Compiled by John M and the OB media team to help keep the Occupy Boston community informed with the latest local, national, and international occupy-related news and stories.
An inside look at Occupy Boston’s last morning in Dewey Square
Waiting for arrest, a male occupier shouted for and got the people’s mic. He then yelled, “the officers…are enforcing…the law…in the past…people have…stood up against…laws…so their voice…could be heard…It’s sad…that this…is what it took…for us…to get our voice…but now…we have a voice…and we’re not going to…shut up…we are relevant…listen to us!”
Seconds later, a female occupier mic checked saying, “we have a right…to assemble…it is not up to them…to tell us when…to stop assembling!” Another male voice, mic checking as well, complained that the press had been pushed too far back to record what transpired. A fourth voice, belonging to a person holding a camera and weaving between the police, assured his comrades that the live stream was broadcasting it and had thousands of viewers. Someone yelled, happily, “Thank you, Internet!”
Occupy protesters gear up for court, next steps
The protesters said there were no plans to use the court proceedings as a platform for dissent, as has been the case in some other cities – although they plan to attend the arraignments carrying a statue of Gandhi. As for longer-term plans, they said their next steps were still being developed, with suggestions made at a meeting yesterday ranging from a symbolic placement of tents across the suburbs to an attempt to shut down Boston’s port operations.
Occupy Boston plans to hold a “speak out’’ at 4 p.m. today at Government Center, followed by a 6 p.m. march to Dewey Square, according to the group’s website.
http://bostonglobe.com/metro/2011/12/12/occupy-protesters-gear-for-court-next-steps/WTv3haHu4qsZDbtFyikBYK/story.html
Occupy Boston cleanup to cost Greenway $40K to $60K
So far, the Greenway has collected $10,000 in donations and Brennan hopes more contributions will be made to help offet the cost. “When we looked at the site in October, we estimated that the repair cost would be $15,000, a number we could have absorbed,” Brennan said. “But as people stayed longer and the soil was compacted further, the costs escalated and it’s something we never budgeted for.”
http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/real_estate/2011/12/occupy-boston-cleanup-cost.html
Protester: ‘This was never about tents’
“We didn’t occupy Dewey Square because we wanted to camp out. We occupied Dewey Square because we think there is something fundamentally wrong with the system,” one protester said.
“I think something was sparked three months ago, which has changed the tenor of this country,” another protester said.
http://www.necn.com/12/12/11/Protester-This-was-never-about-tents/landing_newengland.html?blockID=610432&feedID=4206
