I wasn’t in Liberty Square (a.k.a. Zuccotti Park) the other night when around 73 Occupiers were arrested and many were thrown to the ground or otherwise physically abused by the NYPD–some of whom were “just doing their job” while others, it seems, were really aggressive–but I’ve heard the stories, of a woman having violent seizures while in handcuffs as cops looked on, of people being pushed to the ground, of hair pulling and boots in people’s chests (there’s footage, too).
When I heard what had happened on Saturday night, my first thought was to make sure my friends in Occupy were okay–most of them were, though a few people I know did get arrested–and my second reaction was frustration. Once again, it appeared that the police had become a proxy for the “one percent,” leading Occupiers to aim their protests not toward Wall Street law breakers or their collaborators in Congress, but toward working-class people in uniforms who are under orders.
But perhaps now is not the time for tactical discussion. Now, more than ever, is a time for much-needed healing.
Today, about sixty Occupiers gathered in a community center in the Financial District to begin that process. As people filtered in, they chatted about how they had finally caught up on sleep after being in jail over the weekend. One person said to a friend, “I heard that Michael Moore,” who was at the annual Left Forum meeting this weekend, “finally understood what Occupy Wall Street’s demand is.” His friend looked at him, smiling; he continued, “We want to Occupy Wall Street. That’s it.” Read more →