Don't Suppress the Occupy Movement
Several rallies and demonstrations were held all over the United States on February 28. It was part of a campaign to oppose the suppression of Occupy by city, state and federal governments.
- The call to action went out and was posted.
Stand with Occupy! | Stop the Suppression of the Occupy Movement!4 hours ago ... To make a tax-deductible donation by mail, make your check or money order out to "Alliance For Global Justice"...- And a number of noteworthy signed on to the call to help build support for demonstrations today:Rev. Stephen Phelps, Senior Minister, Riverside Church; Michael Ratner; Chris Hedges; Boots Riley, The Coup & Street Sweepers Social Club; Glen Ford,Black Agenda Report; Robert Hass, Professor of English, UC Berkeley & former poet laureate of the United States; Scott Olsen, Occupy Oakland; Alexa O’Brien,US Day of Rage; Colonel Ann Wright, Cornel West; Rebecca Solnit; Cindy Sheehan; Aaron Black; Rev. Rich Lang, Seattle; David Graeber
- The day of the protest Noam Chomsky put up a video saying he was sorry he could not be at any of the demonstrations but he would be there in spirit.
Video: Noam Chomsky on the suppression of #Occupy #f28 #oo #ochi #osf #ows @OccupyWallSt @OccupyWallStNYC dontsuppressows.org/2012/02/28/noa…- Ahead of the action, this video was cut together to promote the demonstrations:
- The action was supported by Occupy Wall Street's General Assembly. And so did the General Assemblies of Occupy Chicago, Occupy Cleveland, Occupy Houston, Occupy Minneapolis, Occupy St. Paul and Occupy San Francisco.
- In New York, the police were there with a typical escalated presence:
- #nypd already putting the soft-press on the #dontsuppressows rally. #ows #f28 @ Union Square Park instagr.am/p/HkDI4jh6pB/
- heightened NYPD presence at Union Sq pre- #F28 a few undercover too twitpic.com/8pw5n6 WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED #ows #Ochi #ChicagoSpring
- But, a rally in Union Square went off without any problems from police. The band Outernational played music. Peter Yarrow, known for his work with Peter, Paul & Mary performed too.
- Peter from Peter, Paul, and Mary performs at #f28 Union Square. "There's no easy walk to freedom" instagr.am/p/HkFSYVh6ph/
- Actress Susan Sarandon spoke to the crowd at the rally.
- There were probably five hundred to a thousand people at the action in New York.
- The rally was permitted to use sound. But, a member of Occupy Wall Street's Direct Action group preferred People's Mic and decided not to use the sound system to deliver his speech.
- At about 6 pm EST, the march took off for Liberty Square, the birthplace of the Occupy movement
