EDIT: photos are now live on my website as well: [link]


Police line the streets during the march to Washington Square Park. The line of policemen (pictured below) was directly behind them. I was yelled at seconds after taking this photo and instructed to get back on the sidewalk.

Hello Everyone!

This post is intended to be neutral. I will display arguments from both sides.

Overview

#OccupyWallstreet has been going on for over three weeks now. It has been both supported by thousands if not millions, and put out to die by many others. The movement is made up of largely students who believe at this time that there needs to be change to Corporations, Banks, and others who are underpaying taxes, and in the back pockets of politicians, cops, etc.

An example of this that was published today that J.P. Morgan made a donation of 4.6 million to the NYPD. The Same NYPD who are currently arresting, beating, and pepper spraying those at the protests.

At the same time, corporations claim that there is still no set of demands or goals of this rally and that it is simply a demonstration that will go nowhere.

Now here is what I saw.

I spent the full day of October 8, 2011 at #OWS. It started at Liberty Square (Zuccotti Park) and then marched at around 2PM escorted by hundreds of policemen on the sidewalks to Washington Square Park where a rally was held. Washington Square Park was FILLED.

Liberty Square:
Liberty Square had protestors holding posters, and currently has 400+ people sleeping there every night. Because it is a privately owned park, they are allowed to sleep there overnight and not be arrested.

Due to their location, tour busses come every few minutes. Either they cheer, or they are silent and just stare… The signs that protestors held covered a large variety of economic, political, war, peace, nature, etc. beliefs…

The area is covered with people, and unlike how the Media may say, they are doing a fairly good job at keeping it clean. They have teams there that are medical, comfort, food, etc. all of which have working groups. These working groups of course expand to areas that decide on demands, issues etc.

The protectors are not allowed to use megaphones, microphones, etc. so they use "Human Mics" it works like this:

One person says: "MIC CHECK!"
Protestors near them repeat: "MIC CHECK"
And protestors behind them then repeat it.

This way everyone is able to hear and it can go through thousands of protestors.

For example:

"My Name is Mike"
Repeats through the crowd.

They insist that it will be repeated no matter what is said which allows everyone to have a voice.

Washington Square Park

Using the Community Microphone, they were able to hold a rally at Washington Square Park.
Protestors FILLED the park.

Apparently, a doorman told me that outside, two media groups tried to set up to record it, but were ushered away by the police. Interesting that the media wasn't allowed there.

The march to Washington Square park had to stay on the sidewalk. Protestors who left (which included me to get some photos of cops) were asked to go back on the sidewalk. If they refused they would be arrested. No one was yesterday.

Anyway, the rest of this I will just share in pictures….
<img src="[link]" width="400:>