Live Blog for #OccupyWallStreet: Day Six, Solidarity with Troy Davis

[KoKo]

Live Blog for #OccupyWallStreet: Day Six, Solidarity with Troy Davis
By: Kevin Gosztola Thursday September 22, 2011 11:35 am

Between now and yesterday, there have been few significant developments related to the Occupy Wall Street action. There are still hundreds of people camping out in Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan nearby Wall Street (the park which they have renamed Liberty Park). However, the Occupy Wall Street action did collectively feel a sense of pain and sorrow when Troy Davis was killed by the state of Georgia last night.

One interested in whether Occupy Wall Street is a “serious” action or not that intends to produce “results” will ask, what does Troy Davis have to do with Wall Street? On the surface, nothing—save for the fact that had Troy Davis been a rich white bank executive he would have been able to convince the criminal justice system to give him the proper review of improprieties in his case, which had gained increased attention after his conviction especially as his imminent execution neared.

The above video shows the Occupy Wall Street protesters chanting, “We are Troy Davis.” At the Occupy Wall Street website, a “communique” has been posted. It lists the occupation’s “one demand” (although the communique contains multiple demands so it is unclear what point is trying to be made, unless they want to inform the world they will not be unifying behind one singular demand).

The occupation can draw inspiration from Troy Davis and use it to keep the occupation energized but the occupation should finesse the reason for why they are making ending capital punishment a part of the struggle. Perhaps, they should highlight the class warfare waged by executives on Wall Street. The occupation can highlight how cases will not be opened against any individuals even though they have destroyed lives and perhaps pushed some Americans to death. They could contrast this reality with the racist criminal justice system in Georgia (and other states).

More and tweets about protest at....
http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/

[KoKo]

1. I try to post this every night so DU'ers know the Wall St. Protests are still ongoing...

I'm not sure why few care...but, I keep at it. Why do few care? :shrug:

[ChandlerJr]

2. Calm down, 5 mins between posts is not nobody cares

n/t

[Luminous Animal]

4. The protests have spread to a half a dozen or so U.S. cities.

I'm going to stop by the one in San Francisco this weekend and bring food.

[shireen]

6. i care .... i'll look for your posts. nt

[Luminous Animal]

3. Kevin Gosztola is a great addition to Fire Dog Lake. K&R!

[Fire Walk With Me]

5. Thank you, and please keep posting! K&R!

[starroute]

7. The Troy Davis protesters joined with the Liberty Park people tonight

I've been watching the livestream and reading http://twitter.com/#!/Asher_Wolf and as best I can piece it together, this is what happened:

There was a RIP Troy Davis rally in Union Square this evening. When that ended, several hundred people decided to march a couple of miles down Broadway to the park where the OccupyWallStreet gang is hanging out. Once they arrived, there was a more-or-less joint march over to Wall Street, with the two groups combining, then splitting apart, then joining again.

The cops flanked them closely all the way and finally herded them back to the park again. At that point, tempers were running high, so a candlelight vigil was declared to get everyone calmed down again.

Somewhere along the way, 6 or 8 people from the RIP Troy Davis group had been arrested, so a contingent went over to the police precinct to chant in solidarity below the windows. And the last I caught the livefeed, which was just after 11 pm, members of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement were inviting the OccupyWallStreet people to stand in solidarity with them when their people are arraigned at the Center Street courthouse at around noon tomorrow.

Frankly, I'd like nothing better than to see the unemployed white college graduates and the serious black radicals make common cause. One of the saddest things in the 1960s was when the black-white partnership of the civil rights days fell apart, and though it may have been a necessary step for various reasons, I think any effective resistance movement today has to bring in all the scattered factions and unite them under one banner.

(Not to mention that middle-class white kids, however pissed off, still have a lot to learn about the real meaning of oppression and resistance.)

[Luminous Animal]

8. Kick.