 6:19 am
POSTED BY: GREGORY MILLER VON RICHTER | OCTOBER 26, 2011, 11:58 PM 11:58 PM your right, lets start distributing the corporations money, starting wth Microsoft, Apple, Exxon- Mobil and then move on to the super rich, Soros, Buffet, Gates, any actor or athlete who makes more than a million. Now that should take care off a lot of poor people, mortage pmts., student loans.
Posted by: Lizzie | October 27, 2011, 11:27 am 11:27 am
I wish these losers would go back to their hidey-holes and give the other 99% of us our cities back, quit wasting time and money of our police forces, and go work like the rest of us.
Posted by: dee | October 27, 2011, 12:06 pm 12:06 pm
It is time for the citizens of the United States to take back our country which has been sold by congress and elected officials to the highest bidder.
WHEN THE PEOPLE FEAR THE GOVERNMENT YOU HAVE TYRANNY, WHEN THE GOVERNMENT FEARS THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE LIBERTY — THOMAS JEFFERSON
When a man gives way to anger, he harms himself. — Mahatma Gandhi
Let us not look back in anger, or forward with fear, but around in awareness. – James Thurber
The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. — Albert Einstein
GET INVOLVED – CHANGE THE WORLD!
Peace to all,
–One of the many who has awakened
Posted by: Vee | October 28, 2011, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm