Updates 11/30/11- morning

Good morning everyone.

We've almost made it to December! I hope you are all well.

Here is the news for today:

-- Over 200 were arrested last night at Occupy LA. Within minutes of arriving at the camp, police tore down a tent and tackled a man with a video camera. Protesters were determined to remain non-violent. CBS News reports that police moved in with "military precision," and more than 1000 police officers. Official reports say no tear gas or rubber bullets were used, but that several Occupiers had to be pulled down from trees. (My apologies for not being able to give livestream info. I fell asleep before the raids occurred.)

-- Occupy Eugene is attempting to convince the city council to allow them to stay past the December 15th deadline they were originally given. Occupiers spoke with the council Monday, telling them that the encampment helps drug addicts and the homeless, because of their strict rules concerning alcohol and drug use, and that the homeless people who visit or stay in the camp are well cared for. City council members who originally supported the movement appear to be wavering.

-- 3 protesters from Occupy Richmond have been ordered to pay fines after they were convicted of trespassing. The three men were also given suspended jail sentences.

-- Occupy Broadway will soon be underway in NYC. This group of artists and theater performers will be occupying Times Square, in a stage of 24/7 "creative resistance."

-- Occupy Oakland may not have a camp, but that doesn't mean they aren't hard at work. Occupiers in Oakland are planning on shutting down the port for a second time on December 12, much to the dismay of city council members.

-- Occupy Philly was raided last night, with at least 50 arrests. The encampment was cleared with bulldozers and heavy machinery. While there were no confrontations, according to the mayor, 3 police officers and one protester were hurt. A police officer who used his bike to push a protester was yelled at by Occupiers. The woman who was injured in the protests had her foot stepped on by a horse.

I know there is a lot more news today, and I'm very sorry, but I'm very sick this morning. I will attempt to complete the news later, but for now, I have to go lay down before I fall down. thank you for understanding.

Solidarity to all.

Updates 11/29/11

Good morning everyone.

I'd like to thank Ms. Janet for her amazingly kind encouragement and advice. It's really nice to know that people do care. :)

Here's your news for today:

-- Occupy Raleigh has had a new spot since Thanksgiving. The triangular patch of private land that they're camped on costs $400 a month rent, which is being paid by an anonymous donor. Protesters are happy to not have to deal with permits and the like from the city, but it might not stay that way long. The city is looking into zoning and code rules, saying that just because the land is an undeveloped parcel, doesn't mean that you can do anything you want on it.

-- Police were called to a committee meeting by the Rochester school district, after Occupiers and other protesters questioned the process being used to find parental representatives. The meeting was not supposed to be open to the public, so the group went into recess and called police. No arrests were made.

-- Occupy Auckland had a victory today when a judge refused to force them to move from the public square. The judge agreed that protesters were not given adequate time to prepare for the court date. Another court date is set for next week, as council members continue to seek a permanent injunction against the Occupy group.

-- A court case in Cedar Rapids is moving to a higher court. The city is fighting Occupy Cedar Rapids over a city-owned field. The city's attorney is the one who moved the case to Federal Court, saying that this represents questions of First Amendment rights, and should therefore be heard by a Federal judge. The Occupy attorney says this seems to be a delaying tactic to cancel the hearing scheduled for Monday.

-- Occupy Philly is still hanging out at the original plaza. While a police force watching them has been steadily growing, protesters are still in fairly good spirits. Police say that if they do evict from the plaza, a final warning will be given before they move in.

-- Fox News is reporting that 3 vacant homes in northern Portland (OR) were raided after they were tipped off to some squatters inside. They found that anarchists had taken over and changed the locks, and were claiming to be part of the OWS movement. Fox says that police found body armor, machetes, anarchist literature, projectiles, and other weapons.

-- Occupy Albany will no longer "provoke nightly arrests," says a local radio station. Instead, they will be focusing on state policies, including the millionaire tax set to end at the start of the new year.

-- Albuquerque police are apparently hounding protesters by handing out mugshots of some Occupiers, and the group isn't happy about it. They are filing a formal complaint against police profiling.

-- Occupy Seattle, as well as multitudes of other Occupy movements and Washington Unions descended on the Capitol yesterday. They held a teach-in, set up tents, rallied, and attempted to occupy the Capitol's rotunda. The state legislature has been having multiple issues with their deficit, and attempting to fix it. They raised taxes, but neglected to close corporate loopholes, leaving the poor to pay the bill. Now they are considering cuts in public services and education.

-- A mini-protest is occurring in San Diego. Occupiers have set up around 25 miniature tents, in a symbolic protest against police for tearing down their encampments. The tents are about two feet wide, and police say they will not cite protesters for having them up during meetings.

-- A University of California board meeting had to be moved, after protesters mic checked the board members and interrupted the meeting. Occupiers spoke out against budget cuts, as well as crackdowns on UC campuses, such as UC Davis and UC Berkeley. The meeting was being broadcast to other campuses via teleconference.

