Reports from Occupy: 10/20

Oakland, Calif.

By Karen Stewart

AFTER A week of increasing participation in Occupy Oakland's encampment outside of Oakland City Hall, the demonstration grew to 2,500 people on October 15, according to organizers and local newspapers.

Hundreds of people from a "Jobs No Cuts" march which began at nearby Laney College, came to show their support for the Occupy encampment. The crowd included labor activists, as well as many people taking part in a protest for the first time.

Among the latter were Mike and Steve, from Stockton, Calif., about an hour's drive to the east. Stockton, they report, has been "hit hard" by foreclosures. Like many others, the two said they were moved to come to this protest out of disgust with Wall Street and the banks, and "everything going to the top."

Mike said he thought the Occupy movement was providing an opportunity for positive action--in contrast to Barack Obama's response to the crisis. "I thought that some of all that bail-out money would help," Mike said, "but it's all just being pocketed by the banks. I don't know if he's being tricked or tricking us or what, but at least these protests are calling attention to what is going on right now."

There was an upbeat attitude that seemed to spring from the growth of the Occupy movements. Marchers chanted "Chop from the top," "Banks got bailed out, we got sold out" and "We are the 99 percent." There was a surge of excitement as marchers joined the encampment and were addressed by long-time activist and actor Danny Glover. Glover told the crowd:

Not only are we talking about taking back about our government, and making it a democracy, but we're here because we're talking about taking back our humanity. There's a crisis here. But when there's a crisis, there are challenges and opportunities. We're here because we're taking up the challenges and the opportunities...We have to take back the world. We have to take back this precious planet, that's ours.

Las Vegas

By Tom Arabia

On October 15, Occupy Las Vegas held a protest of over 2,500 people in the center of the Fremont Street Experience. Amid the casinos and strip clubs featuring some of the most iconic fixtures of the city, Las Vegas residents marched under the banner of "We are the 99 percent" as part of a global day of action in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street.

With a strong showing from local unions such as Sheet Metal Workers International Association and Service Employees International Union, protesters addressed economic woes that have gripped Las Vegas, such as foreclosures, increases in residential power rates, unemployment and union-busting.

One woman's sign read, "I have paid $125,869 into a house currently worth $91,000, but the bank is taking it back because I still owe them $355,692.91. Really?!? I am the 99 percent." Other signs read, "I'm giving up on apathy" and "I didn't go to college to make $8.55/hour."

University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) student and Occupy Las Vegas organizer John Riley explained that the action here got started with a website and a first march on October 6 with a turnout of as many as 1,500 people. Activists held their first General Assembly meeting that night at UNLV. As Riley said:

We have derived inspiration from every movement across the globe. Just the simple fact that they exist inspires us to move forward with the movement. On a less positive note, when I see police departments attacking protesters, that in a sense inspires me as well, because that is physical proof of what we are protesting. The minute the NYPD accepted $4.6 million from JPMorgan Chase, they became a part of the problem, not the solution.

Riley also commented that labor has been an asset to Occupy Las Vegas: "The unions have been amazing! We have had everyone from the teachers union to sheet metal workers and even the culinary union marching with us. They understand that our cause is their cause, and that is why they march protest with us."

Labor was part of the big October 15 demonstration, Riley said:

The October 15th march was more then we could have ever hoped for, and went down flawlessly. It started at one of the GA meetings when we were discussing which locations to protest. We had about five spots in mind and put them up on the website as a poll. Fremont Street was the winner, and we all agreed it was a great choice as it is a very public area, and some of the casino owners on Fremont are the exact people we are protesting.

The first march the local media gave us a small amount of attention, but every single local news station was there that day, and not only were they there, but the air time on each channel was lengthy. This shows how much traction this movement has garnered, as now the news media can no longer ignore us, as hard as they may try.

Greensboro, N.C.

By Trish Kahle

OCCUPY GREENSBORO began on October 15 with a 700-strong march through downtown, with stops at Bank of America offices and the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. An encampment was set up in Festival Park, where 40 to 60 people have remained each night.

On Monday, Barack Obama came to Greensboro, and the occupiers organized a picket across the street from the hotel. A delegation also tried to present Obama with a list of grievances, but were turned away.

The encampment is running smoothly, but may be forced to move on October 21 from the friendly YWCA parking lot that has hosted us since October 15. Activists are debating the way forward now. Food not Bombs has also been hosting their meals at the encampment, and occupiers are building solidarity with the city's homeless, encouraging them to stay with us in the parking lot.

During this week, interactions with the police have become more tense, but there have not yet been arrests or physical altercations.

Other actions are under discussion now, including a march to the prison to demand freedom for homeless people arrested from the YWCA parking lot, where we are now camped; a march on Bank of America; and a march into the Glenwood neighborhood against police brutality. In addition, the occupation's Radical Historians Collective will begin regular educational activities this weekend, when they will sponsor a teach-in on "Revolts and Revolutions."

Binghamton, N.Y.

By George Damasevitz

SEVERAL HUNDRED people assembled October 15 for the first day of an occupation in downtown Binghamton, N.Y. The event was peaceful, with many people holding signs and banners in solidarity with the "Occupy Wall Street" movement.

Reporters from local news agencies interviewed several of the demonstrators, who talked about their concerns with failing democracy, the inequities of the tax code, and the corruption of the government by corporate money.