The following is a statement by John Ford, a member and resident of Occupy Boston:
This morning we attempted to bring in another military tent, a 16’x16’, which would be used for sleeping. We were stopped in our attempt and told a permit would be needed.
When we have asked how to go about permitting a tent, we have been told not to bother, as no tents we seek to permit will be approved, on principle that no permit was ever issued to be here, in Dewey Square, in the first place; or ever would be. This was stated on the stand in Suffolk Superior Court, by Mister Bart Shea, the City Fire Marshall. This ties our hands while demanding we scratch our own backs, or leave.
That’s fine for the paper, but what’s happening on the ground is that the various city agencies, covering their own liability, are telling us to come into code, while still other city offices, apparently, are using the police to enforce the prohibition of new materials; effectively halting our ability to come up to code without obfuscation.
The police will argue with us all day, they have an order barring in new materials, simple; it is the other, higher offices, which refuse to negotiate. We, at Occupy Boston, once again, would like to extend an invitation, to the Mayor of The City of Boston, Mr. Thomas Menino, to the Fire Marshal, noted above, and any other city regulators or officials willing to engage in this debate; to come and have an open dialogue, with the people, on the issue of how we can come to terms, on issues of safety, sanitation, and higher philosophy, to relate, and mediate our mutual interests, so that we can all move forward.
As for this morning, a general assembly was called at 11:30 to discuss the action. It had been discussed previously, in the wake of the sink incident, that a more cooperative and coherent demonstration was needed to best portray our particular situation to the public. We called on the various city agencies acting in apparent collusion to prevent us from coming into accord with their wishes, as well as the media, and you, to hear our polite requests for answers, as well as to raise further public awareness on this issue.
We were offered no answers, only that we needed a permit; a permit which we have been informed would never be granted. The tent was removed peaceably, only after we felt our message was heard; that we would like to become safer, more comfortable, more efficiently arranged, organized and accessible, so that more people may come, and be involved in this open discussion.
-John Ford