-- Occupy Denver is going to have to deal with some opposition this weekend. A conservative group, aligning itself with the Tea Party movement, has said they will hold a counter protest this Saturday. The group claims that it is not trying to fight with Occupy Denver, but that they feel the policies Occupy is trying to pass would make things worse. Many Occupiers believe the group is simply trying to latch on to the publicity given to Occupy Denver.

-- A circulating memo has Occupy DC on edge. The National Park Service issued a memo stating that police activity will be increasing due to public urination, illegal drug use, and assaults. It also states that camping is illegal in the parks, as a reminder to protesters. Some Occupiers see this as a first step towards eviction. The Park Service spokesperson says the data about drugs and assaults are based only on anecdotal evidence. (Which means they don't have any evidence but hearsay.)

-- Occupy Los Angeles is in court to stop any future evictions. Citing camp-outs for things like tickets to the Twilight movie, Black Friday shopping, and even the forced closure of a street due to over a thousand Twilight fans at the movie's premiere, Occupy LA is claiming the police are selectively enforcing the law.

-- Occupy Chicago is fighting SB 397 with all their might. The bill is set to give huge tax breaks to some of the wealthiest corporations, including the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and the Chicago Board of Exchange. The bill would give them a combined amount of around 100 million dollars in tax breaks.

-- The court ordered stay is ending soon in Boston- December 1st, to be exact. While the mayors says there are no current plans for eviction, he also states that he doesn't believe the group is allowing for their Occupation site to be enjoyed by the public, as it should be. Protesters are making plans and preparing for possible eviction.

-- Occupy Ithaca is now living up to its name. Protesters set up 12 tents in Dewitt Park, and say they plan on staying "indefinitely or until we win or get kicked out."

-- Protesters tried to interrupt a recruiting event by Goldman Sachs yesterday afternoon. Occupy Harvard stood outside chanting, after they were turned away from entering the event because it had already begun. One of the chants included "Goldman Sachs, you can't hide. We can see your greedy side." Other students were allowed in after the event had started, leading to an uproar among the Occupiers.

That's all I have time for today. I have an exam due in less than a half hour. Wish me luck everyone, just as I do for you.

***Solidarity***

If you have any questions, comments, corrections, or information, please contact me at elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thank you for your emails.

Updates 11/28/11

Good morning everyone.

I am currently watching the Occupy LA livestream on occupystream.com. It offers a bunch of different streams in one place, and you can hop from city to city with one click. Also, please forgive any spelling or grammar mistakes I may make today, as I am getting sicker as the weather gets colder. I need to move somewhere warm.

Here is your news for today:

-- Occupy Augusta had nine arrests yesterday. There is certainly some interesting info included in their press release. Thank you to Joel for this information. You can read their press release here: https://www.facebook.com/notes/andi-parkinson/official-press-release-from-occupy-augusta-re-todays-arrests-statements-of-feder/248092378585360

-- Occupy Los Angeles seems to have survived their eviction, at least for now. The most recent news stories say that at least 3-4 protesters have been arrested, mostly for throwing things at police. As the sun rises, police are backing down. Occupiers are singing, and a police commander, in good spirits, gave a press release saying that the protests have been largely peaceful, aside from those arrested. When he took off his helmet, people cheered. He also said that the eviction was decided by the mayor and politicians. (I mention this because he did not sound too happy about this.) He then asked the protesters where a good place to get breakfast together was.

-- Occupy Philly also remains at their site, with no arrests made. The protesters remain calm as they await any action, but so far, it has been quiet.

-- Occupy UC Davis will be busy today, with at least 4 protests planned. Protesters around the state are expected to stand with them.

-- Occupy Oakland is planning on retaking the plaza, using a vigil as the medium. Tuesday, they are starting a 24/7 peaceful vigil, thereby asserting their Constitutional rights.

-- Occupy Portland (Maine) voted to seek a permit to remain in the park they have been occupying for the past month. Another discussion will occur today on the matter, with the permit filing expected to happen on Tuesday.

-- Occupy Seattle, as well as several other Occupy movements throughout Seattle, are heading to the capitol city to protest tax cuts and other budget issues. Several unions are said to be accompanying the groups. Occupy Seattle has several buses heading that way.

-- Occupy Boston will be back in court Tuesday, to give more arguments for their injunction. Currently, they have a temporary restraining order against removal. If the injunction is granted, the restraining order will remain in effect until the court date.

My apologies for the news getting 'lighter.' Illness and stress are taking over, and I have around 20 full days left in school, not to mention grad school applications. I will continue to provide the most important news I can find. Wish me luck, lovelies. I need it.

***Solidarity***

If you have any questions, comments, corrections, or other news, please contact me at elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. You don't know how much I appreciate it.

Updates 11/27/11

Good morning everyone.

I live in the weirdest area for weather. It was 60 degrees yesterday (F), but today we have a chance of snow. Once again, the mainstream media is lagging behind again, yipping on about Black Friday. Many of the "current" news articles are the same as yesterday and the day before, but slightly altered. My news is somewhat short today because of this.

