FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, October 3, 2011 [Updated October 4 at 3:25 pm]

Contacts: OccupyBostonMedia@gmail.com
@occupyBOS_media
(857) 2468-BOS

OCCUPY BOSTON ENTRENCHES AFTER STRONG WEEKEND

Three days of mud and weather haven’t deterred approximately 100 demonstrators camped in Dewey Square from staying put indefinitely. Occupy Boston, which started on Friday evening, September 30, is part of a national occupation movement to that is sweeping the country’s major cities (including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles), attempting to bring attention to the fact that 99% of American citizens do not feel their views are being represented by their government.

The occupation began Friday evening when over 1,000 people rallied at Dewey Square and marched in a peaceful protest on the Boston Federal Reserve Building. Saturday and Sunday continued peacefully as the number of occupiers grew following marches on CollegeFest at the Hynes Convention Center and on the HONK! Festival. Evening General Assembly meetings have drawn representatives from local business and labor unions—including representatives from both the Taxi Drivers Union and the Greater Boston Labor Council, which addressed the assembly, expressing full solidarity and support to our cause—as well as concerned participants opting to join the ongoing encampment.

On Sunday the Boston Herald referred to the Occupy movement, saying, “Something’s happening here and across the country, despite repeated dismissals of these protesters.”

On Monday, October 3 Occupy Boston delivered a simple, symbolic letter to the Massachusetts Statehouse and Bank of America:

To: The 1%
Wall St.
All Cities, USA

Get out of our government. We want our country back.

Sincerely,
The 99%

Because there have been conflicting accounts in the press, we’d like to clarify our reason for occupying downtown Boston. There is no one single issue or demand that summarizes Occupy Boston or the Occupy movement. Occupiers facilitate conversation, discussion, and debate around the issue of corporate influence on politics in an attempt to overcome the cynicism and corruption running rampant in this country.

We invite everyone—left, right, and center—to join us and join the conversation. Inside Dewey Square is real democracy. It’s a horizontal, leaderless operation that empowers all individuals to participate equally in decision-making, as opposed to the circus of special-interest lobbyists or legislators with big-business ties in Washington and State Houses across the nation. Come see what democracy looks like and take part in Occupy Boston.

[This release was updated to reflect changes made by members of Occupy Boston. We are a horizontal democracy. Every voice matters. Every voice is heard.]

Day 4 of the occupation was a success: a huge march to the statehouse and back, intense attention from the media—both alternative and mainstream, across print, radio, TV, and the web—and a chance to interact with100,000+ Dewey Square passers-by on this gray, somewhat rainy Monday.

Here’s the schedule for October 4 (Day 5):

• 10:30 am – Morning General Assembly
• 3:00 pm – Hot meal
• 5:00 pm – Facilitator/AG meeting
• 5:50 pm – Working group check-in
• 7:00 pm – Evening General assembly

We’re in need of the following things:

• Tables
• Blankets
• Tarps
• Small padlocks 
• Sleeping bags (it’s getting pretty cold out here!)
• Plywood (for the walkways)
• Medical or surgical masks (for sick folks)

That’s all for now. Come down if you haven’t; come back if you have. Sleep well, Boston.

Tomorrow morning more than 100,000 people (or something) will pass through Dewey Square on their way to work in the financial district. It will be very important for us to respect commuters in the am, during lunch and in the evening. We are the 99%, they are the 99%, and we are here to raise awareness about issues of economic and political reform, not ruin anyones day.

Here’s the schedule for tomorrow:

• 8:00am – Commute march (low key visibility)
• 9:00am – Sign making and placement on top of tents
• 10:30am – Morning General Assembly
• 3:00pm – Hot meal
• 6:00pm – Commute march (low key visibility)
• 7:00pm – General Assembly