Occupiers in Seattle and Oakland have broken into homes. There is also a post by a Seattle Occupy organiser who boasts about running around disrupting traffic:
"Get the music blaring and then march aimlessly, blocking traffic the whole way, for hours" *
I support the NYC Occupiers (I live in NYC) because they voice their cause while trying to minimize collateral disruption. If the NYC Occupiers were causing random destruction I would find it difficult to continue empathising.
The police should be gentler in their force escalation by issuing plenty of warnings and then gently arresting for short detainment (as a cool-down). But as another comment mentions, sometimes their hands are forced, e.g. SF and Seattle protesters hurling bricks. I would prefer an early crackdown than let the dynamic spiral beyond legitimacy as it did in London.
Temporary fix to the press problem may be the press wearing clearly identifying clothing. That dampens the police's excuse that they blend in with the hooligans (every protest, regardless of how legitimate, will attract its unfair share of these).
Disrupting traffic is an essential element of any peaceful protest you don't want ignored. For the most part it makes people angry, but at least they notice you instead of drive right past with their protester blinders on.
Breaking into homes and property destruction can in no way be regarded as peaceful protest. However, I don't see how you draw the connection in your first paragraph between breaking into homes and disrupting traffic. I do wonder what led people to break into homes in those settings, and why they're calling themselves (or others are calling them) Occupiers.
As for the press wearing distinguishing clothing, that strikes me as something that is ostensibly for a good cause, but is used for evil. For example, if reporters are wearing identifying clothing, that either gives the police an easier time removing all reporters before doing whatever it is they do, or gives protesters an easy way of masquerading as reporters to get greater access.
Disrupting traffic is a "rally the base" move. It energises supporters but pisses of moderates - note how the Seattle mayor had to break his support for the protesters following their act. Since the protesters' actions have material negative externalities they trigger a necessary cost-benefit analysis. I for one lose respect for someone who thinks they have to spit in my face to get my attention.
I agree regarding identifying press, but more so in terms of protesters donning it and this diluting the effect. I don't think the US is at the point of cattle-herding journalists yet.
I agree regarding identifying press, but more so in terms of protesters donning it and this diluting the effect. I don't think the US is at the point of cattle-herding journalists yet.
In general, probably not, but I think we've already had enough exceptional cases to take notice. I seem to recall seeing a video of a reporter at a pre-Occupy protest surrounded by police and arrested in a parking lot, and reading about a few other cases where reporters were told by police to leave. I don't want to make a strong argument one way or the other, and this thread's probably long enough, so I'm not going to take the time to look up sources.
Honestly, I hate disruptions to traffic as much as anybody, and it is illegal, but IMO our right to get home from work on time doesn't supersede the right of the downtrodden to petition the government for a redress of grievances in the only way left to them to get noticed. Note that I'm referring to protests in general, not Occupy in specific.
"Get the music blaring and then march aimlessly, blocking traffic the whole way, for hours" *
I support the NYC Occupiers (I live in NYC) because they voice their cause while trying to minimize collateral disruption. If the NYC Occupiers were causing random destruction I would find it difficult to continue empathising.
The police should be gentler in their force escalation by issuing plenty of warnings and then gently arresting for short detainment (as a cool-down). But as another comment mentions, sometimes their hands are forced, e.g. SF and Seattle protesters hurling bricks. I would prefer an early crackdown than let the dynamic spiral beyond legitimacy as it did in London.
Temporary fix to the press problem may be the press wearing clearly identifying clothing. That dampens the police's excuse that they blend in with the hooligans (every protest, regardless of how legitimate, will attract its unfair share of these).
*http://www.portlandoccupier.org/2011/12/15/occupy-portland-o...