Occupy Wall Street emerged as a radical political movement, inspired by the Arab Spring and fueled by the subversive creativity of Adbusters’ Kalle Lasn and Micah White. The movement was committed to political change through nonviolence and participatory democracy, and was focused primarily on issues of corporate influence in politics. On September 17, 2011 Occupy Wall Street established a tent city in Zuccotti Park in New York City’s financial district. As the movement grew, activists established similar encampments in public spaces across the U.S. and the world. Occupy inspired protests in 951 cities in 82 countries and captured the attention of media around the globe. These photos capture some of the flavor of the encampment.
Police scooters circle Zuccotti park during the third month of Occupy Wall Street. Occupy organizers say police presence has increased as Mayor Bloomberg signals his determination to end the “chaos of the demonstration.”Zuccotti Park, formerly called Liberty Plaza, is a 33,000 square foot privately owned public space controlled not by the city but by Brookfield Properties. Located near “Ground Zero,” it was heavily damaged when the World Trade Center was destroyed by terrorists on September 11, 2001. Today, nearly every square foot is occupied by tents and protesters.The New York City police aren’t the only annoyance to protesters. People occupying the park complain about the drummers who panhandle passersby while drumming 24 hours a day, making sleep difficult for everyone else.By November all open space in Zuccotti Park has been filled with the occupiers’ tents. Those who joined for the duration are beginning to feel defensive about their small piece of turf.Despite the cramped space and the difficulties of hundreds of people camping in a city park, occupiers cope in whatever ways they can – even growing their own vegetables.James Mallory and Margaret Smith joined the Occupy movement in late October. They say they are committed to staying as long as possible but don’t plan to get arrested.Proposals and decisions by Occupiers are accepted by a process of discussion and consensus. During deliberations, no electronic means of communication are allowed. Discussions are carried through the crowd by “human microphone,” where those nearest the center of the discussion repeat it for those further away.A community has grown in Zuccotti Park – some would say it’s a convergence of many communities, and some of them don’t get along. But despite the crowding and the diversity of causes represented by its constituents, Occupy seems to have established a new kind of civil society, with the hope modelling democracy for the world outside.
