October 14, 2011
Once again I was going to do something different tonight, but then I heard news that Mayor Bloomberg is ordering the protesters at Occupy Wall Street out of the park tomorrow so they can clean it. They are going to be allowed back in, but this time they are being told you can’t bring back tents, camping gear, sleeping bags, tarps or coolers. Another, “new” rule is that you can’t lay down in the park. The park is owned by Brookfield Properties and they claim they’ve received complaints that the park is now unsanitary. I was there a week ago and it seemed pretty clean and orderly to me, but let’s go check it out tonight and see what’s happening and just how unsanitary it really is.
It's a misty night with light rain falling down as I head downtown to check out Occupy Wall Street.
And here we are, there's a big crowd in the park tonight, as I expected.
The park is overflowing with people in support of Occupy Wall Street.
Some are peacefully sitting and discussing what to do if the city and cops try to empty the park tomorrow to clean it.
Others are taking action and cleaning the park, so they can stay.
Tarps are being folded and stacked for the night.
This is cleaning gear that was donated. The protesters have been scrubbing the park all day and into the night.
Here's someone mopping the grounds. Let's go say hi.
His name is Andrew and he said he wasn't going to leave tomorrow. He then returned to cleaning the park. I told him to be safe.
It doesn't look unsanitary to me.
Gumby joins the movement! An historic moment!
Here's Gene who was flying the flag and taking a break on the steps. He said cops would have to drag him out of the park, but he would be non-violent about it.
Dear Abbie. Steal this sign.
No one's dancing with the glow in the dark hula hoop tonight. Maybe tomorrow. One can only hope.
Update: I just woke up and they’ve postponed the cleaning of the park. Bloomberg and the powers that be have blinked in this staring contest. Chalk one up for the people. The 99%. To be continued.
Occupy Wall Street
Liberty Square (A.K.A. Zuccotti Park)
Corner of Liberty St. and Broadway
877-881-3020
Further reading: City Room, NY Observer and NY Daily News.
39 Comments
Reader Comments (39)
Great post Marty! And it looks cleaner than some dorm rooms lol. Occupy Wallstreet also reached Holland, it's on the news everytime. Thumbs up!
VIVA GUMBY!
GUMBY ROCKS!!
Andrew is taking a bit of a risk. The police have arrested several people for wearing "V" masks.
Here is a UK article on it. Of interest in the article, besides the anti-mask law, is what the New York Times reported those arrested were wearing.
@Ruben Dutch: Thanks, and if you get a chance, send a photo from Occupy Wall Street in Holland, that would be cool!
@Biff: VIVA LA GUMBY!
@Melanie: POWER TO THE GUMBY!
@csp: Sad the police are worried about masks and not this. or this.
Very good observation by CSP on the masks, though I think they are rather cool, I totally understand why too many people wearing them would be a problem. One protestor's sign that made sense to me "How do we end the deficit? End the war!" I'm trying to keep an open mind on this, though some of the issues go against what I feel, must be because of family members given life sentences for simply speaking out against the Castro revolution, some killed, you have to have lived it to think like me, I cannot explain it here, I cannot be anti capitalism and I know there are some valid issues at OCW. Great to live in a country where we can go out and do this, period.
What do you think Marty...the calm before the perfect storm? Be careful....
Thanks Marty.
@Al: "Great to live in a country where we can go out and do this, period." I agree, wholeheartedly!
@Jaws: I don't know what to think. As always, I'm taking this one drink at a time! Sip ahoy!
@Tom: You're more than welcome, thank you for stopping by and chiming in!
This guy is having a very bad day.
History in the making! Gumby occupies wall street! Imagine if Pokey was there too! The movement must be hitting a nerve with you because this is the first post i've seen without alcohol in it! I was thinking of flying out to NYC to join in but decided to occupy a barstool in Milwaukee instead! Keep up the fight Marty.....Don't let THE MAN fuck with ya! Let the world see the other side of that Gumby bag......the side that says " This Purse kills Facists" ! Keep fightin the fight Bro....I'll be out there soon with a 30 pack of PBR but for now I feel like i'm fixin to drink!
I'm glad you went back!
Those of us close enough should get down there and document as much as we can, as so much of the information being spread around is false. Each time I've visited the park, it's been extremely clean - the owners really should be thanking these people for the free janitorial service.
I was so worried about them last night during that huge storm. My man actually went down there early this morning to check on them and he said it was busy, but peaceful. You gotta hand it to these people for continuing to stay strong despite horrible weather and threats from city hall.
PS - we gotta get some of those hula hoops for the next Chillmaster Dance Party!
@csp: Ouch!
@Professor Dungpie: Keep occupying that barstool! There was no alcohol in the post, but plenty afterwards! Power to the Gumby!
