Occupy Wall Street
NOTE: We're documenting lessons learned, building a comprehensive directory of OWS chapters, and a general knowledge repository here. If you have additions or would like to help flesh this page out, login under username: MiiUGuest password: MiiUOWS or contact Shlok @ MiiU.org thanks!
Occupy Wall Street Theory
The Occupy API (Alexis Madrigal)
Occupy Wall Street Overview
Occupy Wall Street is an open source movement of resistance composed of people with a variety of political persuasions, purportedly sharing a belief that the 99% will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the top 1%.
The movement is emulating an open source protest strategy (as seen in the Arab Spring) to achieve it's goals.
OWS began in New York City, but has spread across the US and the globe quickly, since "Wall Street" operates globally.
OWS seems to be a part and phase of a wider global resistance movement that comes from the Arab Spring, which comes from other developing countries' experiences resisting such inequalities and corruption at least as far back as Argentina's 2001 experience.
Occupation/Protest Targets
- Public Parks
- Stock Exchanges
- Investment Banks
- Commercial Banks
- Federal Reserve
- U.S. Senate
- Wall Street
- Executive teams.
- State Department
Note: A geographic breakdown is found at the bottom of this page.
Organizational Structure
While remaining leaderless, each chapter seems to have ascribed responsibility for certain areas to individuals/committies within the protest chapter.
- Media/Communications. Managing interaction with media who are seeking to write stories, as well as preparing story pitches. Communicating with the general public, among the working groups, and with the other chapters of the movement.
- Legal. Assistance with arrest, possible bail money pool, and a place to leave messages to be sent in case of arrest.
- Logistics. A place to request supplies, a center to store and manage those supplies in support of other functions.
- Kitchen/Food. Supply and prepare foodstuffs for protestors.
- Medical. Inform and assist with medical conditions in varying conditions (camping, police assault, first aid).
- Arts/Education. Facilitate seminars/artist shows for entertainment, education, and market the protest.
- Outreach. Bring in new people, look for potential allies. Gather support.
Note: These areas are further broken down by area of responsibility in the next few sections.
Occupy Wall Street - Technology
Hackathons
- A hackathon has been setup in S.F. to accelerate the movement using the skills of programmers, designer, artists, and makers. ( http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2325537746/efbnen )
- Point of contact: occupyhack@gmail.com.
- No black hat. This is a productive, not destructive effort.
- Another hackathon is taking place in NYC.
Mobile Apps
- Help I'm Getting Arrested. Hit a button and it sends a message (I've been arrested!) to numbers you predesignate. Needs social media channels. http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-20119537-251/help-im-getting-arrested/?part=test-cnet&subj=software&tag=readMore
- Anti-kettling App Sukey Keeping demonstrators safe, mobile & informed.
Occupy Wall Street - Media
Signs
Individuals are making and bringing their own signs. Some are well prepared, others marker and ad-hoc cardboard. Here's an interesting approach - using infographics available on the internet, printing them out, and pasting onto a board - http://i.imgur.com/NGCIW.jpg
Research
- A third party of nonparticipitory research. - http://occupyresearch.wikispaces.com/
Websites
- OccupyWallStreet.org has a steady stream of updates - stories (some of arrests), images, and videos as amateur journalists come out to witness. Paired with a Twitter account @OccupyWallSt
- OccupyTogether.org
- We Are The 99%
- OWS Photos
- Occupy Boston Voices has extensive video for the Boston protests.
- Dallas. Also @OccupyDallas
- Houston. Also @OccupyHouston Facebook, YouTube, Ustream
- Berkeley, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Seattle, WA
Celebrity Support
- OccupyWriters. A collective of top tier writers, complete with original work. http://occupywriters.com/
- Slavoj Zizec. Video and transcripts
- Joseph Stiglitz & Jeff Madrick. Video
- Lawrence Lessig. Video
- Mike Meyers. Video.
- Kanye West. Image.
- Mark Ruffalo. Tweet Stream
- Susan Sarandon.
- Naomi Klein. Video
- Michael Moore.