News from an email-

"Rally to Support Occupy Augusta, Sunday, Nov. 27, Noon, Capitol Park, Augusta

The Capitol Police have told Occupy Augusta--either get a permit with a very limited number of daytime only structures or the encampment will be closed on Monday, Nov. 28.

Other actions may be planned on Sunday in addition to the Rally. Please come to support those as well.

A temporary restraining order will be filed by lawyers on Occupy Augusta's behalf on Monday."

Thank you Joel!

Here's your news for today:

-- Occupy Austin was told by State Troopers that they had to leave the Capitol building, because without a permit, they cannot be on the property for more than 3 hours in a 24 hour period. Obviously disturbed, the protesters left without incident.

-- In Seattle, a bank was vandalized and defaced with the words "Revenge for Occupy Oakland" spray-painted on the wall. Almost every window was shattered, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage. Police are asking for help to catch the person responsible.

-- Occupy SF marched yesterday for immigrant rights. While traffic was slightly disrupted, the march continued peacefully to the Mission District, where speeches and rallies followed.

The biggest stories in mainstream media today are the impending evictions of Occupy Philly and Occupy LA.

-- Occupy Los Angeles has been given until 12:01 a.m. Monday to vacate City Hall property. Many protesters say they will peacefully demonstrate past that time. Neither the mayor nor police will give any hint at the tactics they plan to use to evict the Occupiers, but the mayor has said that he trusts "that we can manage the closure of City Hall Park in the same spirit of cooperation." One protester's response to the mayor's speech was, "What I got from it is 'I value grass more than people.'" Occupy LA has at least two large demonstrations planned for Monday morning.

-- Occupy Philly's deadline is a bit closer. They mayor has given them until 5 p.m. today to dismantle their camp and move from the premises of the City Hall Plaza. Yesterday, no one was packing, as they discussed strategies and plans for what to do about the deadline, and what to do in the future. Initially, the mayor had visited the encampment, saying that he wanted to work with the movement.

There are a few interesting articles to share with you.

The first is a claim from the Washington Post, talking about the police and Occupy, and why police don;t want to be involved.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/police-want-to-stay-out-of-occupy-story/2011/11/22/gIQAjy8MzN_story.html?tid=pm_local_pop

The second is a story by HuffPost, discussing the costs of Occupy movements, and the fact that cities have previously been cutting social services for the homeless.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/27/occupy-wall-street-and-homeless-evictions-cities_n_1111094.html

That's all I have for today. Let's just call this "News Light." :)

If you have any questions, comments, corrections, or information, please email me at elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com.

Updates 11/26/11

Good morning everyone.

I was up late last night examining the wording some of the new bills they are working on in Congress. Meanwhile, half the mainstream media is still gobbling about thanksgiving, and the other half is having a conniption over Black Friday. It's rather funny to think that most of them report the same story over and over again.

Once again, I cannot stress enough the importance that you read this article by Naomi Wolf. It is an extremely important and intelligent piece.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/11/25-7#.TtARNdLhxSU.facebook

Here's the news for today:

-- Occupy Los Angeles has been given until 12:01 a.m. Monday to vacate or be removed. The mayor reportedly thanked the group because they have "awakened the country's conscience," but also that the grass at City Hall needs to be restored as well. They've cited public health and safety concerns as the reason for the encampment's removal.

-- After Occupy Eugene protested at the mall, and encouraged shoppers to spend time with their families, they moved to a Walmart parking lot. One Occupier was arrested there, and cited for criminal trespass. He was wearing a mask and carrying a bull-horn.

-- Occupy El Paso disrupted shopping at the local mall for a while. Police arrived and told them to vacate the premises, and the group did so without arrests.

-- Occupy Tacoma had a bit of a shouting match with security guards during their Black Friday protest. Dressed as zombies, they handed out fake money with "Keep Shopping. Everything is fine." written on it. The News Tribune says this is quite a departure from Tacoma's "seven weeks of near invisibility."

-- 6 Occupiers were arrested in Raleigh yesterday under charges of disorderly conduct and second-degree trespassing. Police told the Occupiers they could not protest in the mall, but they could on the sidewalks. The six were later arrested for demonstrating in the food court.

-- Occupy Tuscon had two more arrests last night. Police have been taking Occupiers to jail instead of issuing citations, ever since it was ruled that people with more than 3 citations could be thrown in jail for "interfering with judicial process." The Tuscon Citizen currently has a poll asking if people believe the Occupiers are exercising free speech, or if they are just camping. As of now, the poll sits at 69% for free speech.

-- A Boston Protester has been banned from returning to the Occupy Boston group after being arrested twice. The young woman was arrested first for assaulting a police officer, and later for not showing up at court. As she posted bail, the judge barred her from returning to the Occupy site.

-- According to a blog on Americanthinker.com, Occupy Indianapolis is paying homeless people to Occupy. Apparently the blog author got the story from Fox News. You can read about this here: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/11/desperate_occupiers_pay_homeless_to_occupy.html (I personally see nothing in the statements about paying people, or anything like that at all, but hey, maybe I'm just missing something, or maybe the author is... like a brain.)

