NEW YORK – A cold winter may have stopped protesters from assembling in Zucotti Park, but spring has ushered in renewed vigor for the Occupy movement and has lead to the take over of Union Square Saturday.
Hundreds of protesters arrived in Lower Manhattan Saturday night to mark the six-month anniversary of the occupation of Zucotti Park. But by Sunday, over 90 people had been arrested, several protesters suffered injuries, many remain in police custody as of Tuesday, and law-enforcement officials have temporarily erected barricades around Zuccotti Park.
On Monday, two City Council members who have supported Occupy Wall Street since its inception, Ydanis Rodriguez and Jumaane Williams, denounced what they characterized as police abuse of protesters during a press conference. Both lawmakers took part in Saturday’s protest.
City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez said he was going to ask the Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn, to hold hearings to review the police actions. He said he also believed that the Police Department was “using brutal excessive force against peaceful people” during some of the arrests.
Another councilman, Jumaane Williams, questioned whether the police had the authority to close the park on Saturday night, an act that led to many of the arrests. A law enforcement official said the Police Department had decided to declare the park closed because of concerns about vandalism. The official said several electrical outlets at the park had been damaged, though on Saturday night the police told protesters that the park was being cleared so that it could be cleaned.
The protesters “are not terrorists, they are not enemies of the state,” said Williams. “This park is to be used by the public. Occupy Wall Street is part of the public.” He added: “What this is about—and let’s be clear—is suppression of dissent.”
The overwhelming police response has lead demonstrators to demand the New York City Police Chief’s resignation Tuesday. In protest, several protesters knelt down, their mouths covered with tape and their hands tied behind their back in front of the headquarters of the New York Police Department in southern Manhattan.
NYPD chief Raymond “Kelly must resign,” read a banner before the procession.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has double-downed, stating in a press conference Monday that officials will not hesitate to arrest protesters for peacefully assembling in a public space. “You want to get arrested? We’ll accommodate you,” he told reporters. “If you have something, really, to say, that would be a great contribution, nobody can hear you when everybody’s yelling and screaming and pushing and shoving.”
When will we start holding officers accountable for their brutality and excessive use of force? The handling of protesters is Unconstitutional and endangers the basic rights of EVERY last American. Is this the country we were raised in, were men and women are beaten, gassed, pepper-sprayed and arrested for their disapproval of the government? We have to be careful to protect our Constitutional Rights! Raise awareness and do your part with these free posters I designed for the movement on my artist’s blog at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/11/propaganda-for-occupy-movement.html