15 October 2011

The dawn of Occupy Canberra

| Henry82
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occupy canberra

I decided to observe the Occupy Canberra Event, i’ve taken a few photos (and videos) and have written a little report. I am a little biased.

Please let me know if the above links don’t work, i’m happy to email them/upload them to ftp if you want to host them personally.

occupy canberra

Around 3:30 I rode to City Hill to get a few shots of the possibly “life changing” Facebook event, ‘Occupy Canberra’. I just arrived at the start of the march, which went up Northborne Ave, then down Alinga Street through to Garema Place. There seemed to be around 30 people ‘protesting’, holding a few Eureka and Aboriginal Flags. The group seemed to be lead by an Indigenous Australian man (with clap sticks), who walked out into traffic without looking, expecting everyone to follow, instead they waited for the light to change.

occupy canberra

There were two police cars doing the rounds, just following along from behind. A couple of drunks in Garema Place were yelling louder than the protestors. I rode around the hill to see who else was around, there seemed to be 2 people minding the gear for the group.

occupy canberra

I’ve attached some photos and videos, i apologise for the quality as i didn’t want to get too close. I couldn’t understand what was being yelled (and at times somewhat aggressively), so i felt it was better to stay away.

Will the world change from this protest? No. However I have learnt; if you want to camp on City Hill with your mates, start up a Facebook protest group.

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Funky1 said :

Now the suggestion is we follow the U.S. example and close our bank accounts and open credit union accounts. How is that going to make any difference here???

Well a worldwide run on the banks would be exciting, in a zombie apocalypse kinda way.

Now the suggestion is we follow the U.S. example and close our bank accounts and open credit union accounts. How is that going to make any difference here???

Of course, if one were simply to walk up to this seemingly impregnable police line and say, ‘excuse me sir, but can I go home now’, they would beat you back into the cordon?

I gather you didn’t read any of the examples (and references) in the wiki article.

So, the rozzers are actually keeping the protesters there? Of course..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettling

LootenPlunder10:44 am 18 Oct 11

neanderthalsis said :

They look like your common garden variety professional activists. The usual mix of socialists, militant unionists, apologists and middle class university students with retroactive social guilt.

I really can’t sympathise with their aims or cause; our system works, we don’t have rank poverty or a substantial underclass. We have a welfare system that supports all who need it at a level which allows survival rather than luxury, our financial system isn’t on the brink of collapse, an economy that promotes entrepreneurship and we have a government that we can vote out every three years. In terms of the distribution of wealth, Australia fairs quite well on international rankings by the Gini Coefficient, so their arguments really are null and void.

Garema Place seems a good place for them, down with the chuggers, bums and emos, and if they keep it peaceful, don’t get in the way of the rest of us as we go about our business, more power to them.

+1

‘Nuff said.

Felix the Cat said :

Occupy London FAIL

“They are queueing for the loo due to the fact that the police had been preventing anyone leaving a reletively small area for some hours and it was either this or piss on St. Paul’s Cathedral (to the right just out of shot).” (straight from reddit)

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”

c’mon canberra can’t ye see the beauty of it, have we already forgotten that doctor in el-tahrir sq. ‘ enjoy you revolution ‘ sadness in his eyes, cynical optimism on his face. maybe it is time for an aussi spring, an occupation two, whatever. Maybe i jus need to get out and say hello to me neighbours. nothing amiss with a horses ass admitting the king has horses ears. We all live in the same world, content to let our betters do what they do best, yes they been screwing around with the lot of ye for years and we know it. oh we battlers got it good don’t rock the boat. buy louisiana lobsters (one commenter mentioned internet buying, good comment btw) tax the uranium now japan needs coal. tax the air we need breath. well enough i tell you ‘nuf… you know the rest.

ryza said :

Again, I support this whole Occupy movement. I did not attend the rally due to the fact that most people would ridicule it for being ‘piss-weak’.

Wait…what? This does not logic. You are worried that a protest/demonstration for a cause you support would be too small to be considered effective, so your solution is to make sure it stays small by not attending. I would think a defining feature of “Occupy” would be to, you know, occupy something.

Stevian said :

It’s quite obvious your derision masks your fear

Fear of what?

Stevian said :

It’s quite obvious your derision masks your fear

I’m an internet tough guy.

It’s quite obvious your derision masks your fear

breda said :

ABC Online is running a beatup story about how this ‘movement’ has spread to over 800 cities worldwide. This presumably includes the 30 people in Garema Place and a couple of hundred in Martin Place in Sydney, most of whom went home after less than a day.

Some ‘movement’. You’d get more people to a sausage sizzle outside the local Bunnings.

I’ve seen bigger “bowel movements” than this mob. Would have been a good opportunity to trot out the new government riot control water cannon and hose them down. Some of them look as if they could use a tub. Would help Actew’s cash flow also.

Man poor people are annoying.

Again, I support this whole Occupy movement. I did not attend the rally due to the fact that most people would ridicule it for being ‘piss-weak’.

Such a shame that the vast majority of people cannot see that Australia is not immune to the economic woes of the USA. We essentially use the same system albeit with a few more controls. I am fairly sure that the USA used to have these controls as well.

We are well on our way to a Plutocracy which would be a damned shame.

Capitalism does not promote ethical behaivour.

Eirlys said :

I am still not sure that it is appropriate for us to protest other then in solidarity, as other people have mentioned, we just don’t have the same issues here. .

Yep – if you want to support poor Americans, contribute to their economy. Go holiday in Louisiana. Or buy stuff on ebay online from people in the poorer states. I have convinced about a dozen ebay sellers who weren’t selling worldwide (because the US is so incredibly insular) to sell to Australia, and have been thanked by several of them! It’s small beer, but it’s made a difference to those people. I’ve noticed in recent months that many large department stores in the US are now deigning to sell to Australia when they didn’t before!