- Yoko Ono.
- Noam Chomsky
- Cornel West
Corporate Support
- Ben and Jerry's has become the first corporate entity to endorse the protest movement. According to their statement, this is due in large part that the OWS goals are in line with their own agenda.
- Each chapter has a Facebook page, which they are encouraging locals and national/international supporters to 'Like'. This generates visibility throughout the 800 million strong Facebook network.
- Hashtags. Broad: #OWS, #OccupyWallStreet, #TakeWallStreet, #OccupyWallSt, #TakeWallSt and #OccupyTogether
- Feeds. Broad: @OccupyWallSt and @TakeWallStreet
Note: Each chapter seems to have its own hashtag as well, given that multiple hashtags can be used in each tweet.
FourSquare
- Infographic explaining the rise of check-in's and where across the US in concert with OWS. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/foursquare/6235769862/in/photostream/)
The Occupied Wall Street Journal
The Occupied Wall Street Journal was born out of this Kickstarter Project
Documentation
- There's significant use of high quality DSLR, recording, and camera phone devices - by everyone. (http://smallworldnews.tv/blog/documenting-the-occupation/)
Occupy Wall Street - Logistics
Protest Signs
Individuals are making and bringing their own signs. Some are well prepared, others marker and ad-hoc cardboard. Here's an interesting approach - using infographics available on the internet, printing them out, and pasting onto a board - http://i.imgur.com/NGCIW.jpg
Money
- NYCGA is outsourcing donations processing to Nicanet provided by their sponsor, the Alliance for Global Justice.
- Boston is using We Pay
- OWS NYC Live Streaming Team is using a Bitcoin Donation Wallet - 1Q7DQVTubbUqr5by2YoZJRKCEzj9D3LQ9w
Food
- This blog post outlines the first organized process for getting food to protestors. Sandwiches.
Water
Shelter
Occupy Wall Street - Law Enforcement
Relationship
In various cities, including NYC and Austin, both police and protestors are working hard to maintain a civil, even friendly working relationship. This helps dampen any threat of violence or anti-riot operations.
Portland's leadership has chosen the opposite approach, and is actively harassing protestors who stand under awnings, sit down and use umbrellas, or cover themselves in tarps.
Incidents
- Early on, NYPD policeman Anthony Bologna maced a kettled group of protestors. (link).
- 80 arrests in the first week in NYC. (link )
- On October 10, Boston PD tried to convince the protestors to return to the area they had been allocated. They attempted to do this in-person, and through their Twitter feed, pointing out that $150k of renovation had been done where the protestors had wanted to move.
- That night, they forcibly removed protestors from that area using riot police and related tactics. (This approach basically isolated an area, and clears EVERYONE from it, making no distinction between anyone who is not a first responder - journalists, and ad-hoc legal/emergency/etc support.) Still, the OccupyBoston site has stated they bear no ill-will. http://wp.me/p1T5ST-g4
- Perhaps most interesting: the same kind of clearing operation was undertaken by police forces around the country.
- Protestors marched to the U.S. Senate in an attempt to swarm and overload it. 6 were arrested ( http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2011/10/20111011175111944299.html )
- On the night of October 12, the City of Austin scheduled a powerwashing of the occupied patio at 2 am. This resulted in 4 arrests. (http://austin.ynn.com/content/top_stories/280904/4-arrested-during-occupy-austin ) This power washing has been scheduled from 2am to 6am every day this week.
- Evictions planned or underway in CO Springs, Denver, NYC and Houston. @OccupyDenver @occupyhouston @occupycolosprng
- NYPD is enforcing a barrier around Wall Street. That is, the privatization of public property. To enter, you must present an ID card from a company on the street.
Occupy Wall Street - Leadership
- The protest is working hard to minimize formal leadership roles. This minimizes the threat of the movement being hijacked by any particular agenda. This has resulted in ad-hoc set of speaking rules, and has even led to preventing civil rights leaders from speaking (link).
