OCCUPY HARTFORD
Ongoing – Turning Point Park
I first read about the Occupy Wall Street movement in Adbusters, and watched as it went viral on Facebook. I strongly believe that consensus-based decision making is the most democratic form of organizing, so I was interested in seeing where the movement would go — but I was initially reluctant to get involved. In the back of my mind, I derided the movement as another Adbusters political stunt — another Blackspot Sneakers or extended Buy Nothing Day — something that liberals and hippie do-gooders would flock to for a few days before ultimately losing interest. I had tried to organize in contexts similar to that, like the anti-war movement of the 2000s — which withered in the run up to the ‘08 elections as people caught Obama-Hope-fever — and I saw OWS ultimately heading in a similar direction, quickly being diffused and co-opted.
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How wrong I was.
I wasn’t sure what it was, but something about the Occupy movement had touched a nerve with people, and the thing was exploding like gasoline poured on a smoldering fire.
I missed the first organizing meeting for Occupy Hartford, and was a bit shocked when, within days, an occupation started at Turning Point, a tiny park on the corner of Farmington Avenue and Broad Street. Planning an occupation is something that should never be rushed into. The principle organizers of OWS spent months planning before they set up camp in Zuccotti Park.
When I came down to my first GA meeting, what I encountered was barely controlled chaos. Roughly 70 people were on site, many summoned by a call for those in solidarity to come out and rally in support of the occupiers, who were facing orders to take down tents or face possible eviction. I recognized a few faces in the gathering, including two of the three facilitators, who I’d done prior organizing with. They were obviously tired and frustrated with the direction of the discussion, which from what I could follow was that a small handful of the occupiers were determined to erect tents and cause a police confrontation, which the mass of the group opposed. The discussion went in circles, despite the best efforts of the facilitators, who were trying to explain that the order to take down tents was not yet official, and that the group was still waiting the word of the city council, who could rescind the order. The crowd grew larger, and when the time for the rally neared, it was quickly agreed upon to table the decision until after the rally.
People took to the sidewalk around Turning Point chanting and waving signs at passing cars, which honked in support. Not everyone joined the rally. Others stayed in the park, engaging in lively political discussions. I joined a few of these discussions, and was floored by the diversity of not only the opinions expressed, but the diversity of the speakers as well. Our discussion groups were so lively and engaging that we didn’t notice when the entire rally, which had been marching up and down the sidewalk, took off on a spontaneous march through downtown.
As the rally returned to the park, word came that the city council had rescinded the order to take down tents, citing ongoing discussions with the occupiers. Everyone on site cheered. As campers began setting up tents, I asked an organizer if there was a media committee that would be sending out a press release to report the victory to the press. His response, in not so many words, was, “You are the media committee now.”
That night I sent out my first press release as part of Occupy Hartford. Since then, the movement has grown, as people both on and off-site have worked together to build a movement for social justice in solidarity with other Occupy movements around the country, and around the world. I am excited to see the movement grow beyond the park, and enter the workplace, the classroom, the church, the home, and everywhere where people yearn for a more just society. Together we will make that desire reality. –Paul J. Comeau
OCCUPY AUSTIN
Ongoing – Austin City Hall (CH) Plaza
Occupy Austin began October 6th at Austin City Hall (CH) Plaza. A series of general assembly meetings were held at CH in the days leading up to October 6th. There was a lot of buzz and excitement about the movement on the Facebook page and among those attending the meetings. The morning of October 6th got off to a slow start, but by the evening the crowd had picked up and there were well over a thousand people in attendance. The mood in Austin was festive and upbeat, with a band playing in the afternoon — the first weekend saw a decent overall turnout, and the occupation remained peaceful.
Since those initial days, the occupation has remained fairly peaceful. A handful of arrests were made late one night in mid-October as the city attempted to clean the plaza. So far, there haven’t been any serious challenges to the movement from city officials or the police department. The mood remains upbeat at CH and Occupy Austin basecamp a few miles away. A core group of organizers, committee magnates, and volunteers are working hard to keep the entire movement organized and well-run. There are reading and discussion groups, teach-ins, and nighttime marches every day. Overall, the movement has made a place for itself in Austin and it appears to be ready and willing to go the distance. –Helen Novielli