-- Occupy Portland was busy yesterday. First they marched for Fur-Free Friday, then demonstrated peacefully in a local mall, while others held the first Occupy Cafe in the basement of a church, offering a buffet of food, drinks, and conversation.

-- Occupy Philly has been given until 5 p.m. Sunday to vacate the plaza that will be renovated. The mayor says he will not "try to predict what's going to happen on Sunday at 5 p.m."

-- Occupy Seattle and Occupy SF protested Black Friday. Occupy Seattle chanted and sang outside a Walmart, while Occupy SF protested downtown. At one point SF Occupiers blocked a street, but they moved before police arrived.

-- 2 members of Occupy Dallas were arrested for "criminal mischief," after they threw fake blood on the windows of a Neiman Marcus store. Apparently the fake blood caused around $3,000 worth of damage to the storefront. (You've got to be kidding me.)

-- Occupy Grand Rapids had a huge hit with "Buy Nothing Day" and their free market. Over 60 people came and participated in crafting and getting free items to give for Christmas, rather than joining in on Black Friday.

-- One Occupier was arrested in Harrisburg when the group, dressed up as zombies, protested at a local mall. The mall cited rules regarding face coverings to get most of the protesters to remove their makeup, but one woman was arrested. The news story did not give a reason for her arrest.

-- Occupiers showed up at Michele Bachmann's book signing yesterday. Each person was searched and given a pat-down before entering the room with her, and protesters were not allowed to bring their signs. Reporters were told they would not be allowed to be in the room when the protesters were.

That's all the news I have for this morning. Thank you for reading.

***Solidarity***

If you have any questions, comments, corrections, or other news, please email me at elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com.

Important and well-written article-- MUST READ.

This is a damn good article, and you all need to read it.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/11/25-7#.TtARNdLhxSU.facebook

Updates 11/25/11

Good morning everyone.

Imagine my surprise when I began looking for news on Black Friday this morning, and the mainstream media greeted me with... Thanksgiving stuff. It seems they're so hung up on Thanksgiving being celebrated by Occupiers that they are ignoring Black Friday protests. Or they are simply trying to hide them.

Here's what news I could get my hands on:

-- Occupy Oakland had a potty problem during Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. Port-a-Potties were delivered to the plaza, but police refused to allow them to be unloaded. A small fight broke out, leading to two protesters being knocked to the ground. After cries of "call an ambulance" rang out, the video provided by Occupy Oakland shows an officer pulling a taser, but being stopped by a female protester. You can watch the video here: http://sfbayview.com/2011/police-turn-occupy-oaklands-thanksgiving-into-potty-riot/ (That girl who stops the taser is bad-ass, in my opinion.)

-- Occupy Cleveland is saying their permits have been renewed, allowing them to remain in the square until the end of the year.

-- 3 people were arrested in Edmonton early this morning as police swarmed the park. They dismantled tents at around 4am, with 40 officers present.

-- The ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of Occupy Minneapolis earlier this week. They are arguing that the procedures implemented by Hennepin County, both written and unwritten, violate the First Amendment of the Constitution. You can read more about this here: http://www.fightbacknews.org/2011/11/24/lawsuit-filed-aclu-protect-occupy-minneapolis

Here's the info I could find on Black Friday:

-- Occupy Eugene planned on occupying the Valley River Center mall this morning. They are doing a flash mob type gathering, with music and dancing.

-- Occupy Atlanta is holding a "free market" in Woodruff Park today. The market will offer free food, clothing, and other goods to those who attend.

-- Occupy Albany will be protesting at two different malls, where they will be singing Christmas Carols to bring attention to the corporate perversion of the holidays.

-- Protesters in Idaho are dressing up to show just how much society is ingrained with 'corporate zombie' thinking.

-- Occupy Las Vegas is taking on several malls. Nevada currently has the highest jobless rate in the country, and they want to remind people what their spending money is feeding- Corporations.

-- According to this article, all Occupiers are disciples of Adbusters, and we are "doing their bidding" by protesting Black Friday. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/faith/occupy-instigators-adbusters-urge-disciples-to-wreak-holiday-shopping-havoc-134483263.html

I know this isn't much, but I'm sure I'll be able to find more info tomorrow. Hopefully.

If your Occupy group did something for Black Friday, please email me and let me know. If I get enough information, I'll do a second update later today.

***Solidarity***

If you have any questions, comments, corrections, or other news, please email me at elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com.

Updates 11/24/11

Good morning, and Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Here are your updates for today:

-- Occupy movements across the country are celebrating Thanksgiving in several ways. Some are at home with family, while others are doing good works. Occupy Wall Street has prepared 5,000 meals, and will have live acoustic music to enjoy. Many Occupy movements are feeding the homeless, both in soup kitchens and at their site. Thank you everyone, for all the good you do in the world.

