Photo: Reggae entertainment at OccupyPhiladelphia on Saturday...
It was difficult to watch the brutal police eviction of Occupy Portland that occurred Saturday and Sunday. One police spokesman didn't even try to hide their lopsided priorities when he stated that they were worried about "the condition of the parks," with no mention of the people in the parks, just the parks themselves. The mayor of Portland proved to be a liar when he stated that there would be no more police activity after the initial raid. The occupoers went back to their destroyed encampment, tried to clean up and re-build. However, they were raided again just as they were having their peaceful general assembly Sunday afternoon and once again driven from their encampment. Police threatened the use of chemical and impact weapons against occupiers who were peaceully exercising their right to assemble. This is what a police state looks like.
Now, Philadelphia Mayor Nutter is laying the groundwork for a Portland-style eviction of Occupy Philadelphia by telling untruths about the occupation. In a news conference Sunday, he stated that he had lost patience with OP because "the people have changed." No, Mayor Nutter, we have not changed, nor has the rotten, greedy, corrupt economic system that has led us to occupy and that you are sympathetic to changed one bit. If we have problems within our occupation with sanitation, substance abuse, etc. that is because these problems are rife in your city, Mayor Nutter. We're working hard to address these issues within our peaceful occupation. Help us solve these problems rather then sending in your police enforcers to evict us. There is no pressing need to begin the Dilworth Plaza construction project. There are much more pressing problems that need to be addressed in Philadelphia.
Occupy Philadelphia will respond to Mayor Nutter today:
The Legal Collective, with several Working Groups at Occupy Philadelphia, will hold a press conference today at 1PM to address statements made by Mayor Michael Nutter.
Individual participants who work on Food, Safety the Women’s Caucus and People of Color Committee will offer a point-by-point rebuttal. Supporting documents will be presented, including attempted email communications with city officials.
Legal - “The original members of the Legal Collective have been joined by additional people committed to working for economic and social justice. We have not changed. The mayor's attitude has. We do, however, agree with the Mayor that we can and will continue to maintain open lines of communication to further the work of Occupy Philadelphia. “
Safety – “Occupy Philly’s safety and security members plan to continue de-escalation trainings and being on the front line for creating a safe space at Dilworth plaza. We are dedicated to focusing on survivor centered responses and public safety protocols.”
Women’s Caucus - “We are concerned with the contradictory statements that the police and the mayor have made to the media about their support for the occupy movement, while simultaneously withholding support for situations of physical and sexual violence. The recent demonizing and vilifying of the Occupy movement in the media is a scape-goating of the problems and violence that plague our communities and cities daily."
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