Occupy D.C.
Occupy D.C. is a non-partisan occupation of public space in Washington, D.C.[1] based at McPherson Square and connected to the Occupy movements that sprung up across the United States in Fall 2011 The group has been demonstrating in McPherson Square since October 1, 2011. Despite crackdowns on other Occupy protects across the country, federal authorities claimed on November 15 that they have no plans to clear McPherson Square Park. The National Park Service decided against eviction after meeting with activists and discussing health and safety conditions.[2]
According to the Occupy D.C. official website, the movement's goals include "separating money from politics and improving the country’s infrastructure to fix healthcare, education, environment and the economy," thereby shifting power from the wealthiest 1% of Americans to the underrepresented 99%.[1] The "Declaration of Occupy D.C.", released by the General Assembly of Occupy D.C. on November 30, 2011, provides a list of the group's grievances.[3]
Timeline
- October 1, 2011: Occupy D.C. rally starts in McPherson Square, at the corner of 15th & K Streets NW.
- October 8, 2011: A group of 100 to 200 protestors affiliated with Occupy D.C. and Stop the Machine! attempted to enter the National Air and Space Museum at around 3pm, but were stopped by security guards for bringing signs into the museum. A security guard used pepper spray on at least one protester, and the crowd dispersed. [4] The museum was closed for the rest of the day following this incident.[5] An American Spectator editor claimed to be an agent provocateur.[6][7]
- October 16, 2011: Dr. Cornel West, activist and Princeton University professor, was arrested along with 18 other people while protesting on the Supreme Court steps.[8]
- October 18, 2011: Harvard professor Lawrence Lessig visited McPherson Square to speak about government corruption and propose ideas on how to unite people to address it as a growing problem in the U.S.
- October 20, 2011: Occupy D.C. holds a protest at Union Station to protest against a Walmart event .[9][10]
- October 29, 2011: Students from Howard University joined the Occupy D.C. protestors with the goal of bringing more racial diversity to the protest.[11]
- November 4, 2011: Occupy D.C. held a protest at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center where political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity held their annual Defending the American Dream Summit, attended by conservative politicians and activists. Protestors blocked exits to the convention center and traffic at intersections around the center.[12] Four protestors were struck by a vehicle while participating in the protest.[13] According to protestors, the vehicle sped up before it deliberately hit the protestors in two separate incidents minutes apart. [14] According to police, the protestors jumped in front of the vehicle. [15] The driver of the vehicle was not cited by police because he had had a green light at the time.[16] The police have opened an investigation into the incident. [17]A 78-year-old woman was knocked down while trying to get around an Occupy blockade, The Washington Examiner reported.[18]
- November 19, 2011: Around 200 demonstrators entered or gathered around the city-owned Franklin School, a former homeless shelter and historical building on 13th and K streets. They were protesting plans by City officials to have the building privately developed, wanting it to remain public and possibly reopen as a homeless shelter. Louis P. Cannon, chief of D.C. Protective Services Police Department, stated that 13 people were arrested and charged with unlawful entry, a misdemeanor.[19]
- November 22, 2011: a group of protesters walked from Occupy Wall Street to Washington, D.C. [20][21]
- December 4, 2011: After a confrontation with the police, 31 protestors were arrested after refusing to take down and dismount from an unfinished wooden building they had built for the winter. Police claimed that the structure was dangerous, and it was ultimately dismantled despite claims by the protestors that the structure was safe. According to the Washington Post this event was the "testiest [one] since the encampment began some months ago."[22]
- December 7, 2011: A march on K Street, Washington's D.C.'s lobbying corridor, drew protestors from around the country and led to the arrest of 62 people, one for allegedly assaulting a police officer, and the other 61 for obstructing a public highway.[23]
See also
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Occupy Articles
Related articles
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Previous Economic Protests
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- Business and economics portal
- Society portal
- Washington, D.C. portal
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References
- ^ a b "What is Occupy D.C.?". http://occupydc.org/about-us/. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ^ Tracy, Ryan (15 November 2011). "Occupy DC Allowed to Keep On Occupying D.C. Park". The Wall Street Journal. http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/11/15/occupy-dc-allowed-to-keep-on-occupying-d-c-park/. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
- ^ "Occupy DC Declaration Is Released As Protest Enters 3rd Month". December 1, 2011. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/01/occupy-dc-declaration-released_n_1123958.html.
