Updates 11/3/11

Hey all, I have to make this quick, early class today. (Possibly, anyway.)

The Faculty Association is officially on strike at SIUC. Three other unions worked out tentative agreements.

-- Occupy Oakland shut down the Port yesterday. They then clashed with police as they marched. Crowd numbers estimated by the media are about 3,000, contrasting other counts up of to 10,000. Violence did occur, but this was a fringe group. In live footage last night, peaceful protesters could be heard asking them to be peaceful, and having this group scream back at them. Rubber bullets, ter gas, and flash-bangs were thrown into the crowd.

-- Veterans are quickly becoming involved in the Occupy movement, as they return home to a country with no job for them. Media is reporting thousands joining in the protests.

-- Occupy Philadelphia protesters were arrested during a sit-in at Comcast headquarters.

-- Banks and Corporations are funding the G20 summit this year in the French city of Cannes. Avaaz has started a petition to remove corporate sponsors. You can view or sign it here. http://www.avaaz.org/en/occupy_g20/?cl=1365608988&v=10911

-- Occupy Boston marched on Bank of America, the Harvard Club, and the Statehouse, to protest and raise awareness of the massive amount of student debt.

-- Felipe from Occupy Norfolk was kind enough to send me these updates yesterday.

Tech
we have a livestream.com premium account, and we are working out the kinks rapidly. We need support on good methods of live streaming from the urban camp sites.

Security
All is calm here in Occupy Norfolk, police are not getting involved in our business, but Occupy Richmond was evicted a few days ago.

Solidarity
Our neighbors Occupy Virginia Beach are gaining traction, Occupy Richmond has been forcibly removed, and arrests were made. they reconvened in front of the police station and protested for the rapid release of the arrested.

-- In Oakland again, two people who were thought to be protesters were hit by a car, a man and a woman. Nothing else is known.

-- Police pepper sprayed Occupy Seattle protesters who were protesting outside a Sheraton hotel, where the CEO of JPMorgan was to speak. Six occupiers were also arrested when they "obstructed" a Chase bank. Police also pepper sprayed an earlier crowd after they say at least ten police officers were assaulted while making arrests.

-- A lawyer for protesters camped outside London's St. Paul's Cathedral said Wednesday that authorities have offered to let the tent city stay until next year.

-- Occupy Baltimore will have its power supply cut off by city officials.

-- Occupy Minneapolis is facing new restrictions as city officials are going to "winterize" the plaza they are occupying.

-- Another journalist has been arrested. In Milwaukee, a photographer with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel was arrested and released a few hours later. The newspaper ran a statement saying she was not disobeying the police, and should not have been arrested.

I don't have time to write any more, but I am sure there is more information. You can add anything you want to the comments, or email me at elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com with the word "Occupy" in the subject.

***Solidarity***