- Organizers are of varied backgrounds. In Austin, the key membership is comprised of two businessmen and a professional NGO conflict resolution expert. (http://austin.ynn.com/content/top_stories/280881/the-brains-behind-occupy-austin)
Meta
- http://OccupyWeb.org
- http://OccupyCalendar.org (open edit wiki-like)
Occupy Wall Street Chapters
Alabama
- Birmingham
- Huntsville
- Mobile
- Tuscaloosa
Alaska
- Anchorage
Arizona
- Phoenix
- Flagstaff
- Tucson
Arkansas
Buenos Aires
- Buenos Aires
California
- Berkeley
- Los Angeles
- Oakland
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
Colorado
- Denver
- Colorado Springs
Connecticut
- Hartford
- New Haven
Delaware
District of Columbia
- Washington, DC
Florida
- Ft. Lauderdale
- Miami
- Orlando
- Tallahassee
Georgia
- Atlanta
Hawaii
- Oahu
Idaho
- Boise
- Idaho Falls
Illinois
- Chicago
Indiana
- Indianapolis
- Lafayette
- Evansville
- Columbus
Iowa
- Iowa City
Kansas
Kentucky
- Louisville
Louisiana
- New Orleans
Maine
Maryland
- Cumberland
Massachusetts
Boston
- Tweeter Feed: @Occupy_Boston
- Twitter Hashtag: #OccupyBoston
- The Occupy Boston Globe
- Occupy Boston Voices
- Food: lindsey.mysse@gmail.com
- Legal: legalq.occupyboston@gmail.com
- Logistics
- geoff.business@gmail.com
- tearle99@aol.com
- Kamisandusky@yahoo.com
- @OBLogistics
- Media Team
If you are press or wish to contact the Media team please e-mail:
- commboston@gmail.com
- OccupyBostonMedia@gmail.com
- @occupyBOS_media
- Medical Group
- occupybosmedic@gmail.com
- Music and Entertainment
If you are a music group or other entertainment (comedians, preference art, etc) interested in booking a performance please e-mail
- booking99percent@gmail.com
- Occupy Boston Globe
- submit@occupybostonglobe.com
- Outreach Group
- occupybostonoutreach@gmail.com
- daniel.coexistence@gmail.com
- Speakers
If you are a professor, educator, informed person with passion about a subject and would like to give a lecture, hold a seminar or teach a class please e-mail:
- occupybostonspeakers@gmail.com
- Volunteering
This is the e-mail for volunteer coordinators.
- volunteeroccupybos@gmail.com
Cambridge
Michigan
- Detroit
- Flint
Minnesota
- Minneapolis
Mississippi
Missouri
- Kansas City
- Jefferson City
- St. Louis
Montana
- Helena
Nebraska
- Lincoln
Nevada
- Reno
- Las Vegas
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
- Albuquerque
- Santa Fe
New York
- New York City
- Twitter Feed: @OccupyWallStNYC
- Where: Liberty Square (How to get there)
- Help & Directions: +1 (877) 881-3020
- General Inquiries: general@occupywallst.org
- Press Inquiries: press@occupywallst.org
- Mail:
- The UPS Store
- Re: Occupy Wall Street
- 118A Fulton St. #205
- New York, NY 10038
North Carolina
- Greensboro
- Charlotte
North Dakota
- Fargo-Morehead
Ohio
- Columbus
- Cincinatti
Oklahoma
- Oklahoma State University
Oregon
- Portland
- Salem
Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh
- Scranton
Rhode Island
- Providence
South Carolina
- Charleston
- Columbia
South Dakota
- Sioux Falls
Tennessee
- Memphis
- Clarksville
- Nashville
Texas
- Austin
- Dallas
- Fort Worth
- Houston. Also @OccupyHouston, Houston Facebook, Houston YouTube, Houston Ustream
- San Antonio
Utah
- Salt Lake City
Vermont
- Burlington
- Rutland
Virginia
- Richmond
Washington
Seattle
- Spokane
- Tacoma
West Virginia
- Charleston
Wisconsin
- Madison
- Milwaukee
- Waukesha