-- Occupy movements everywhere are working on plans for Black Friday. Check back tomorrow for more info on what they're doing. Personally, I used to either shop or work on Black Friday. Tomorrow, I will be attending the 7th Annual Southern Illinois Alternative Gift Fair. If you are in the Southern Illinois area, you'll definitely want to check it out. Here's a link to the facebook page for posters and more info: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Southern-Illinois-Alternative-Gift-Fair/264294030273371

-- Occupiers in Richmond had a close call yesterday. A neighbor blocked the shared driveway that accesses both the mayor's house and the Occupier's current site, as well as several other homes, at a journalist's home, and then moved his vehicle to allow someone to pull in. When protesters tried to stand in his way to stop him from re-blocking the driveway, he hit the gas and forced them to jump for cover. No charges have been filed, because police say that, from their vantage point, they "didn't see any intent on (the driver's) part to run anyone down."

-- 11 Occupiers were arrested in Charleston yesterday. They had initially been occupying a park 24/7, but Monday the Mayor declared that the park was no longer open after 11pm. One woman held a sign that said, "If they enforced bank regulation like they do park rules, we wouldn't be in this mess- 99 percent"

-- 11 Occupiers were also arrested at Occupy Toronto yesterday for trespassing. As the eviction was occurring, around 2,000 people with the Ontario Federation of Labor marched on the park to show solidarity.

-- Occupy Tuscon is facing some difficulty with police. According to local news sites, police said that stepping onto the sidewalk will no longer stop them from issuing citations to those who are in the park after closing time. Also, a judge has recently ruled that those who have been issued more than 3 citations for trespassing after park hours can be jailed, rather than just ticketed.

-- The Christian Science Monitor is offering up a warning to Occupiers. A prominent lawyer has stated that Occupiers need to be cautious with Black Friday protests, because if they manage to cause a business loss, they can be sued, both as individuals or as a group. Other attorneys are saying that's a stretch.

-- Occupy Orange County has been given two weeks to vacate the Irvine City Hall lawn.

-- Occupy Philly has voted to appeal the city's restrictive permit offer. The mayor said they offered the new restrictions to prevent a repeat of "intolerable conditions" at the previous 24 hour encampment.

-- Occupy Wall Street librarians have reported that 79% of the books from the People's Library are either missing or destroyed. The attorney for OWS is demanding that the city replace all missing or destroyed books, while authors are sending in new copies to the movement to replace what has been lost.

-- An appeal is in order for Occupy Atlanta. They have filed a motion to appeal a judge's ruling that police will not be told to stop evicting the Occupiers while their lawsuit is in motion. The original lawsuit is one against the mayor's decision to revoke an executive ruling that allowed protesters to remain in the park.

-- After Occupy Albany protested at Walmart, the multi-million (billion) dollar corporation issued a statement. It read, "Customers know Walmart is focused on serving 'the 99 percent.' We're helping lower the cost of living for millions of Americans by providing more convenient access to healthy food and making basic financial services more affordable for underserved customers. At the same time, we're creating and supporting some of the best jobs in all of retail." (Editor's comment: I worked at a Walmart for two years. It was the first time in my life I ever truly contemplated suicide. That's not being over-dramatic; that's a completely honest statement.)

-- Seattle Central Community College will be evicting Occupy Seattle soon. They unanimously passed an emergency ruling declaring camping on campus against the law. There had been no rules concerning it previously. The College board is citing unsanitary conditions, such as dirty needles, trash, and human fecal matter, as grounds to place the new rule. They say campers will not be evicted immediately, rather protesters will be notified of the ruling on Monday.

-- A federal judge has ruled that Occupy Fort Myers will be allowed to camp in the park, as long as they stay out of trouble. The city had initially stated that protesters needed a permit and a million dollar insurance policy to remain, each of which would have to be renewed every ten days. The federal judge declared that the camping is a symbolic representation of First Amendment rights.

-- The city of Fort Lauderdale is preparing to evict Occupiers. Last night, the city changed the rules on the Occupiers, saying that now, camping is not allowed anywhere, including city parks, and that signs cannot be placed around City Hall, but need to be held at all times. (I don't know about you, but I think that last part is DEFINITELY a ruling against Free Speech.)

-- The first state-wide Occupy convention will be held in Orlando, in an effort to pursue a state-wide agreement on legislature changes desired by the movement. After the convention, those in attendance will march to Tallahassee to deliver the results to the State Capitol. According to Fox News, at least 14 different Occupy sites from across the state will be involved.

-- Since Occupy Vancouver's ouster from encampments, they have been looking to new methods of protest. They are having regular meetings now, and are discussing what they will do in the future.

-- Occupy Baltimore has requested permits from the city to remain in the park until April. The applications were given to both the Mayor and the park district, and local unions have added their voices to the support of protesters being allowed to remain. (Yes, Rob, I know, permits, blah blah.)

-- Occupy Nashville has invited the Mayor to come and speak with them. The open-ended invitation says that while the mayor does not have to support the cause, they would like for him to support their right to speak out against the unjust systems.

That's all I have time for today. I wish everyone a peaceful and warm holiday.

