Powerless protesters

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Myiq2xu

Winter's coming

Occupy Wall Street protesters stripped of their power, literally, by fire department and NYPD

The city has stripped Occupy Wall Street protesters of their power.

Dozens of firefighters and police officers entered Zuccotti Park Friday morning to confiscate generators and gas canisters.

Fire trucks and police vans pulled up on the corner of Broadway and Liberty St. at about 8.30 a.m. and asked the Occupy Wall Street protesters to bring the items to them, saying they were a health and fire hazard.

“They made an announcement on a bullhorn saying: ‘We are here to take the generators, could you please bring them up to us on the corner of Broadway and Liberty Street’,” said James Bennett, a member of the information working group.

When no one from Occupy Wall Street surrendered the generators, more than 20 uniformed FDNY and NYPD officials entered the park to seize them, witnesses said.

A few days ago they told them they could have Port-o-Johnnies, now they’re taking away the generators? I’m beginning to think Mayor Bloominidiot is trying to help OWS get the publicity they crave.

Unless city officials around the nation are willing to stand firm when enforcing the law they should simply do nothing. Drawing lines in the sand and then caving in is poor strategy. On the other hand trying to enforce the law increases the chances that more martyrs will be created when protesters clash with police.

The police should back off and refuse to give OWS the violent confrontations they are seeking.

Then things will really get ugly, but no one will be blaming the police.

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46 Responses to Powerless protesters

  1. 1539days says:
    October 28, 2011 at 9:21 am

    How do you fight a cult? One of the first major domesitc incidents in the Clinton administration was the Waco standoff. The people inside chose suicide over arrest. It made the Justice Department look bad, but there was really no good outcome to be had.

    Everyone has a choice, though. Bloomberg is trying to weasel his way through this by taking away creature comforts and enforcing health laws, No electricity and no fires is going to really make this cold snap up here rough. Then again, regulation is what NYC does best now. I suggest enforcing no smoking rules next.

  2. myiq2xu says:
    October 28, 2011 at 9:23 am

    Occupy Wall Street to march on New York City banks

    Occupy Wall Street protesters will march to five banks in Manhattan on Friday and deliver thousands of letters to the companies — in the form of a “mass paper airplane throwing.”

    According to the movement’s website, at 1 p.m., protesters will meet midtown at Bryant Park and march to the headquarters of Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and JP Morgan Chase.

    Without the police there to restrain them there will be an escalation of vandalism and violence. OWS will of course deny all responsibility (“It wasn’t us, it was provocateurs hired by FOX News!”)

  3. yttik says:
    October 28, 2011 at 9:37 am

    They really needed to take those generators and gas cans away. It’s not really fair, but it is a fire hazard. Cities are congested areas, we can’t be building bonfires and running generators or storing gas in cans in the middle of an urban setting. Somebody is going to get hurt.

    I feel for the politicians, especially the ones who are bending over backwards to accommodate the protesters. They’re stuck between a rock and hard place and they’re going to be thrown under the bus by both the protesters and the other residents. They have to walk a fine line between not giving the protesters the confrontation they crave and yet making sure everybody stays safe. It’s a no win situation.

  5. dm says:
    October 28, 2011 at 9:41 am

    I read a headline about The Tea Party planning to sue Richmond, Va (I think) because they apparently paid $10,000 for their protest rallies yet they are allowing OWS to literally camp out for weeks free of charge…not sure if this story is true.

  6. yttik says:
    October 28, 2011 at 9:54 am

    At 5PM Saturday Occupy Seattle is planning to invade and occupy the community college. They’ve been asked not too and they are already permitted downtown, but they want a fight. How are the city officials supposed to cope with balancing the needs of the college and the students with the rights of the protesters? They’ll be disrupting classes, camping on private property, etc. The cops, the mayor, they have to respond. They don’t have much choice. You can’t treat a few hundred adults like two yr olds having a tantrum and hope if you just ignore them, they’ll stop. These people clearly want a confrontation. It’s sad, it’s stupid, it’s predictable, but it will get them the media attention they crave.