@Goggla: I was worried that it was going to be bad if they tried to pull the cleanup thing, which was obviously a cheap excuse to throw everyone out. I think since this is escalating it's really got Bloomberg and Company nervous. The hula hoop idea for the next Chillmaster Dance Party is a great idea, I'm going to look for some! Hope to see you Saturday at Occupy TSP!
No Joke.....I'm with these kids all the way! We had ....and still do have our movement going on in Wisconsin to try and remove our asshole governor.....who i actually know personally.....And.....Many think the Wisconsin protest may have been the fire that started all this! The movement gets knocked for not having a clear objective. The objective is.....People are tired of getting fucked in the ass and they are just squeeling out loud in public....in growing numbers! It's working because you see cops being used to silence the squeel! You and I are old enough to remember seeing this happen before! I know that Marty After Dark is not a political blog and i promise not to make anymore political comments here but i do think an occasional visit from Gumby is worthwhile! If they arrest a man with a Gumby purse....The whole world will stand up and take notice! Peace My Brother of the Revolution! P.S. I still have your copy of Soul on Ice!
@MAD: You ever been to Frankenmuth Michigan? A Bavarian town. Lots of those Oktoberfests going on this week,,,Bierhaus in NYC has one going on all month.
Seeing that photo of Andrew makes me miss getting high.
@Professor Dungpie: I hear you and I agree on all points! Going down there takes me back to my youth and thinking about how the world would be different when we grew up. It got different all right, people got greedy and wrecked our economy and no one was held accountable, till now. It's opened up a dialogue in this country and beyond and I'm proud to be involved in a very small way by spreading the word here. Thanks for the nice thoughts and words, my friend!
@Al: I will check out the fest at Bierhaus before October is up! Thanks for the co-pilot suggestion!
@JAZ: Ha ha ha!
What dismays me is that New Yorkers, who're supposed to know better, voted for a guy like Bloomberg twice more even AFTER he had displayed his utter ignorance of constitutional guarantees by stating that " First Amendment rights of free speech and free assembly are "privileges" that could be lost if abused. during the 2004 GOP Convention Protests in NYC.
Sip Ahoy, Marty!
Leave the Che, Keep the Gumby.
I said the same thing.
In the photo where you are holding up Gumby, that cute chick next in the white shirt is definitely scoping you out hard.
@Uncle Waltie: Agreed! And Sip, Ahoy will be in full throttle tonight!
@Crazy Eddie: Occupy Gumby!
@Fidel: I thought I smelled a cigar in here.
@JAZ: That's not me in the picture, I wish she had looked at me like that. Would've brought a whole new "occupy" thought process to my brain!
lol!!
was gonna stay away from this OWS thing for fear of not only offendin' but totally pissin' off all,,,no matter where one stands on this...a fear that i might get into a "rutgut 45" rant which none would truly comprehend and i sorta don't feel MAD is the place for exposing (if that's actually a word ah like assgasm)...
I am a good Protestant, and in the full sense of the term, for from the bottom of my soul, I protest against everything that is said, and everything that is done.
Pierre Bayle
rr
@ Raginrr: I think everyone's opinion here should be respected, and is, though the majority may be in support, I do tend to bet the other way once in a while. Piss us off,,,we can take it. "Stand and be counted" great David Crosby song.
@Professor Dungpie-It's not a purse! It's EUROPEAN!!!
Good old Gumby - so quiet & unassuming most of the time, but not to be underestimated! You must be proud of him. Will he have his own little sign tomorrow?
So many OWS satellite protests in the city tomorrow - should be quite a day. I love seeing the beautiful mixture of young & old in these crowds.
Al...i tend to shy away from what can i say ah confrontational situations...'cause i did "piss" off a few people a number of years ago and they haven't spoken to me since,,,a few got what i was sayin' but others didn.'t...but such is life,,, you may but others may not...
rr
@rr: Feel free to rant or not, whatever you want to do. Great quote as always!
@Crazy Eddie: Ha ha ha! Forgot about that episode!
@onemorefoldedsunset: He may just have his own little sign, looking forward to seeing you and Occupy TSP tomorrow.
I like having you as my personal news reporter :)
Interesting video making comparisons to our governments reactions to other countries protests which we were supportive of. I don't foresee there ever being tanks in our streets, but does make you wonder how bad it will get, or what will be the thing that causes it to be over.
@kari: Tanks are gauche.
@kari2: There are better things which have been cooked up then tanks.
@ CSP:
http://youtu.be/OsxwwhJ6GrY
@Jaws: Ever the optimist.
@kari: That's a great clip! Thanks for posting it!
@csp and Jaws: I may never leave my apartment again after watching those videos.
@ MAD; as an afterthought, I noticed that Just Bulbs didn't offer mail order service for it's merchandice, but I did manage to find some of those late 19th century early 20th century light bulbs that strike me as electronic sculpture elsewhere and I ordered a couple. I have the perfect fixture for displaying them when they finally arrive. Really cool looking things.
@Jaws: Sounds cool, send in a photo of it if you can!
Thanks for the links @csp