People willing "to die on their feet" are failing to do so.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Luminous Animal  (1000+ posts)        Thu Dec-08-11 08:22 AM
Original message
Tonight it was great to stand with people willing to die on their feet.
 Edited on Thu Dec-08-11 08:52 AM by Luminous Animal
I just got back from Occupy San Francisco. The camp was evicted at 3:00AM this morning. but we gathered in the park at 6:00 to hold our general assembly... no tents, no camp... just people assembled to freely speak. There was about 100 of us there.

The cops, about 70 of them, were lined up at the west end of the park . As they maneuvered into invasion formation, the GA facilitators called a pause is the agenda so we could discuss emergency measures during which we decided that whoever wanted to hold the park would maintain their ground and the rest of us would retreat to the parameter (it is a very small park) and remain for vocal and moral support. The cops invaded 10-15 minutes into the meeting and Occupy SF took their positions as planned.

Between 30-50 people stayed in the park; the rest of supported them from the sidewalks with chants and songs and speeches. The cops then made a huge tactical error. All 70 cops decided to position themselves solely around the park defenders and left all of us on the outside free surround them. Which we did. We surrounded the cops who were penning in our brothers and sisters and linked arms thus penning them in, as well.

It was a stand off. Our forces were thin, though. About 75 of us confronting about 70 of them. Fortunately, supporters started coming in and within a half hour we increased from one person deep to three people deep.

There was a disturbing incidence of brutality. I didn't see the beginning or the middle but I saw the end which resulted in a young man severely injured. People called 911 immediately but no EMTs showed up for 20 minutes and when a truck finally did, the cops would not allow it through. At the 35 minute mark, a nurse offered to attend to him but again, the cops would not allow her through. We all took up the chant of Shame! Shame! Shame! And Let Her Through! Let Her Through! Let Her Through! And in between and during people were desperately trying to reason with individual cops. And, I know, that many of the cops were shamed by the inaction of their superiors. The cops that I had been confronting and engaging with no longer would make eye contact with me and other Occupiers confirmed that the same had happened with them. (Keep in mind, that the corporate news were on site filming this travesty.) After about 5 minutes of this, they let the nurse through and 5 minutes later they let the EMTs through.

There was also a few incidences of provocation from the police... mostly gratuitous shoves. The sergeants would move the most aggressive cops in a position facing the most angry young men and then the cops would lunge at them or shove them. I am proud that no one took the bait. WE ARE PEACEFUL! WE ARE PEACEFUL!

The stand off continued for about three hours with incredible energy on our side and, growing discomfort on theirs. I've been in situations like this before. There is little sense of safety. Our opponents are well-armed and they can take away our liberty at any time. They've proven time and time again that they are willing to destroy our property, trample on our 1st Amendment rights, lock us up, and hurt us.

The crowd continued to grow. A few city supervisors showed up and spoke and their pablum were soundly booed. It was then that the cops started negotiating with us. They were willing to release the Occupiers who were holding the park if they agreed to an admonishment and also agreed to never step foot in the park for any Occupy event in the future. That is, the cops were asking people to cede their 1st Amendment rights.

The park defenders asked and received permission to conduct their own GA to discuss the terms. While they discussed, we continued to put pressure on the cops singly and collectively. After about 10-15 minutes, the GA came back with their own demand... (Mic check! Mic check! Mic check!) That the cops retreat and that those within the police line and those outside of the police line be allowed to move freely. Period.

Meanwhile, about 50 motorcycle cops showed up and several police cars and vans. The nervousness increased. Would we stand with the park defenders? We did. "UNITED WE STAND! DIVIDED WE FALL!" We chanted over and over and over again.

And the cops retreated. We took back the park and continued the GA.

And the cops retreated and we took back the park. I love saying that!

The revolution will not be televised...

...due mostly to poor ratings.

[Linda]

And now for the newspapers view of the story:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/12/07/BAC41M9GUP.DTL
Occupy SF regroups after raid, clashes with cops

[Gina]

Why do they make try to make protesting sound so romantic?

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Why do they make try to make protesting sound so romantic?

Can you hear the drums Fernando?
I remember long ago another starry night like this
In the firelight Fernando
You were humming to yourself and softly strumming your guitar
I could hear the distant drums
And sounds of bugle calls were coming from afar

They were closer now Fernando
Every hour every minute seemed to last eternally
I was so afraid Fernando
We were young and full of life and none of us prepared to die
And I'm not ashamed to say
The roar of guns and cannons almost made me cry

There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though we never thought that we could lose
There's no regret
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando

Now we're old and grey Fernando
And since many years I haven't seen a rifle in your hand
Can you hear the drums Fernando?
Do you still recall the fateful night we crossed the Rio Grande?
I can see it in your eyes
How proud you were to fight for freedom in this land

There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though we never thought that we could lose
There's no regret
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando

There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though we never thought that we could lose
There's no regret
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando
Yes, if I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando...

[DumbAss Tanker]

Why do they make try to make protesting sound so romantic?

It's all they've got to give themselves a belief in their own worth.  Which is nothin' in both cases.

[Carl]

They are lucky they are in SF.
Just about any other place if you surrounded a bunch of cops and interfered with them doing their duty you could (rightly) expect a night stick tattoo at the least.

[Wineslob]

40 protesters. Ya, hows that .00000000000000000000000000000000000001% working out for ya, idiots.

[BlueStateSaint]

Can you hear the drums Fernando?
I remember long ago another starry night like this
In the firelight Fernando
You were humming to yourself and softly strumming your guitar
I could hear the distant drums
And sounds of bugle calls were coming from afar

They were closer now Fernando
Every hour every minute seemed to last eternally
I was so afraid Fernando
We were young and full of life and none of us prepared to die
And I'm not ashamed to say
The roar of guns and cannons almost made me cry

There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though we never thought that we could lose
There's no regret
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando

Now we're old and grey Fernando
And since many years I haven't seen a rifle in your hand
Can you hear the drums Fernando?
Do you still recall the fateful night we crossed the Rio Grande?
I can see it in your eyes
How proud you were to fight for freedom in this land

There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though we never thought that we could lose
There's no regret
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando

There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though we never thought that we could lose
There's no regret
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando
Yes, if I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando...

One of my favorite ABBA songs.

[Wineslob]

One of my favorite ABBA songs

[Gina]

  Yeh, I kinda lost a bit of respect for BS  after that post   

[GOBUCKS]

Yeh, I kinda lost a bit of respect for BS  after that post.

I have never seen a more enjoyable musical than the stage production of "Mamma Mia". People were dancing in the aisles.

On the other hand, I have never seen a worse movie than "Mamma Mia". Meryl Streep was bad. Pierce Brosnan was incredibly bad.

It's amazing that such a great show could be turned into such a horrific movie.

[DefiantSix]

Why do they make try to make protesting sound so romantic?

Filthy hippies, like Arabs, are only romantic from upwind of them.

[BlueStateSaint]

  Yeh, I kinda lost a bit of respect for BS  after that post   

The two of you are just jealous, that's all.  I have well-rounded musical interests.