Occupy Everywhere - Sept 17th - Day of Rage Against Wall Street and what it stands for!

[Peter Lemkin]

November 10th, 2011
The following is a message from Occupy Portland's Press Team:
PORTLAND, ORE. The following is a response from Occupy Portland's communications volunteers to a statement from Mayor Sam Adams, enunciated at a press conference at 10 a.m. and released from his office immediately afterward.
At noon, Thursday November 10, members of the Occupy Portland community gathered to discuss recent events and to plan the most effective actions to take next. Occupy Portland has not completed these plans. Our strategy at this moment is what Occupy strategy has always been: to consult each other, to hear each other, and to work together nonviolently to move forward into this world we aim to improve. The Occupy Movement has made visible what has long been hidden from public view. The Movement will continue to do that.
The city's evidence of increased crime around the Occupy site has only verified what is already clearinterpersonal conflicts, substance abuse, and disorderly conduct arrests have increased. What the City of Portland has failed to prove, however, is that the protesters of Occupy Portland are direct threats to public safety and economic activity. The Occupy Portland General Assembly and an academic survey administered by a local sociology professor have demonstrated the occupiers overwhelmingly disapprove of their peaceful and non-violent First Amendment expressions being used as a cover for unlawful actions.
The city has been acutely aware of the occupiers' deliberate and sophisticated efforts to address problems surrounding Occupy Portland. Local media institutions have been repeatedly informed of this, as well, but many published reports have omitted such information. The physical occupation of public lands has been a cornerstone of Occupy Portland's free assembly and has served logistical necessity. The occupation will continue to exist and operate in a variety of formats. Planning for advancements of Occupy Portland have long been underway, but specific announcements will only come when appropriate.
Some of us are glad to share some common ground with the Mayor. Sam Adams said, "It is my sincere hope that the movement, with its focus on widespread economic inequity, will flourish in its next phasea phase where we can focus all of our energies on economic and social justice, not on port-a-potties and tents." Ours is a social and political movement involving consensus and respect for disparate voices. We need to consult with each other before we can talk about "phases" or evolving.
Detractors of the Occupy movement have used historical precedence of time, place, and manner restrictions on First Amendment expressions as justification to inhibit the efforts of the 99 percent. Occupy Portland argues that a peaceful assembly on public land is the most appropriate place and manner for First Amendment expressions. We challenge the city to facilitate public dialogues for the purpose of ensuring public space remains available for public forums. For now, we are listening to each other in every feasible way. When a consensus is reached, another statement will be forthcoming.
Occupy Portland calls on all of our friends to assist as possible. Remember that your own personal safety comes first. Tens of thousands have given from their hearts, minds, and pockets, and done so without condition. Please continue to stand in solidarity as a beautiful, talented, and diverse 99 percent that demand equity and justice. We welcome your presence, words, trades, professions, and actions. Do not back down from the power structures that aim to divide and silence us. Many have worked hard in public service, and we shall continue to better the worldfor all.

Comments:

Anonymous on November 11th, 2011 at 12:06 am
The Mayor is announcing that he will evict the occupation using force this Saturday. Let the Mayor know that he doesn't get to decide what happens here the 99% do!
Sam Adams has announced that he will be sending in the police to forcefully evict Occupy Portland. The violence being threatened against the occupation is the same violence used to evict people from their homes, the same violence used to drive out the poor and working class through the process of gentrification, the same violence that is used daily by the city and police to protect the interests of the 1% at the expense of the 99%. Despite his feigned concern for the safety of the occupiers, he is in reality responding to pressure brought by Standard Insurance, the Portland Business Alliance, and other members of the 1% who oppose the occupation in principle. The Mayor has repeatedly worked to undermine the occupation and distract it from growing into a powerful social movement this is just another in a long line of manufactured crisis created by the mayor to disrupt the occupation and discredit it. The fear mongering that has been occurring over the past week has been intentional, to alienate the occupation from it's supporters.
This Saturday, we need everyone who supports the right of the occupiers to exist, who opposes police violence, everyone who thinks that this moment in time is too important to give up on we need all of you at the occupation on Saturday night. They hope to control us through fear through fear of violence, fear of arrest. We must say that we will not be afraid anymore. That we will not be bullied into submission. For everyone who supports freedom and self-determination, this is your moment to act in defense of those values. All out to the occupation this Saturday! These moments don't happen often, this may be our last opportunity to come together as a people and challenge the powers that be we can't let it go without a fight.
Long live the Portland Commune!
Bill Michtom on November 10th, 2011 at 11:20 pm


An email I sent to Sam Adams:
I am very disappointed that you have decided to criminalize the Occupy movement. As I have noted previously, the city has been doing the right thing by working cooperatively with Occupy Portland. Bringing up the crimes that have been committedones that are highly unlikely to have been perpetrated by the protestersas though there is any real connection between the crimes and the Occupation, is creating a case that the facts don't support.
Examine crime rates around the city and you will have to admit that what is happening at the Occupation blocks are not a function of the Occupation, but of societal reality. Over the five weeks that the protest has been there, the city has seen fit to maintain a huge police presence that has only recently become at all justified. The Occupiers created a space where long-term homeless could find food and shelter with greater safety that anywhere else in the city.
I also read that you have been getting pressure from business associations. Over the years, so many in the business community have been more concerned about how things look than how safe people are or whether they are getting food, shelter and medical care. These are things that the Occupationand its supportershas provided where the city hasunderstandablystruggled.
Just as New York's Mayor Bloomberg has been more interested in protecting the financial industry that has destroyed the US economy than upholding the rule of law and the social safety net that his supporters have crippled, it looks like Portland is starting to give in to the rich.
The first indication that the city would retreat from its support of the First Amendment was the arrests of the people that went to Jamison Park. That they were removed because the Pearl is "a residential neighborhood," showed that the law would be invoked to ensure the comfort of the few over the well-being of the many. Now we have your promise to evict people from downtown for using their rights to petition for redress of grievances rather than working on solving the growing inequities that the all-too comfortable have wrought.
I urge you to seriously reconsider this ill-advised decision.
Thank you.