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    Occupy Boston Evicted from Dewey Square

    December 10th, 2011 · · News and Announcements, Press 31 comments

    *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, December 10, 2011*

    Contacts: OccupyBostonMedia@gmail.com

    Twitter: @OccupyBOS_media

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    OCCUPY BOSTON RAIDED

    On December 10, 2011 at 5 am #OccupyBoston’s Dewey Square encampment was raided by the Boston Police Department and other officials. Thirty-five peaceful protesters were arrested on the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway just two days after Mayor Thomas Menino issued a notice of eviction. Eight others were arrested in the streets and sidewalks surrounding Dewey Square and three were detained in South Station. Throughout the two-hour period during which the arrests occurred, #OccupyBoston members remained resolute and nonviolent in the face of a disproportionately large police presence. At least 100 officers were counted inside Dewey Square at 5:30 am, while some estimates place the count at greater than 200.

     

    Credentialed press, citizen journalists, academic researchers, and #OccupyBoston media members were repeatedly corralled and moved to surrounding areas 50 feet away or more, prohibiting many from thoroughly covering the raid. From pointing lights in photographers’ lenses to targeting the two official #OccupyBoston USTREAM live videographers for removal, officials went to great lengths to block media access.

     

    You cannot evict an idea whose time has come.  Boston’s Occupiers will persist in rejecting a world created by and for the 1%. We might have been evicted, but we shall not be moved. We remain invested in the future of our movement. We will continue to challenge Wall Street’s occupation of our government.

     

    We encourage everyone to join in the national conversation that has sustained #OccupyBoston for the past seventy-one days. #OccupyBoston will hold a General Assembly tonight at 7 pm at the bandstand on the Boston Common. We are the 99%, and we are no longer silent.

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    #OccupyBoston is the beginning of an ongoing conversation about fixing our world: reforming Wall Street, removing special interests from government, preserving our civil liberties, and much more. #OccupyBoston is just one of more than 1000 separate Occupy movements in cities across the world and a symbol for “Occupiers” everywhere who support real and lasting change.

     

    Website: www.OccupyBoston.org

    Dec. 1 Court Hearing

    December 1st, 2011 · · News and Announcements 5 comments - Tags:

    Occupy Boston is pleased that Judge Frances McIntyre has decided to continue the temporary restraining order against the City of Boston and Boston Police Department preventing the removal of Occupy Boston’s tent city from Dewey Square until she fully weigh the facts of the case to rule on whether to grant a Preliminary Injunction. Judge McIntyre indicated that a decision would be forthcoming on or before December 15. Occupy Boston is eager to hear the Judge’s ruling and hope that the Suffolk Superior Court acknowledges that 24-hour protests are an expression of freedom of speech and therefore protected by the First Amendment. We would like to thank our allies at the National Lawyers Guild, American Civil Liberties Union and Todd & Weld LLP.

    Occupy Harvard Rally to Defend Freedom of Speech with Christopher Hedges

    November 27th, 2011 · · Events 6 comments - Tags:

    Christopher Hedgeshttp://www.facebook.com/events/323715837642347/

    On Friday, November 18, 2011, peaceful protestors at Davis were
    systematically pepper sprayed by the university police force. In an
    enormous GA on Tuesday, November 22, they called for a general strike
    on all UC campuses. They will attempt to disrupt the meeting of the
    provosts of the University of California.

    We will stand in solidarity with them.

     

    Monday 11/28 Schedule of Events

    3:30 pm: Rally in support of University of California student strike! Meet in front of Science Center.

    5:00 pm: Chris Hedges addresses Occupy Harvard! He will first come through the Yard, then head over to the Science Center to speak to those who can’t get in. (At 6:00 pm, he will give a talk entitled Death of the Liberal Class at Yenching Auditorium: http://mahindrahumanities.fas.harvard.edu/?q=node/341.)

    6:00 pm: Occupy Harvard General Assembly. Meet at Johnston Gate.

    Later: Chris Hedges returns to the Occupy Harvard encampment to embed for the night!

     

     

    Proposal to Preserve the Restraining Order Against the City of Boston

    November 20th, 2011 · · Passed Resolutions 4 comments

    Passed Thursday November 17, 2011

    Proposal to Preserve the Restraining Order Against the City of Boston

    Occupy Boston and certain named plaintiffs brought a lawsuit, as approved by the General Assembly of November 3, against the City of Boston, the Boston Police Department, and the Greenway Conservancy to ensure that Occupy Boston can remain in Dewey Square to express our First Amendment rights, because there was an imminent threat of a police sweep of Dewey Square due to the facts that: 1) police swept the occupations in numerous occupy cities, including New York, Cincinnati, Nashville, Albany and others; 2) the City of Boston refused to agree to provide notice before sweeping Dewey Square; and 3) the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy sent a letter to the City of Boston requesting that the police clear Dewey Square of Occupy Boston. In particular, the Greenway Conservancy wrote a letter to the city of Boston stating: “We believe that the current use by Occupy Boston is not compatible with our obligation to ensure that everyone may enjoy the Greenway, and with the spirit and letter of the rules governing use of the space….In recognition of our responsibilities as members of the Greenway Conservancy Board, we respectfully request that the City of Boston act to enforce our regulations and City permitting regulations.”

