These are the photos I took on Sept 24 that energized the world
N17 Violence
Sunday, November 20, 2011
These are the photos I took on Sept 24 that energized the world
Noam Chomsky and Occupy Wall Street
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
This Land Is Your Land…
by
Hilary Bettis
Photo
by David
In a denim shirt
and blue jeans, Noam Chomsky, perched in an old plastic chair, waits for a
gathering audience at a New York Housing Works event. I happened to, out of
pure luck or fate, be one of the first people to arrive. I approached Mr.
Chomsky with a burning question: “What is our next step for the Occupy Wall
Street Movement?” In his gentle demeanor, Mr. Chomsky spoke of past movements
that created sweeping change for humanity such as the Labor Movement, the Civil
Rights Movement, and the Arab Spring Movement. “Every social change in history…
comes from concerted, organized public action and struggle over a period of
time.”
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| Noam Chomsky at Housing Works in New York City |
Back at Zuccotti Park, I hear, in the distance, a fiddle cry with a
Woody Guthrie song as members of a local teacher’s union sit quietly grading
homework assignments of children still too young to understand the struggle
their adult counterparts face on their behalf. A middle-aged woman tells me she
is there because others struggled to keep children out of factories. She tells
me it is her turn to keep corporate greed out of schools.
A young black
man in a leather jacket holds up a sign that reads, “No State shall make or
enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of
the United States.” He tells me he is there because his father participated in
the Great March on Washington. He tells me he needs to understand his roots so
that he can protect his future.
An Egyptian
woman in a hijab types furiously on her laptop sending out messages of hope and
unity on her facebook and twitter account. She tells me she was a part of the
Arab Spring Movement that gave her the opportunity to leave Egypt and pursue
her dream of an education at New York University. She tells me she has never
had much hope for the world until this past year.
Occupy Wall
Street is an extension of human rights movements that have existed for
generations. We are all here because our ancestors struggled, patiently and
dignified, for a better way of life. But we must also recognize that change
will not come overnight. The winter nights will be filled with moments of fear
and hopelessness and pain and hunger and frustration. There will be media
rhetoric that will attempt to discredit us. And narcissistic egos that will try
to divide us. But if we continue to stand in solidarity we will overcome these
moments together in ways that bind and strengthen the human spirit for
generations to come.
As a great man
once said, “[Human Rights] …was never given by a gift from above. It was always
given by struggle”
Occupy Wall Street in Photos
Thursday, October 13, 2011
The Occupy Wall Street protests are almost 4 full weeks old. I have been documenting the activities since the fourth day. There is no question that this movement has grown horizontally in all directions to form a spectacular community. Zuccotti Park (Liberty Square) has become more than just a meeting place. It has become a community, with infrastructure and cohesion. Any news/media reports of rampant sex, drugs and unsanitary conditions at Zuccotti Park are just out right fabricated lies.
In actuality, the Occupy Wall Street gathering is a vibrant, artistic, intellectual and diverse movement. Last Saturday we had a creative, peaceful and enjoyable art show at 23 Wall Street. Ironically, this address is the old J.P. Morgan headquarters, now housing the voices they repress.
On Wed. October 12th 2011, Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls performed for the Occupy Wall Street movement at Zuccotti Park. I must say, she was fierce. Her ukelele/singing performance was energizing. She was inspiring.
These are just a few events that go on daily at Liberty Square or Zuccotti Park in New York City during the Occupy Wall Street protests. We do not have time to sit around because the only thing we can think about is "this is the moment for change". It drives us everyday. We spend countless hours, as volunteers, planning, creating and enacting ways to connect with people all around the world. The Occupy Wall Street live stream has connected with over two million viewers in the past three and a half weeks. On any given day we march or an outside group marches to Zuccotti Park in solidarity with our message. Corporations have too much power in the decision making process that affects the lives of every human being on Earth without accountability. Every day they destroy peoples lives all in the name of increasing profit.
The New York Police department has spent millions of dollars protecting a street and a building. The New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street is locked down. During the Occupy Wall Street art show, the police surrounded the building with six horse police, 48 uniformed officers and a dozen motorcycle police. They stood their with nothing to do. The art show was across the street from the New York Stock Exchange but we were happy just to see some art, listen to music, socialize and have a nice night out. we felt safe because the police were on the other side of the metal barriers, separated from interrupting our human rights.