***Solidarity***

If you have any questions, comments, corrections, or other information, please email me at elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com.

Updates 11/23/11

Good morning everyone!

Here is your news for today.

-- Occupy Toronto was raided this morning. Many protesters left, but some chained themselves around the library tent. Police were seen hauling tents away, but so far the chained protesters have not been bothered.

-- The Occupiers who were walking from New York to DC have reached their destination. They were greeted with cheers near the White House.

-- At a speech in New Hampshire, President Obama was interrupted by protesters, before the crowd drowned them out with screams of "Obama! Obama!" The President then directly addressed the protesters. You can see a video of it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlEg3nLguOs

-- The newspaper publisher allowing protesters to Occupy his lawn, next door to the Mayor's, in Richmond is paying for it, literally. Police issued him a notice saying he is in violation of zoning codes, and that they must be fixed immediately. If he wants to file an appeal, it will cost him at least $250. The man is angered by police giving the notice to the protesters, because he considers them welcome guests. He said it is like having company over and a bank gives them the foreclosure notice for your home. The city is saying it was complaints from other neighbors that caused the citation, not the Mayor.

-- Occupy Oakland packed up their tents from the foreclosed lot they were occupying. The owner of the lot told protesters she never asked for them to be there, and demanded they leave. This was a surprise to Occupiers, who initially moved to the spot because they were told they owner asked for their help. Police kept a close eye on the lot while the protesters moved to the sidewalk.

-- Occupy Ottawa had at least 8 arrests yesterday during a police eviction. Most of them were ticketed for trespassing and released.

-- Occupy Philly has turned down the city's restrictive permit offer. The city offered them a permit for a new location that banned things like generators, tents, and several other important items. In total, the permit would have had 15 restrictions.

-- The Mayor of San Francisco is trying to convince Occupiers to move to a fenced in, vacant lot. The lot has has several old temporary classrooms, and the Mayor says they would have access to restroom facilities, a classroom for meetings, and a gate, should they want to keep people out.

-- Controversy is brewing around the young woman, Jennifer Fox, who claims she lost her baby as a result of police brutality in Seattle. SeattlePi.com has released a story saying that the woman told police she was three months pregnant back in September as well. Ms. Fox told reporters that police report must be incorrect, as she had told them she was one month pregnant at the time. (Police never make mistakes... right?)

-- December 19th is the date set for a hearing, concerning the eviction of protesters at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

-- Occupy Lansing's kitchen is gone. Health inspectors visited the site yesterday, and told them the kitchen must be closed. One protester exclaimed, "We can't even make coffee!" This comes just one day after fire inspectors came in and removed several heaters they said were being improperly used.

There are some interesting stories circulating the mainstream media today. Here are just a few.

-- USA Today is claiming that the Occupy movement has cost taxpayers over 13 million dollars so far, in police overtime and other services. You can read a breakdown of costs and a blatant opinion piece here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-11-23/occupy-cities-cost/51365474/1

-- According the The New American (which calls itself "the essential news source for freedom-loving Americans"), the Occupy movement consists of "Violent Leftists," "homosexual pornographers... using the Occupy Oakland site to produce their wares" and that a new poll states that 31% of Occupiers support violence. To read this ridiculous article, which included many more gems like the previous, click here: http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/9895-poll-31-percent-of-occupiers-support-violence

That's all I have for today! Break started today here at SIU, so I may just go back to bed... or not.

Also, keep an eye on Egypt, folks. Watch Al-Jazeera if you must! Our media is ignoring it, but that doesn't mean you have to!

**Solidarity**

I hope everyone has a good holiday. If you have any questions, comments, corrections, or info, please email me at elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com.

Updates 11/22/11

Good morning everyone.

Here is your news for today.

--Occupy Toronto is still waiting for eviction. The ruling yesterday essentially allowed police to remove them, yet so far no one has moved in on them.

-- The same cannot be said for Occupy Calgary. Police moved in last night and tore down tents while giving citations to those who remained in the park. Protesters say they were given no warning.

-- Occupy Rochester is attempting to save a school from closure. Parents and students pleaded with the school board at last week's meeting, but the board says that the school is "one of the lowest performing" and that it would save money to close it.

-- Occupy Vancouver have moved in light of being evicted by the city. They have picked up their tents and moved a block away, to the provincial courthouse, where the city has no power.

-- Occupy Oakland is working to help foreclosed home owners by occupying their lawns. The group received a tweet from a desperate homeowner, that Chase Bank is getting ready to foreclose.

-- City officials have offered Occupy Philly a permit, but only if they follow strict rules. The rules include ending daily protests by 7pm, having no one remain in the park after that time, and having absolutely no tents or structures, except for a canopy to protect computer equipment. The permit would last a month.

-- Two protesters from Occupy Austin are filing a lawsuit against the city. The lawsuit claims that the people's First Amendment rights are being violated by the city via citation. If a protester is issued a citation for criminal trespass, it bans the person receiving it from entering City Hall for up to two years. (That doesn't even make any sense.)