    This lawsuit has initially resulted in a great success, a Temporary Restraining Order against the defendants preventing them from removing anyone from Dewey Square unless there is an emergency such as a fire, a serious medical problem, or an outbreak of violence. The Order is more positive than we ever expected. In it, the judge states that “Federal courts have established that twenty-four hour protests in public parks and other public forums are expressive conduct and therefore require First Amendment protection.” That Temporary Restraining Order will be in effect until December 1st, when there will be a hearing on a preliminary injunction where we will have the opportunity to argue for the preservation of Occupy Boston’s First Amendment rights to remain at Dewey Square. Based on the judge’s very positive order, we are hopeful that we will be successful at that hearing.

    The preliminary injunction hearing will give Occupy Boston an opportunity to secure the First Amendment rights of Occupy Boston and set a key precedent for other occupy cities across the country to protect their First Amendment rights. If we lose the preliminary injunction we will be at risk of being swept out by the police, as we were before the Temporary Restraining Order was entered.

    Leading up to that hearing, the judge has ordered that Occupy Boston attempt to mediate with the defendants. Given the court’s concern that Occupy Boston is an amorphous group to no method to make legal decisions, and given the expediency required for certain courtroom and legal decision, we propose to temporarily empower a small number of people to represent the GA to the best of their ability in mediation. While not all situations that may arise can be anticipated, the mediators agree to represent the statement of purpose of Occupy Boston and to be bound by the past and present consensus of the General Assembly of Occupy Boston and will bring any possible final decisions before the GA. We also encourage the GA to equip our reps with any opinions they deem necessary before the mediation.

    We propose that the small group be made up of: Jennie Seidewand, Eric Martin, and Alex Ingram. These are two of the named plaintiffs in the case who are also residents of Dewey Square and a third member of the Occupy Boston community. We recognize that it is impossible to have any small group of our community represent the interests of our entire community, but it it necessary for the immediate and long-term survival of Occupy Boston that we as a GA temporarily empower a small group to engage in that mediation. Our reps will make themselves actively available for concerns and suggestions until immediately before the mediation. Court-ordered mediation is a necessary step if we wish to continue to occupy Dewey Square. If we do not do this, we have no chance of winning the case.

    GA Summary – Sunday 10/2/2011

    October 2nd, 2011 · · News and Announcements 39 comments - Tags:

    Here is the summary of this morning’s 10 a.m. General Assembly. Tonight’s GA will be at 7 p.m.

    We talked about a possible 9 a.m. wake up call for the camp for everyone be ready and present to hear morning announcements. This will be further discussed at tonight’s GA.

    The city collects our trash at 2 p.m. daily, so trash should begin to be organized at noon and again at 8 p.m.

    Intercommunications Team (now known as the Comm Team) training took place directly following the GA. If you would like to join the Communications team please come to the media tent!

    Groups need to do the following:

    – Send a Reddit moderator are needed from each group to the media tent.

    – Each group needs to compile a list of things they do and their function. Please bring this list to the media tent by 6 p.m. TODAY or email it to commboston@gmail.com

    -There are periodic facilitator training meetings. There will be one today at 5 p.m. across from the Media tent on the rise. Check the schedule outside the Media tent for more information.

    -Arts & Culture are now calling themselves Recess and tonight at GA they will propose their ideas for events. They are located in the Community tent.

    -There was a Direct Action meeting right after the GA.

    Other Morning News:

    Two of signs hung up over one tent were taken down and an American flag was hung upside down was flipped right side up. Please be aware that an upside down hanging flag means the country is in distress. There was also a report of a threat of violence against one of our community. This is not acceptable. We are a nonviolent movement and so we expect all occupiers to follow this rule. Respect everyone! A point was made here that if you ever feel yourself getting hot-headed, please try to calm down and not do anything rash. Head over to the meditation space in the Faith and Spirituality tent for help (once it gets rebuilt).

    There will be a rally on November 2 about the cost of public education. Location to be announced.

    The Planning and Layout Committee would like to keep the rows organized by naming them as streets. Meet with the Planning group directly following GA to talk about that. Also, be sure to help your neighbors with rebuilding tents if they have fallen over.

    We are working to make a laundry drop off spot. If you don’t need clothes washed but do need them dried, there are clothing racks outside the Community tent. People can check out SML Merch shop here!

    OTHER POINTS:
    -National Lawyers Guild training is at 3PM right next to media tent
    -We need to figure out a time for curfew so campers can sleep and also maybe designate an area without a curfew. Will be talked about at evening GA
    -We need to pass out bread to homeless people around the city because we have way too much bread
    -There as thought of a possible homeless food shelter
    -We need to make it easier for people of color to join the movement
    -Logistics needs blankets. Please donate!
    -Flyers are available at the internal comm table
    -Meditation has a group meeting at 2PM
    -Legal, call the NLG instead of the ACLU
    -There is a 5pm outreach meeting. Please can all members attend

    That’s it! Hope to see you tonight at 7 p.m. for our evening GA.

    Contact us

    Occupy Boston Media <Media@occupyboston.org> • <Info@occupyboston.org> • @Occupy_Boston