Homeland Security Raid On Occupy Philadelphia
December 1st, 2011Videos from the early morning raid on Occupy Philadelphia by Homeland Security and the Philadelphia Police Department:
CAMERA 1 Low Def
Homeland Security Occupys Philadelphia
December 1st, 2011
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Ramsey
December 1, 2011
by Daniel Brouse
PHILADELPHIA, PA — When the police raided Occupy Philadelphia at Dilworth Plaza surrounding City Hall, it was obvious there had been a change in command. The Philadelphia Police went from being cordial to being aggressive and violent. What was the cause for the change in demeanor?
An eye witness noticed the strong presence of Homeland Security officers. These officers had not been part of the community. They had not developed relationships with any individuals. Instead, Homeland Security brought terror to the streets of Philly. Bicycles and horses were used as weapons injuring many protesters. One of those arrested commented on the use of violence against ladies of smaller stature and other violent targeting practices.
When questioned about Homeland Security timing the raid on Occupy L.A. to the exact minute, Police Commissioner Ramsey chuckled and said, “We’d like to think they followed our lead.”
Many people have asked, “What is the Occupy Movement about? Why do you occupy?” These are no longer the pertinent questions. Now, the most important questions for everyone to ask themselves are, “Do you want the federal government conducting military exercises on their own citizens? Do you want the U.S.A. invading it’s own cities?”
Horses
Here’s what I was filming when I was trampled by the Philadelphia Police. Super scary to watch the chaos again. You can see the horses start to get freaked out right before the police charge the crowd of protesters and journalists. ~Vanessa
Experience the terror the Occupy Philly protestors faced when being charged by police horses. Filmed by indy media journalist, Vanessa Maria.Video of cops on horses charging occupiers, and an interview with Occupy Philly Media reporter after she is injured. #ows #eviction http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU5p2GxPvkI
On November 30, 2011 – While Occupy Philly was being evicted, Police gave three warnings to protesters to get onto the sidewalk.
Bikes
Wounds Inflicted by Philadelphia Bike Police at Occupy Philadelphia
occupyphillymedia.org
Kayla talks about getting assaulted by bike cops and the police tactics of violence and intimidation she witnessed during the night of eviction, 11/30.
Police Attacks
Police attacked and arrested a member of our finance team who did absolutely nothing. Protesters remained peaceful. The police were violent. — Occupy Philadelphia on FaceBook
Simultaneous Raids
Occupy Wall Street Camps in Los Angeles, Philadelphia Dismantled in Massive Police Raids
Some 1,000 police officers raided the Occupy Los Angeles encampment in a park outside City Hall over night, arresting scores of people and evicting what has been the largest Occupy camp in the country. Meanwhile Occupy Philadelphia protesters vacated their encampment this morning after more than a thousand police moved in and warned them of mass arrests. We get eyewitness updates on both raids from National Lawyers Guild legal observer Ken Montenegro in Los Angleles and Occupy organizer and activist Jeff Rousset in Philadelphia. “[Philadelphia’s history of free speech and democracy] changed this morning at around 1 am. The city shut down the subways; they barricaded all of city hall, about two blocks in every direction; and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of cops poured in. They forced everybody off the plaza,” Rousset says.
PICTURES
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- Philadelphia Police Commissioner Ramsey
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- Wounds Inflicted by Philadelphia Bike Police at Occupy Philadelphia
In-Your-Face Police at Occupy Philadelphia
November 30th, 2011Police laid siege to Dilworth Plaza and now occupy Philadelphia City Hall.
Attack On Occupy Philly
November 30th, 2011Large Storm System in Eastern U.S.
November 29th, 2011
The large storm in the eastern U.S. is visible in the satellite image below, taken by GOES East at 1715Z (12:15 EST) today.
The storm system continues to bring significant rainfall to Indiana and Michigan, where Flood Warnings and Advisories are in effect. The bulk of the precipitation has ended in Kentucky and southern Indiana, but several Flood Warnings and advisories continue. Central Kentucky and southern Indiana have received 2.5 to 5 inches of rainfall over the past 2 days. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in northern Indiana, northwest Ohio, and central and eastern lower Michigan before changing over to snow late this afternoon and evening for the first significant snowfall of the season. Winter Storm Watches and Warnings have been posted for northern Indiana, northwest Ohio, and central and southeast lower Michigan, where 4 to 8 inches of snow will be possible, with locally higher amounts possible if rain changes to snow earlier than expected.
The large storm in the eastern U.S. is visible in the satellite image below, taken by GOES East at 1715Z (12:15 EST) today.
The storm system continues to bring significant rainfall to Indiana and Michigan, where Flood Warnings and Advisories are in effect. The bulk of the precipitation has ended in Kentucky and southern Indiana, but several Flood Warnings and advisories continue. Central Kentucky and southern Indiana have received 2.5 to 5 inches of rainfall over the past 2 days. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in northern Indiana, northwest Ohio, and central and eastern lower Michigan before changing over to snow late this afternoon and evening for the first significant snowfall of the season. Winter Storm Watches and Warnings have been posted for northern Indiana, northwest Ohio, and central and southeast lower Michigan, where 4 to 8 inches of snow will be possible, with locally higher amounts possible if rain changes to snow earlier than expected.
