Joyce L. Arnold, Liberally Independent, Queer Talk, equality activist, writer.
It’s October 15, and around the world people are taking to the streets and gathering in city squares and parks.
OCTOBER 15TH is “UNITED FOR #GLOBALCHANGE.”
The Occupy Wall Street movement added energy, and the cry of “We are the 99%,” to the already planned international action. Or as I heard marching NYC Occupiers saying today, via the OWS livestream: “We are the 99%! You are the 99%!”
In NYC, the day has included “March on the Banks,” connected with the moveyourmoneyproject.org, an “Anti-War March and Teach-In,” a “Mass Student General Assembly,” and “Take Time Square Convergence / Occupation Party.”
From a timeline, via OWS:
NYC Live Updates
12:35 p.m. March from Liberty Square to Washington Square Park passes Church and Chambers – numbers more than a thousand.
12:54 p.m. Bronx Police hold entrance to subway open for Bronx General Assembly – march heads downtown for free, filling two entire cars. …
1:29 p.m.. Two thousand are gathered for General Assembly in Washington Square Park. Thousands more are marching to meet them. …
1:57 p.m. March from Liberty Square reaches Washington Square Park. Thousands in the General Assembly meet them chanting, ‘Wall Street, no thanks – we don’t need your greedy banks.’
2:28 p.m. Police at 555 La Guardia Place are arresting occupiers in Citibank who are attempting to close their accounts.
2:43 p.m. Around four thousand in Washington Square Park. Around three thousand in Liberty Square.
3:26 p.m. General Assembly of Washington Square Park marches on Times Square. 8th st and 6th ave.
3:36 p.m. It appears that Twitter is censoring our updates.
3:40 p.m. March from Washington Square Park is at 11th St and 6th Ave. At least five thousand strong.
Check at the OWS link for latest, and to see a livestream.
Al Jazeera is one good source for following the broader 15th October actions today. Both Occupy and October groups stress non-violence, but unfortunately there was some of that today.
As the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protests took place across the globe on Saturday, some protesters in Rome smashed shop windows, torched cars and attacked news crews. …
Witnesses said the violence was caused by several dozen hooded radicals known as ‘black blocs” …
Highlighting a few other cities in today’s actions:
Around 4,000 people marched through the streets of Berlin, with banners that urged the end of capitalism. …
In Frankfurt, continental Europe’s financial capital, about 5,000 people protested in front of the European Central Bank.
Outside London’s iconic St Paul’s cathedral, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange spoke to about 500 demonstrators. ‘The banking system in London is the recipient of corrupt money,’ he said, adding that Wikileaks would launch a campaign against financial institutions in the coming months. …
Another 500 people gathered to hear speakers denounce capitalism at a peaceful rally in downtown Stockholm …
In Spain, groups that became known as the Indignant Movement established the first around-the-clock ‘occupation’ protest camps in cities and towns across the country beginning in May and lasting for weeks. Six marches are set to converge Saturday on Madrid’s Puerta del Sol plaza just before dusk.
Tens of thousands of Portuguese, angry at their government’s handling of the economic crisis, also took to the streets of Lisbon. …
Other protests were staged in Geneva, Amsterdam, Athens, Brussels, Geneva, Paris and Zurich.
Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city, saw the day’s first demonstration, when at least 1,000 people, including children, gathered at City Square.
Among others, demonstrations have also occurred in Tokyo, Manila, Taipei, Seoul, Hong Kong, and several cities of South Africa.
And for some of the best, and most succinct, commentary, today I turn to some Occupier’s signs:
“By the people, not Buy the people.”
“I can’t afford a lobbyist.”
(Photo via OWS)
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