The Millionaires March was an outside organization that Occupy Wall Street supported. All the building we went to had private security guards (as seen in the background) intimidating people. A private army for the rich 1% in America.
Get involved with your local Occupation. Occupytogether.org has information to connect with people. On October 15th, the world marches together...15october.net - I really expect tens of millions of people worldwide to march. The 99% of the world. Occupy Wall Street lives on and is growing every day.
In actuality, the Occupy Wall Street gathering is a vibrant, artistic, intellectual and diverse movement. Last Saturday we had a creative, peaceful and enjoyable art show at 23 Wall Street. Ironically, this address is the old J.P. Morgan headquarters, now housing the voices they repress.
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| Occupy Wall Street art show |
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| Occupy Wall Street art show |
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| Occupy Wall Street at 23 Wall Street |
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| Performance art at 23 Wall Street |
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| Occupy Wall Street Protests Signs |
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| Art show at 23 Wall Street, JP Morgan Headquarters |
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| Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls @ Occupy Wall Street |
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| Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls @ Zuccotti Park |
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| Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls @ Zuccotti Park |
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| NYC Protester |
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| Message projected onto a building wall |
The New York Police department has spent millions of dollars protecting a street and a building. The New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street is locked down. During the Occupy Wall Street art show, the police surrounded the building with six horse police, 48 uniformed officers and a dozen motorcycle police. They stood their with nothing to do. The art show was across the street from the New York Stock Exchange but we were happy just to see some art, listen to music, socialize and have a nice night out. we felt safe because the police were on the other side of the metal barriers, separated from interrupting our human rights.
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| Millionaires March in New York City |
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| Millionaires March in New York City |
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| Millionaires March outside rupert murdoch Apartment |
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| Millionaire March at rupert murdochs apartment on 5th Avenue |
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| Outside David Koch apartment on Park Avenue in New York City |
Get involved with your local Occupation. Occupytogether.org has information to connect with people. On October 15th, the world marches together...15october.net - I really expect tens of millions of people worldwide to march. The 99% of the world. Occupy Wall Street lives on and is growing every day.
700 Arrested During Occupy Wall Street March
Sunday, October 2, 2011
The Occupy Wall Street march to Brooklyn Bridge Park on October 1st 2011. As I was photographing the protesters being arrested, the thought, "The Police have just caused 10 times more traffic congestion than the protesters would have" entered my mind. Whether the group of protesters were led to the roadway by the NYPD or not. This does seem like another example of wasted NYC resources in the name of "We have the bigger stick" by the New York City government.
This video does show the NYPD leading the protesters onto the roadway - Protesters on Bridge and this one Video of Brooklyn Bridge Occupy Wall Street march.
The Police CLOSED the Bridge for more than an hour. I have been told by people in the march that the Police did let people at the back of the roadway portion of the march leave the area. The people I talked to were students, teachers and college professors. I am not sure how many they let pass or if there was some sort of qualification. It is obvious that not everyone was allowed to turn back.
I am happy there was very little physical violence today... I am proud that so many people showed up for the march. I estimate between 3 and 4 thousand people showed up to the march. I don't think the marchers should have been arrested. Total political move by the City of New York. Some reporters I was photographing with told me this is an old and common tactic the NYPD uses.
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| Occupy Wall Street March |
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| March on the Brooklyn Bridge being led by the police |
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| Standoff with police |
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| Occupy Wall Street March |
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| Occupy Wall Street on Brooklyn Bridge |
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| Police Action on the Brooklyn Bridge |
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| Arrests on the Brooklyn Bridge |
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| Peaceful protesters being trapped |
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| Occupy Wall Street march aresst |
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| Scene of the Occupy Wall Street roadway march |
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| Marcher being arrested |
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| What is your name? Legal observers were taking names from the walkway above |
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| 700 marchers arrested during Occupy Wall Street march |
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| Holding on to each other tight |
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| Occupy Wall Street March on Brooklyn Bridge |
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| Police blocked off the Brooklyn Bridge |
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