Get the latest forecasts, watches and warnings from your local NWS Weather Forecast Office at http://www.weather.gov/.
Latest Storm Summary from the NWS Hydrometeorological Prediction Center:
http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/nfdscc3.html
High-Res version of image from NOAA’s Environmental Visualization Lab:
http://www.nnvl.noaa.gov/images/high_resolution/900_20111129-eastcoast.jpg
Black Friday
November 25th, 2011The single Black Friday .mp3 was released from the album Extended Play.
Christmas Song
November 22nd, 2011Christmas Album
November 19th, 2011New songs for the holidays have been released including the singles Occupy The Holidays and Childish Behavior plus the album Occupy Christmas.
Written at, or inspired by, Occupy Philadelphia by Daniel Brouse
Recording Christmas Music in Love Park, Philadelphia, PA
Official Notice to Vacate Occupy Philadelphia
November 17th, 2011November 17, 2011
by Daniel Brouse
CITY HALL, PHILADELPHIA, PA: The city of Philadelphia gave official notice to the protesters of Occupy Philly to vacate Dilworth Plaza that adjoins City Hall.
Ben Cohen Brings Ben & Jerry’s to Occupy Philly
November 15th, 2011City Hall, Philadelphia, PA
November 15, 2011
by Daniel Brouse
It was almost like being served your last meal at Occupy Philadelphia today. Ben Cohen of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream brought free deserts for everyone at the encampment.
As Ben & Jerry’s gradually grew into a nationwide business and one of the largest ice cream companies in the USA, Cohen turned his new-found wealth and prominence toward a variety of social causes, generally through the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation. The Foundation receives 7.5% of all Ben & Jerry’s pre-tax profits and distributes funds to organizations such as the Anti Displacement Project. Cohen also oversees TrueMajority and Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities.
Cohen has been an active voice in favor of liberal causes. He supports small-scale farming, does not accept milk with rBGH or other implants, and has heavily criticized US budgetary priorities, pointing out that more money is spent on nuclear weapons than on children’s healthcare programs. He is also vocal in his support of Democratic candidates, including Dennis Kucinich for the U.S. Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and John Edwards followed by Barack Obama in 2008. — Wikipedia
In the true spirit of his beliefs, he brought ice cream and scooped it hour after hour. Thanks, Ben!
Why? What would posses such a 1 percenter to do such act?
The Ben & Jerry’s press release:
To those who occupy: We stand with you
We, the Ben & Jerry’s Board of Directors, compelled by our personal convictions and our Company’s mission and values, wish to express our deepest admiration to all of you who have initiated the non-violent Occupy Wall Street Movement and to those around the country who have joined in solidarity. The issues raised are of fundamental importance to all of us. These include:
- The inequity that exists between classes in our country is simply immoral.
- We are in an unemployment crisis. Almost 14 million people are unemployed. Nearly 20% of African American men are unemployed. Over 25% of our nation’s youth are unemployed.
- Many workers who have jobs have to work 2 or 3 of them just to scrape by.
- Higher education is almost impossible to obtain without going deeply in debt.
- Corporations are permitted to spend unlimited resources to influence elections while stockpiling a trillion dollars rather than hiring people.
We know the media will either ignore you or frame the issue as to who may be getting pepper sprayed rather than addressing the despair and hardships borne by so many, or accurately conveying what this movement is about. All this goes on while corporate profits continue to soar and millionaires whine about paying a bit more in taxes. And we have not even mentioned the environment.
We know that words are relatively easy but we wanted to act quickly to demonstrate our support. As a board and as a company we have actively been involved with these issues for years but your efforts have put them out front in a way we have not been able to do. We have provided support to citizens’ efforts to rein in corporate money in politics, we pay a livable wage to our employees, we directly support family farms and we are working to source fairly traded ingredients for all our products. But we realize that Occupy Wall Street is calling for systemic change. We support this call to action and are honored to join you in this call to take back our nation and democracy.
— Ben & Jerry’s Board of Directors
What’s our position on the issues that matter?
Does Ben & Jerry’s spend money on lobbying in the United States?
Ben & Jerry’s has launched numerous activist campaigns over the years that are considered lobbying activities according to federal and state laws.In the past four years, the positions we have taken in these activist campaigns are:
- Support for a Constitutional amendment that would limit corporate spending in elections.
- Support for stronger social and environmental protections in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.
- Support for the Youth PROMISE Act, which funds proven youth violence prevention programs.
- Support for continued funding for the United States Institute of Peace.
- Support for continued funding for the Complex Crises Fund which supports State Department emergency efforts to defuse volatile conflicts around the globe.
- Support for aggressive federal legislation to limit and reduce carbon emissions to respond to the challenge of climate change.
- Opposition to FDA approval of foods from cloned animals.
- Support for a USDA program to require mandatory tracking of cloned animals in the food supply to support consumer choice.
- Opposition to FDA approval of genetically engineered animals in the food supply.
- Support for the right of dairy companies to label their products as being ‘rBGH-free.’
- Support for the United Nations Millennium Development goals to eradicate extreme poverty and inequality.
Ben & Jerry’s has reported all expenditures on these grassroots campaign activities as required by federal and Vermont state law.
