November 17, 2011

Live streaming by Ustream

11:23am: You can watch the arrests online here.

11:11am: The police are now using the barricade to attack the protesters. They are using them as weapons and attacking protesters and members of the press. Photographers are being thrown by the barricades and knocked to the ground. Livestream right now.

11:05am: Police had barricaded the protesters who had been let in to Zuccotti Park not allowing anyone else in, but protesters have removed the barricades and there's a bit of mayhem as there aren't enough police to prevent the barricades from coming down.The south side of the park is completely open now, and the people are chanting "Whose park? Our park!" Police standing helplessly talking on their walkie-talkies.

10:50am: I'm witnessing now on the livestream, the corner of Pine and Broadway police have barricades set up and are not allowing anyone without a corporate ID to get through. You must work in one of the corporate buildings in that area to get through. Okay, now it seems that it's a selective ID requirement, possibly based on how a person looks? Not sure at this point. I've seen a woman with a US passport for ID denied passage, as well as a member of the press.

10:30am: Via the livestream - livestream is raw news, no confirmation unless stated otherwise, reports of mass arrests, kettling on Broadway and Bieber.

10:25: A source tells me that Austin Guest, who is with NY chapter of Jobs with Justice, was arrested this morning in the Wall Street march. Guest was also arrested during the NYPD raid that evicted the Liberty Plaza occupiers, and shared a holding cell with NYC councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, who was also arrested during that raid.

10:23am: Via the livestream, watching now as the private security that's been at Zuccotti Park since the raid that evicted the encampment opening the gate and letting people in. Occupiers are back in the park! The kitchen has reopened was just called out. No one has any idea if this is a permanent action, or even why protesters are being allowed back in. Marchers are chanting "Lets go home!"

10:22am: Protesters chanting "Bloomberg, beware, Liberty Park is everywhere!"

10:12am: Note: Earlier reports that the NYSE had been shut down were either incorrect, or it was a temporary situation. The exchange did open, and the bell was run this morning.

10:06am: Protesters -via the livestream - have decided to march to Broadway. Chanting "All day, all week Occupy Wall Street!"

10:00am: Via Michael Moore on Twitter, photo of woman in wheelchair arrested this morning on Wall Street, and police pondering how to get her into the police van: http://twitpic.com/7fddwj

9:20am: Via Twitter, RT.com reporter @LucyKafanov: "I just got clubbed what the hell?"

9:16am: Captain Ray Lewis of the Philadelphia Police Dept. just arrested by the NYPD, via the livestream, unconfirmed.

9:08am: Dangerous(?) woman in a wheelchair being arrested to cheers from the crowd.

9:07am: The New York Stock Exchange has been shut down, per livestream. Police are no longer allowing any employees in even with identification. Officers not wearing any identification, badges, numbers, in direct violation of New York law.

9:00am: People being zip-tied on the sidewalk, mass arrests underway, people pushing back against protesters marching on the sidewalk, via livestream.

8:50am: Via the livestream, protesters have taken street barricades and have blocked police cars in with them. A policeman seen striking a male protester with his baton full-force directly on his femur (thigh bone).

8:47am: Alternet via Twitter: (Police)"Batons are coming out."

8:30am: Ironically, police barricades have effectively shut down Wall Street. Workers are still able to get through after showing identification. It will not be a good day to have forgotten your wallet.
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8:18am: Speaking now with Greg Basta of NYCC, and discussing media reports that the mayor's office told them that today's planned Occupy Wall Street action scheduled for the subways today will literally "shut down" the subway system. Basta's response:

“We have no idea where the mayor or his office is getting his information from, but there is no plan to shut down the subways. That was never the plan. Labor and community organizations are doing outreach around subway stations with working families in local neighborhoods to join us to fight for the 99%. This appears to be an attempt by the mayor’s office to frighten the public and discredit today’s events.”

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8:15am: If you're watching the livestream, I'm thinking that Mayor Bloomberg is probably wishing that he'd left people and their tents in Zuccotti Park. I'm hearing estimates of thousands of protesters already in the streets.

Wow! Crowds were standing still for a moment chanting "We got sold out, they got bailed out," but are on the march again now and the chants are changing so fast that I won't try to tell you what they're saying. Police are attempting to guide the massive turn-out that just keeps growing.

Updates to come...

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