tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2304235862479840318.post2040866331051998683..comments2024-01-08T04:16:25.601-08:00Comments on Ché (What You Call Your) Pasa: Terrorists Attack Wall Street!!Ché Pasahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01926630891287949373noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2304235862479840318.post-33985777951012359752011-09-28T06:56:10.661-07:002011-09-28T06:56:10.661-07:00I've noticed in watching the livestream of the...I've noticed in watching the livestream of the encampment and the marches that the Occupy Wall Street activists: 1) engage the police in conversation whenever they can; their message is the same: "You're part of the 99%; join us!" Mostly the police are stone-faced, but sometimes... it's obvious which side they'd rather be on (and this includes some of the white shirts). They know their pay, their benefits, their pensions are on the line just like everyone else's. They get nothing from beating down the marchers and activists except more grief. Somebody reported a study of statistics: how many NYPD personnel are facing foreclosure, layoff, pension cuts, etc, etc. It's pretty grim. <br /><br />2) The police state tactics used against the activists in New York apparently have been lifted. It was announced last night -- don't know how true it is, but anyway -- when there was a march from somewhere to somewhere in Lower Manhattan, and the police were trying to prevent their movements and "kettle" them. People were shouting "shame, shame, shame" the way they do, and then all of a sudden, from what I recall, a supervisor came around and told the beat cops to let them go. They rolled up their mesh barricades, gave the marchers the high sign, and went away. <br /><br />So word went out that there were no more restrictions on marches in the Financial District. I doubt that's actually true, but there has been a distinct change in the heavy-handed atmosphere around action.<br /><br />3) The activists themselves are downplaying the police violence against them. "That's not what this is about." You hear it over and over. And there is no obvious hostility toward the cops who are monitoring the plaza day and night. You'll even hear them thanked for being there.<br /><br />Last night there were also a number of "suits" in Liberty Plaza who were described on the livestream as "Wall Street executives." Whether they were or not, I don't know, but it was interesting to see them. There were many more people in general in the plaza last night as well. <br /><br />The police state has not been dismantled, not by a long shot, but after Saturday's police riot, something really did change. Orders came down... but it also may have been the Blue Shirts telling their supes, "Fuck this shit, man."<br /><br />"Shame" can work. In fact, if you're into nonviolence, it's the key. And the NYPD -- NYC authorities generally -- faced so much shame after the events on Saturday something had to give. For now, it means a somewhat gentler regime. <br /><br />Of course, strategy is involved. Duplicity.... <br /><br />It's a long row to hoe...Ché Pasahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01926630891287949373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2304235862479840318.post-23576337278878030182011-09-28T06:22:54.923-07:002011-09-28T06:22:54.923-07:00This was the headline over at the Exiled:
Wall S...This was the headline over at the Exiled:<br /><br /> <i>Wall Street’s Gestapo Goes Wilding On Protesters</i><br /><br />That about covers it. I've also pointed out that to the police, effective non-violent protest will be treated as if it was violent protest, even if things have to be planted after the fact to justify their brutality. Though with a captured "justice" system and a tame media, such crude measures as planting fake evidence are likely unnecessary, for now.<br /><br /> Incidentally, this includes even <i>potentially</i> effective non-violent protest. (The police want to make sure that anyone involved in anti-capitalist protests know it can cost them.)<br /><br />Police tend to identify with the hard right wing in this country, they know who's side they are paid to be on.vampyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14660319794133128873noreply@blogger.com