- ^ Emma Brown, Del Quentin Wilber (October 8, 2011). "Air and Space Museum closes after guards clash with protesters". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post_now/post/air-and-space-museum-closes-after-guards-clash-with-protesters/2011/10/08/gIQAx0x2VL_blog.html.
- ^ Gresko, Jessica (8 October 2011). "DC museum closed after protest; pepper spray used". Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/10/08/standoff_with_protesters_closes_washington_museum/. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
- ^ "American Spectator Editor Admits to Being Agent Provocateur at NASM". Weird Load Nation. October 9, 2011. http://weirdloadreboot.com/blog/2011/10/09/american-spectator-editor-admits-to-being-agent-provocateur-at-nasm-2/. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
- ^ Patrick Howley (October 8, 2011). "Standoff in D.C.". The American Spectator. http://spectator.org/blog/2011/10/08/standoff-in-dc. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
- ^ "Cornel West arrested at Supreme Court protest". CBS News. 16 October 2011. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/16/national/main20121158.shtml. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
- ^ "Occupy DC, other protesters demonstrate against Wal-Mart in Union Station". Washington Post. 20 October 2011. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post_now/post/occupy-dc-other-protesters-demonstrate-against-wal-mart-in-union-station/2011/10/20/gIQABXqi1L_blog.html. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ "Occupy DC swarms Union Station, releases balloons to protest event featuring Wal-Mart’s chairman". The Daily Caller. 20 October 2011. http://dailycaller.com/2011/10/20/occupy-dc-swarms-union-station-releases-balloons-to-protest-event-featuring-walmarts-chairman/. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ "Howard University Helping Occupy D.C.". NBC Washington. 28 October 2011. http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Howard-University-Helping-Occupy-DC-132783823.html. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
- ^ Hundreds of Occupy D.C. Protesters Block Conservatives From Leaving Summit, theblaze.com, November 5, 2011
- ^ Pershing, Ben (6 November 2011). The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dueling-versions-between-dc-police-protesters-at-convention-center/2011/11/05/gIQAHDTAqM_story.html.
- ^ . http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/occupy-dc-protesters-call-for-investigation-into-weekend-accident-say-4-people-not-3-hit/2011/11/07/gIQAm3CivM_story.html.
- ^ Pershing, Ben (6 November 2011). The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dueling-versions-between-dc-police-protesters-at-convention-center/2011/11/05/gIQAHDTAqM_story.html.
- ^ Occupy D.C. protesters block streets near convention center, Washington Post, November 5, 2011
- ^ Pershing, Ben (8 November 2011). The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/police-to-adjust-tactics-for-dealing-with-occupy-dc-protesters-chief-says/2011/11/07/gIQAuh1JxM_story_1.html.
- ^ McCabe, Scott (November 7, 2011). "Occupy DC becoming increasingly violent, police say." Washington Examiner.
- ^ Craig, Tim (19 November 2011). "Police arrest 13 as Occupy D.C. supporters take over Franklin School building". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/police-arrest-11-as-occupy-dc-supporters-take-over-franklin-school-building/2011/11/19/gIQAiZvycN_story.html. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- ^ Martin Austermuhle (November 22, 2011). "Occupy Marchers Arrive in D.C. After 240-Mile Trek". DCist. http://dcist.com/2011/11/marchers_arrive_in_dc_after_230-mil.php#photo-3.
- ^ Elizabeth Flock (22 November 2011). "Occupy march from Zuccotti Park to D.C.: My trip with the protesters". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/occupy-wall-street-protesters-finish-journey-from-zuccotti-park-to-dc/2011/11/21/gIQAz6PDjN_blog.html.
- ^ "http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/clash-at-occupy-dc-camp-could-alter-tenor-of-largely-peaceful-relations-with-police/2011/12/05/gIQA5B5VWO_story.html". Washington Post Local. 5 December 2011. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/clash-at-occupy-dc-camp-could-alter-tenor-of-largely-peaceful-relations-with-police/2011/12/05/gIQA5B5VWO_story.html. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
- ^ Noble, Andrea (7 December 2011). "Occupy protesters block K Street; 62 arrested". The Washington Times. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/dec/7/occupy-protesters-block-k-street-62-arrested-by-po/. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
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