Six months and a few days ago, a global movement manifested in America. Occupy Wall Street, at first isolated to New York, rallied around the economic rights of the “99%,” the average Americans who—the movement felt—are most affected by the economic downturn.
Occupy movements sprouted up across the U.S. and strengthened around the globe. Initially, the movement gained great recognition and participation, but the momentum seemed to have died down at the onset of winter—at least until now.
Saturday, Occupy protesters reestablished their presence on Wall Street. They rebuilt their camp in Zuccotti Park, a popular hangout for New York financial workers. Police quickly cleared out the camp, but the move reignited interest in the current state of the Occupy movement.
Photo: Mike Segar/Reuters
Shout-Out to OWS
Occupy Wall Street protesters returned to Zuccotti Park, the founding encampment, to mark the movement’s six-month anniversary. Allegations of police brutality in clearing out the camp (claims made by many Occupy movements) drew the attention of New York public officials.
While Mayor Bloomberg offered protesters “accommodation” in county jails, other officials condemned police use of excessive force. Above, City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez stands up for Occupy Wall Street protesters at a press conference.
Photo: Mike Segar/Reuters
Policing the Movement
Police stand over an Occupy Wall Street protester after arresting him on the movement's six-month anniversary. The man was one of 73 demonstrators to be detained.
Arrests and harsh police force have often met Occupy protests—just ask 84-year-old Dorli Rainey or war vet Scott Olsen. Today, several states have changed their approaches to controlling the movements. New legislation, which seems to circumvent Constitutional guarantees of peaceable assembly, seeks to prevent the congregation of Occupy groups rather than break them up.
Photo: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters
Wake-Up Call
Occupy camps serve as both the central meeting and community building sites for local movements. Protesters often reestablish their lives in the encampments, where they make tents into homes, cook and sleep (like the two men depicted above in New York). After police and winter weather cleared out camps around the country, new legislation now threatens their re-emergences.
Idaho and Tennessee recently passed laws prohibiting camping and/or sleeping in public spaces not designated as campgrounds. In Atlanta, city officials outlawed tents and plywood in public parks. Such legislation will certainly further complicate the cohesion of Occupy movements within these regions.
Photo: Andrew Burton/Reuters
Fatigued But Not Finished
Last fall, when the Occupy Wall Street movement began, demonstrators from all walks of life (such as veteran Edward Pages, above) populated Zuccotti Park.
Yet Saturday’s demonstrators proved to be both smaller in numbers and “more hardcore” than the original bunch. While aspersions that the movement went into “hibernation” for the winter were cast, remaining Occupiers object. Organizers argue that Occupy Wall Street simply found new homes in different public spaces after it was removed from camps last fall.
Photo: Lucas Jackson/Reuters
Local to Global
While Occupy Wall Street protesters may not have been photographed storming the streets this winter, they weren’t fully dormant. Organizers gathered in locations in various cities, planning next steps. One of the most important dates on its calendar is May 1—May Day.
Capitalizing on the traditional global day to honor laborers, Occupiers are organizing a job and education strike to draw attention to economic disparities in the workforce. The move, which it hopes will engage the international community, exhibits the movement’s advance toward global, versus local, organization.
Photo: Mike Segar/Reuters
Seeking Unification
A protester listens to a speech at one of the original Occupy Wall Street gatherings last fall. Initially, the Occupy Movement was internationally united by Twitter (@occupy). Other media emerged, such as the Occupied Wall Street Journal, focusing only on local issues. Global cohesion is a next step for the global movement. Organizers seek to expand their influence to unify supporters around the world.
Representatives announced the launch of a website (occupy.com) for later this month. The site will feature recent news concerning Occupy events as well as profiles of contributors from around the world. Organizers hope this advancement will facilitate the movement's fundraising, visibility and recruitment.
Photo: Andrew Burton/Reuters
No Money? No Problem.
In New York, members sought local unification by financing an office space where Occupiers could meet and organize future activities. Sumumba Sobukwe (above) manages the front desk. Maintaining this central meeting point off the streets helps keep the movement on its feet. However, considering the organization's dwindling finances, no one can be sure of a centralized organization’s longevity.
Photo: Andrew Burton/Reuters
OWS Won’t Be Budged
A woman sits in the Zuccotti Park camp during the early days of the OWS movement. Although the group has been removed from its birthplace, protesters are standing their ground. After being forced out of Zuccotti Park on Saturday, March 17, OWS protesters moved to Union Square. Police attempted to eradicate the camp, but many supporters (including a woman in labor) refused to go.
Occupy Wall Street’s physical resilience is essential to its plans for the Occupy Spring. Items on the agenda for the next two months include protests against political finances, student loans, and lobbyists’ associations with fossil fuel producers.
Photo: Mike Segar/Reuters
Facing the Storm
An Occupy Wall Street demonstrator walks through the camp during the first snow of the winter. With the reemergence of Occupy Wall Street for its six-month anniversary, the movement strives to spark and reignite global efforts and avoid fading away into the embers.
Considering the organization’s schedule for the spring (including the launch of its website and several major protests in New York), Wall Street protesters won’t let their cause fade without a fight.
