Right now the protesters are building a canvas structure in the middle of the plaza at Westlake park. The rumor is that the police were taking it down, but other than a few bike cops under the awning, I don’t see any police. I was going to head home after the GA, but I guess I’ll be staying here a bit longer. Updates if anything happens.
… So it’s about a 5 foot cube with polls on each corner. 3 sides are canvas and the other side is open as an entrance. There isn’t a roof, but they’ve put some bamboo and some Christmas lights. There are half a dozen people sitting cozy inside.
While I was writing the paragraph above a bike cop rode by, slowed down, took a look and then went back to join the others.
… I apologize that this update is super boring, but most of the cops rode off a few minutes ago. There are only 2 left. I tried to see if the ones who left were massing somewhere, but I went a couple blocks up Pine where they went, but they weren’t there. No police cars, so I doubt the city will do anything until 10:00 if they do anything at all.
… Still nothing, so I’m going to grab some warmer clothing. Will be back before 10:00. There have been a few people who said they think tonight is the night. But rumors fly around like you wouldn’t believe.
… I’m back and so are the police. There are about a dozen at the mall. There are 3 cars and a wagon as well as the ones bike. There were a few riding through the park. I don’t know if that’s been going on. Still, it’s quite festive at the park.
[9:40] About 4 cops just walked up to the people in the structure. Now there’s a crowd. I can’t get close, but it looks like the police have left.
[9:51] They’re kind of milling about but I counted 30 officers at the mall. Still, only one wagon, so I imagine there will be arrests but not in large numbers.
[9:59] The police have moved into walked through the park. No announcement to leave yet.
[10:06] The police are by the Bank of America (and the medical tent). Still no announcement to leave. The chanting by the other structures have quieted down a bit.
[10:25] The police came up to the structure. Some are there and some are under a nearby awning.. The structure in the park has 4 or 5 layers of people.
[10:29] Looks like the first person has been taken out. I still haven’t heard an order to leave the park.
[10:33] A second person taken out.
[10:37] “You are the 99%” directed to the cops
[10:51] The structure is down. About 10 people were arrested so far and there are a few more where the structure was still getting arrested.
[11:17] Those last few people are still in a tight circle. Still no announcement to leave the park.
[11:30] The police have cleared out without arresting the last 5 who were together. There’s pandemonium here.
[11:54] I’m out for the night, but there are still quite a few people around.
Pollsters take polls. Tents have poles. And yes, this thing is a “tent” — at least to the cops. Yes, there’s such a thing as cube-shaped tents.
http://www.himalayanclub.org/j.....mages0007/
From the front page of today’s Seattle Times:
“One of every four U.S. millionaires pays a smaller share of income in federal taxes than many middle-class families, according to a new congressional analysis that also casts doubts on assertions that increased taxes on the wealthiest households would hurt job creation and undermine personal savings and investment.”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....xes13.html
It’s clear to me that millionaires will pay higher taxes because of the Occupy movement. In fact, that may become the Occupiers’ most salient policy achievement. The media are juxtaposing stories about the low taxes paid by many of the rich and polls showing widespread public support for higher taxes on millionaires with their coverage of Occupy events. An irresistible momentum is building behind raising taxes on the rich. Republicans are fighting like hell to prevent this, but they’re going to lose this battle thanks to the Occupiers.
did they get a building permit?
did they pay the city of seattle for a permit?
I bet they didnt, fucking cheapskates…so much for paying their fair share.
@3 It’s probably illegal, but so what? Almost everything Republicans do is illegal, but that doesn’t stop Republicans, so it shouldn’t stop our guys either.
Carl, I go down to Westlake a couple times a day (weather permitting, given that I’m an old dirty fucking hippie) to see what’s happening at Occupy Seattle. If OS holds down the fort there for the weekend, I’ll be back on Monday. You’ll need to let me and a couple other DFH HA’ers who plan to gather know what you look like so we can track you down.
Roger we don’t need to raise taxes. We need to bring all the troops home. If we give the government money they’ll just use it to invade some other nation and kill innocent people, often children.
Screw those goddamn chickshit politicians!
Screw those goddamn chickshit politicians!
Whatever suits you. Be sure to use a condom.
I heard some depressing statistics coming home from work late last night. It was late, maybe 11:00 p.m., so I’m not sure if I heard right. But I think they quoted the Wall Street Journal as saying that the average wage would not begin to rise until 2015, and by 2020 it would reach – wait for it – 2000 levels, after being ajusted for inflation.
I’ve got to find time to read the Journal and see if I heard right.
Thay tooked deh structer cuase duh jooz kontrol Wally street!
@Carl: Second @5 on the meetup @OccupySeattle. Steve and I plan to come across the water to join PL next week.