    • DeniseVB says:
      October 28, 2011 at 9:59 am

      It sure sounds like provocation to me. The police departments must be exhausted which I think is their intent. I think they want the National Guard to be called up so they can be just like, gasp, Tahrir Square.

  7. DeniseVB says:
    October 28, 2011 at 9:54 am

    Here’s the skinny on the Richmond VA Tea Party lawsuit…..

    http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/10/richmond-tea-party-sues-city-charge-occupy-protesters-or-refund-10000-for-rallies-at-plaza/

    Fox News is covering it to, though an “expert” said OWS isn’t an organization, so you can’t require them to have permits !?!

  8. Mary says:
    October 28, 2011 at 10:05 am

    Wow.

    Bottom line, though—the cops and firefighters have no choice. It is the mayor and the city politicos who make these decisions , and when they come down, the cops and firefighters say Yes Sir and do what they’re told.

    I hope the OWSers—-at the parks and on the blogs—understand that.

  9. 1539days says:
    October 28, 2011 at 10:37 am

    This all seems like a replay of Wisconsin after the SEIU showed up

  10. WMCB says:
    October 28, 2011 at 10:39 am

    It IS a safety hazard, and not just from fire. Do you see how tight they are packing those tents in there? Gas generators are not without risk. If the fumes from the one next door are coming into your tent while you sleep, you could not wake up at all.

    If there is no structure, and no one in charge who can guarantee that safety precautions are followed, then yeah, they need to take them away. Before someone in one of those tents winds up dead from carbon monoxide poisoning.

    • Mimi says:
      October 28, 2011 at 11:15 am

      Generators are dangerous and you have to know what you are doing when using them. They have to have minders when they are turned on. They are not meant to be used non-stop for long periods of time. The fumes are toxic and ghastly. And they are insanity inducing noisy. The city had to seize them because of the aforementioned dangers.

      I want to know who paid for them. They are not cheap. Since no one claims to run anything or fund this mess, my guess is they cannot get them back unless they will confess to buying them in the first place.

    • yttik says:
      October 28, 2011 at 12:06 pm

      Good point about the fumes, WCMB. I knew there was a reason we never used our generator when tent camping.

      Where I live, we lose a family darn near every year because the power goes out and somebody always decides to bring a generator or a gas BBQ into the house.

      • DeniseVB says:
        October 28, 2011 at 12:44 pm

        Here in southeastern virginia, the rare hurricane or winter storm has more casualties from generators than the weather. Even when people run them from their garages…..the death vapor has a way of leaking into your home! Sad, but true 😦

        I really think they should be banned.

  11. votermom says:
    October 28, 2011 at 11:12 am

    Fun Friday: Rightscoop poll asks if you would vote for Palin if she ran as independent.

    http://www.therightscoop.com/poll-if-palin-runs-independent-would-you-vote-for-her/

  12. WMCB says:
    October 28, 2011 at 11:15 am

    Occupy Madison to lose their permit due to….. public masturbation. Way to go, dudebros.

    City officials temporarily denied Occupy Madison a new street use permit Wednesday after protesters violated public health and safety conditions and failed to follow the correct processes to renew or amend a permit.
    The permit, which expired Wednesday at noon, required Occupy Madison protesters to relocate from their current space at 30 West Mifflin Street, also called 30 on the Square.

    A neighboring hotel’s staff alleged voiced concerns about having to recently escort hotel employees to and from bus stops late at night due to inappropriate behavior, such as public masturbation, from street protesters.

    In addition, officials agreed further occupation should not be allowed to continue without restrooms on site to avoid further public health violations.

    http://www.dailycardinal.com/news/occupy-madison-loses-permit-1.2669111#.TqrwumCXNcz

  13. DeniseVB says:
    October 28, 2011 at 11:18 am

    “This is our Valley Forge moment”. Was there central heating during the Revolution? Looks like the Mainers are allowed grills.

    http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-20126977/occupy-ers-this-is-our-valley-forge-moment/

  14. DeniseVB says:
    October 28, 2011 at 11:56 am

    A little “capitalism” humor…..

Comments are closed.