Friday, January 20, 2012

Occupy DC Report , January 20, 2012

Occupy DC Marches on the Supreme Court.  1/20/12
 By Craig Louis Stehr (craigstehr [at] hushmail.com )

A wave of anarchists marched up Pennsylvania Avenue to the Supreme Court building to LOUDLY dissent the Citizens United decision, and reaffirm that this is our planet, and we will not be stopped in our revolutionary zeal for total freedom!  See media story, here.

This January 20th morning, at 10:30AM, a wave of anarchists from the McPherson Square encampment in Washington D.C. arrived at the Freedom Plaza encampment (located three blocks from the White House). A brief spirited rally followed, as the two groups joined forces, and then moved off of the "stone mesa" into the street. Flanked by D.C. Metropolitan Police vehicles and monitored by an uncountable number of agents from an uncountable number of local and national agencies, we marched straight up Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Supreme Court building.

LOUDLY chanting revolutionary slogans, denouncing the corporatization of America and the world, the march paused at the Newsmuseum for a mic check. All of the two hundred or so participants, recited the U.S. Constitution's words, which are massively carved in the side of the museum building, regarding the rights of free speech, the press, and dissent.

We marched up the hill chanting "This is what hypocrisy looks like" and pointed at the Capitol building. Alternately, we chanted "This is what democracy looks like" pointing at ourselves. And then chants first heard at Occupy Wall Street were shouted, such as "Banks got bailed out, we got sold out".

Arriving at the front of the courthouse, we enjoyed a rally in progress across the street. This was organized to define the more recent efforts to hijack the American democracy by the conservative majority of the Supreme Court, in particular the Citizens United decision. A skit was performed on a makeshift stage, highlighting the extent to which corporations have attempted to characterize themselves as being persons, and other increasingly absurd ideas which brought to mind historic Supreme Court decisions which affirmed that people are property.

Presently, there is a line of anarchists and other protesters in front of the barricades set up by the U.S. Park Police in front of the courthouse building. News update at ten? Well maybe, but to insure that you get the truth, check out the videos posted on the DC IMC.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Occupy DC Report: January 17, 2012

Occupy Congress Report 01/17/12   By Craig Louis Stehr (craigstehr [at] hushmail.com )

[WASHINGTON, D.C]  "Hundreds arrived last night at both McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza encampments in Washington D.C., coming from Occupy camps from around the USA. It rained all night, and then cleared up just in time for our 9AM march. We went straight up Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol building. Protest marchers assembled on the front west lawn until 3:00PM. Returning congress heard the people's dissent!  [See more photos and huffington post article]

"They trickled in last night at both Occupy D.C. encampments, from other Occupy camps near and far. Occupy Monterey CA, Portland Oregon, Bellingham WA, Atlanta, OWS, Florida, Delaware, they kept coming in all night. The temperature shot up and it rained until morning, providing a relatively warm day in the 50s, compared to the usual mid-30s

"At 8:30AM, a huge wave of anarchists came down 14th Street NW (three blocks from the White House), LOUDLY chanting revolutionary slogans.[Editor's note :4 of them were arrested later that day] They merged with us at Freedom Plaza and promptly at 9AM, we collectively marched straight up Pennsylvania Avenue behind an OCCUPY D.C. banner. It was LOUD!   
"Uncountable police from an uncountable number of agencies accompanied us. At the Capitol building we encountered the plastic green fencing announcing that the turf was being upgraded, and we ignored this stupidity of an attempt to alter our assemblage, and marched over and around the fencing onto the west front lawn. We continued to convey our feelings to the returning U.S. Congress inside until 3:00PM, guaranteeing that the voice of the 99% of the people was heard. 

"Tonight, we're having the mother of all Occupy parties at both encampments. Here are a couple of links: http://www.kctv5.com/story/16536289/occupy-congress ...No doubt more videos will be available soon...check out the DC IMC ones.

"Nota bene by Craig Louis Stehr: "My personal thanks to everyone who financially and otherwise backed up my being at both NYCs OWS and later at Occupy DC, since I arrived in Manhattan October 18th. I'm flying back to Cali Saturday morning to crash in the Compared to What jazz band's rehearsal studio in Oakland. Mission accomplished! RIGHT WING SCUM...YOUR TIME HAS COME"