I am still not sure that it is appropriate for us to protest other then in solidarity, as other people have mentioned, we just don’t have the same issues here. I feel that the message (which I do get) of corporate greed, the bankers in the financial crises (in the UK, Europe and US) were cleared of debt and the little guys left to rot etc etc, oh and corporations legally being people.. I think doing anything in Canberra is losing the message and losing the point.

luther_bendross6:03 pm 16 Oct 11

bigfeet said :

… Occupy # 2…

Number two… how apt.

“From Facebook: “We currently have a list of the people who attended Occupy Canberra today, we are going to plan a meeting where we can sit down prioritize and define our goals. Then we will come back for Occupy # 2 even stronger and focused. Keep up to date with this page and we will inform you of when this happens. I also want to thank the AFP, who didn’t have to do any arrests today and their friendly attitude towards our cause. Thanks guys”
————————————————————————-
Hilarious. The fact that they intend to define their goals AFTER they have prioritised them says it all. Not to mention that they admit that so far, they have done neither.

And if they think the AFP were friendly to their cause (whatever it is) they are seriously deluded. But, we kinda knew that anyway.

Those thirty people should do some volunteering together for a worthy cause. They could deliver meals on wheels, or walk dogs at the RSPCA.

BUT WAIT… That’s not all folks. According to their facebook site they are already planning a meeting to “prioritize and define our goals”. Then they will be back for “Occupy #2.”

Better stock up on essentials, it could be a long protest season.

From Facebook: “We currently have a list of the people who attended Occupy Canberra today, we are going to plan a meeting where we can sit down prioritize and define our goals. Then we will come back for Occupy # 2 even stronger and focused. Keep up to date with this page and we will inform you of when this happens. I also want to thank the AFP, who didn’t have to do any arrests today and their friendly attitude towards our cause. Thanks guys”

ABC Online is running a beatup story about how this ‘movement’ has spread to over 800 cities worldwide. This presumably includes the 30 people in Garema Place and a couple of hundred in Martin Place in Sydney, most of whom went home after less than a day.

Some ‘movement’. You’d get more people to a sausage sizzle outside the local Bunnings.

neanderthalsis3:20 pm 16 Oct 11

They look like your common garden variety professional activists. The usual mix of socialists, militant unionists, apologists and middle class university students with retroactive social guilt.

I really can’t sympathise with their aims or cause; our system works, we don’t have rank poverty or a substantial underclass. We have a welfare system that supports all who need it at a level which allows survival rather than luxury, our financial system isn’t on the brink of collapse, an economy that promotes entrepreneurship and we have a government that we can vote out every three years. In terms of the distribution of wealth, Australia fairs quite well on international rankings by the Gini Coefficient, so their arguments really are null and void.

Garema Place seems a good place for them, down with the chuggers, bums and emos, and if they keep it peaceful, don’t get in the way of the rest of us as we go about our business, more power to them.

TriviumUser said :

They could not “occupy” as the police said they could not camp there

When i wrote the article i assumed the sleepover was still going to happen. I don’t have a crystal ball.

TriviumUser said :

“i didn’t want to get too close” dear sir you seem quite the coward and very biased journalist!

Quite the coward? I’m not going to walk into a crowd of demonstrators which i can’t understand what they’re yelling from 15 meters away. I was out for some exercise, not extensive BBC journalism.

I declared i’m a little biased at the start, as i wasn’t expecting much from the disorganised effort on facebook. The group didn’t have any clear goal (until the day), and had all arguments shot down both here and on FB before the event. Don’t blame me for your botched protest.

So what percentage of the 99% do they represent?

Did you actually work out what it was you were protesting about?

Something something something big corporations. Something something corrupt governments.

TriviumUser said :

“a little biased” Interesting choice of words friend.
I also went to see what was cooking on the hill, the people there were all united in that:
1, our “system” is sick something must be done (that is what they are striving to do together).
2, corporate greed is bad for our planet and all who live on it now and in the future.
They could not “occupy” as the police said they could not camp there, they were 100% peaceful.
I didn’t stay away from the group when they walked in the city and I joined in with the chants,
we said in unison “human need not corporate greed” and “we are the 99%” it was fun.
“i didn’t want to get too close” dear sir you seem quite the coward and very biased journalist!

So what exactly are you proposing? I hear lots of generalities, but not many concrete ideas.

“a little biased” Interesting choice of words friend.
I also went to see what was cooking on the hill, the people there were all united in that:
1, our “system” is sick something must be done (that is what they are striving to do together).
2, corporate greed is bad for our planet and all who live on it now and in the future.
They could not “occupy” as the police said they could not camp there, they were 100% peaceful.
I didn’t stay away from the group when they walked in the city and I joined in with the chants,
we said in unison “human need not corporate greed” and “we are the 99%” it was fun.
“i didn’t want to get too close” dear sir you seem quite the coward and very biased journalist!

The occupation of no consequence?

Waiting For Godot9:28 am 16 Oct 11

What do we want? Blowed if we know. When do we want it? Now!

Did you actually work out what it was you were protesting about?

At me? I went to observe, not protest. Nope, I’m not sure what they were protesting about.

I think getting 30 people in Garema Place on a Saturday is a bit of an achievement.

troll-sniffer9:21 pm 15 Oct 11

I be shiverin’ in my booties with fear at the power this movement is able to generate. My advice? Get out of Canberra while you can, these guys not only mean business, they will rent the very fabric of our wonderful city apart.

(They just have to get a little bigger, admittedly.)

It would that this story being tagged as ‘piss weak’ is entirely appropriate.

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