-- Occupy Houston was terrorized yesterday, but not by police. A lone gunman wearing a suit walked into the encampment, firing into the air and into a pond. Occupiers initially thought it was a joke, but police were on the scene in seconds. After the man refused to lay down his weapon, they shot him. He is hospitalized, but his injuries are not life-threatening. No one else was injured. Police believe the man may have a history of mental illness.

-- Representative John Walsh (Tea Party) called the Occupy movement "anti-American" at a town hall meeting this past weekend. When asked if veterans who joined the movement were anti-American as well, he said yes. He believes Occupy is funded by the left-wing agenda, and that the movement is socialist propaganda. He has never visited an encampment.

-- Occupy Springfield (Mass.) had 15 arrests yesterday, for protesting inside a Bank of America office. As they were being arrested, 250 protesters outside chanted.

-- Media organizations across the country are outraged at the treatment of journalists in New York City, and are writing in to say so. At least 15 major media organizations have signed a letter calling for a meeting with the Mayor and Police to address issues and prevent further deterioration of police-press relations.

Sad news closes today's post.

-- The 19 year old pregnant woman who was kicked and pepper-sprayed in Seattle has miscarried. Initially, ultrasound scans showed that the baby was okay, but 5 days later the woman began feeling sick, and says she was told by doctors she was miscarrying, likely due to being kicked in the stomach. The doctors also reportedly told her the pepper spray likely had an effect on the fetus as well.

Thank you all for reading this. I am out of time for today, but it is inspiring to see people who want to know more about what is going on in the world.

***Solidarity***

If you have any questions, comments, corrections, or news, please email me at elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com.

An email I just received. Please read.

For Immediate Release

From Occupy Lincoln

Contact for more information:

http://www.occupylincoln.net/contact/

November 21, 2011

Vigil for Victims of Police Brutality at UNL on Tuesday

Last week at the University of California at Berkeley and the University of California at Davis protesting students were brutally suppressed by police. At Berkeley, students and faculty members attempted to set up a tent occupation on their school’s campus. Though the demonstrators remained peaceful, the police did not, and several protestors were attacked with clubs, including former United States Poet Laureate Robert Hass. Video footage of the police assault can be seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_f06VQOkI4

At the University of California at Davis, demonstrators - including students, alumni, and the parents of students - set up a tent occupation. They too were met with violence. Though the demonstrators were not threatening to the police, more than a dozen of them were shot at close range in the face with pepper spray. Video footage can be seen here:

http://boingboing.net/2011/11/18/police-pepper-spraying-arrest.html

Nathan Brown, an assistant professor at UC Davis, described the scene this way:

“Police used batons to try to push the students apart. Those they could separate, they arrested, kneeling on their bodies and pushing their heads into the ground. Those they could not separate, they pepper-sprayed directly in the face, holding these students as they did so. When students covered their eyes with their clothing, police forced open their mouths and pepper-sprayed down their throats. Several of these students were hospitalized. Others are seriously injured. One of them, forty-five minutes after being pepper-sprayed down his throat, was still coughing up blood.”

Similar events have taken place throughout the country. In Seattle, Washington, police pepper-sprayed peaceful activists, including an eighty-four year old woman, a pregnant woman, and a priest. In New York City, many activists were assaulted by police, including City Council member Ydanis Rodriguez, whose head was bleeding as he was taken off to jail. Rodriguez was then denied access to legal representation for thirteen hours.

The members of Occupy Lincoln have decided to take a stand against this violent suppression of peaceful protest. They have released a statement stating "We, the members of Occupy Lincoln, feel that this type of violence goes against the principles of openness and acceptance that are the basis of our university system. Students cannot fully develop in an environment that stifles dissent with violence. People cannot practice democracy in a society that limits freedom of speech."

We will meet in the lobby of the UNL Student Union,
City Campus, at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, November 22.
A statement will be read, and there will be a minute
of silence to honor everyone who has suffered from
police violence.

____________

The document for the pamphlet can be found below.

https://docs.google.com/open?id=15g3kFRzmtFVhbIm6nUgC6n6u59KagAQrzsB5LHy_vPkE2Pz3W4hSH9XOibsf

Updates 11/21/11

Good morning everyone.

I hope your weekend went well.

Here's your news for today.

-- Occupy Midwest has alerted me that they have a great new idea/website. Check out www.occubus.org for more info about this occupation on wheels. They also ask that you check out http://occupythecaucus.org/ for info on direct action against the presidential caucus. (Thank you Occupy KC.)

-- A Supreme Court Justice has ruled that Occupy Toronto's eviction notice will stand. The protesters are awaiting eviction this morning,, and have called on supporters to join in solidarity.

-- The UC Davis police officers involved in the pepper-spraying of students have been placed on leave, as has the police chief. The President of the University of California system has called a meeting of all ten of the Chancellors, in order to discuss "how to ensure proportional law enforcement response to non-violent protest."

-- Police in Tampa are.. going a bit on the overkill side.. http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/world/north-america/police-tank-greets-occupy-crowd-tampa-florida-115

-- Occupy Edmonton had an eviction notice for 11pm last night, yet no one had bothered them at that time. Protesters say they are waiting, and will stay where they are when police do arrive.

-- A man from Youngstown, OH, was arrested for driving around Zucotti Park with an unregistered gun. Mainstream media is reporting him as an Occupier.

-- Around a hundred Occupiers protested near Mayor Bloomberg's home in NYC yesterday. They were blockaded by police to prevent them from getting too close, but a man wearing sunglasses and beating a drum somehow made it in front of his home. He was shooed away without an arrest.

-- For the first time since their movement began, Occupy Oakland is without an encampment. Police cleared their Snow Park setup yesterday, leaving protesters to meet and figure out what to do next.

-- Occupy SF got fed up with police saying they couldn't have tents in front of the Federal Reserve Bank in protest, so they moved to the streets. At least 50 Occupiers set up tents in the middle of Market Street. Police immediately closed off surrounding streets, but didn't bother the protesters for a while.

-- Occupy Fort Myers had an unusual arrest. A protester, angry at police for arresting a woman who had resisted moving from the park, posted a bomb threat on his Facebook page. He said "I'm bombing the FMPD, F*** them." Occupiers say they don't condone the post, and that the man had done the wrong thing.

-- Occupy London has renamed the bank they are Occupying the "Bank of Ideas."

-- Occupy Vancouver has been given until 2pm today to get out of the park. They are trying to determine where they will be going.

That's all I have time for today, everyone. Short news, I know.

***Solidarity***

If you have questions, comments, corrections, or info, please email me at elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks for reading!

Updates 11/20/11

Good morning everyone!

Cora from France sent me an important link. It involves another day of action. http://www.occupytogether.org/2011/11/19/call-for-an-alternative-day-of-action-on-human-rights-day-saturday-december-10th-2011/

Also, this video has been circulating on Facebook. If you haven't seen it, you need to. Watch all the way to the end for anger, then inspiration. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjnR7xET7Uo

(My apologies if it has been taking longer to get the news to you. My computer has been going into sleep mode while I am using it, every two or three minutes, and nothing has fixed the problem. It's not over-heating. All sleep settings are turned off. It just likes to go black and log me off. Hey computer people, any ideas?)

Now on to the news.

-- 2 Occupiers were arrested in Minneapolis. They were occupying a foreclosed home that once belonged to a University of Minnesota Anthropology Lecturer. The Lecturer went on livestream to thank the protesters for defending her home.

-- Most of Occupy Victoria has left, but about a dozen protesters say they won't leave regardless of the pressure put on them by the city.

-- The second video above, from UC Davis, has sparked controversy. An investigation is now underway, but the Chancellor is refusing to resign.

-- Occupy Oakland has a new home, but the question is, for how long? Occupiers marched to a vacant lot and park, took down a chain link fence, and set up tents. The police did not move in to stop them. The park is directly across from an upscale housing development.

-- 48 Occupiers were arrested in Albany last night as they violated park curfew.

-- Occupy SF had 6 arrests early this morning. Protesters were charged with interfering with police, and had tents and belongings removed.

-- Occupy DC had 11 arrests last night for occupying a vacant public school building. The building served as a homeless shelter for some time before being shut down. Protesters hung a banner on the side of the building that said "Public Property under Community Control" before police moved in.

-- Occupy London has some visitors. Lots of visitors. Occupiers from more than 10 other groups throughout the UK met up with London yesterday, as they opened the bank site they are occupying as a discussion forum. Occupy UK is together to shape a national campaign.

That's all I have time for today, everyone. I'm speaking today at a gathering of people, to let them know how they can occupy from home.

(WARNING, NOT FOR CHILDREN, FOUL LANGUAGE AHEAD)

I do have a small rant though. I couldn't find much news in the mainstream media today. And I don't mean I couldn't find any articles, I mean I couldn't find news. When you search news websites, or google news, or yahoo news, you expect to find news. You know what's actually out there? Opinion pieces. Blogs. People who don't know anything but the office they sit in, and they are writing about "Why the 99% isn't really a good number." Excuse me? Who the hell are you? You know absolutely jack shit about anything that's going on. You don't watch the live videos. You don't visit the sites. I'm totally serious. I'll even show you some of the titles of this ignorant pieces.

"Elements of Style as Occupy Movement Evolves" (What are we, fashionistas?)

"Occupy Wall Street: So What?" (That's creative.)

"Who are these Occupy people and is their beef legit?" (This is from the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.)

"Ryan Gosling Fans Occupy People Magazine" (You've got to be fucking kidding me.)

"Occupy the Hood organizers check out a book together" (I don't even...)

So anyway, that's what I deal with every day. Hunting through that massive amount of crap up there in a desperate bid to NOT give idiotic news. :)

Well... I hope everyone is still having a fantastic weekend, and I will see you all tomorrow morning.

***Solidarity***

If you have any questions, comments, corrections, information, or you just want to yell at me for cursing, please email me at elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com.