Inspired by occupations in Wall st and around the world, Occupy Melbourne was launched on Saturday October the 15th. The message of this global movement is simple; we are sick and tired of the disproportionate wealth, power and influence enjoyed by the top 1% of our society. We are students, workers, unemployed, and homeless, and we want our voices heard for once, and by occupying City Square (cnr Swanston/Collins) we hoped to build a movement of ordinary people to change our world for the better.
Since Saturday thousands of people have participated; in the general assemblies, the direct actions, the not-for-profit food kitchen, and more. Over a hundred people have gone one step further and occupied the square every night, maintaining a visible and peaceful presence at all times.
Yet today, Friday the 21st of October, we were attacked, evicted by the Victorian Police at the behest of the Melbourne City Council. Approximately 60 people were arrested, with one aboriginal man hospitalised, one man tasered twice, and most of our property stolen and sent to landfill. Needless to say, our demonstration remained peaceful the entire time, and no police were injured (unless their knuckles were bruised on people's faces).
The reasons given to the media for all of this were extremely spurious, and very few protesters were informed at the time of the eviction. We can only assume that the real reason we were attacked is for committing the crime of standing up for the voiceless, for demanding real change, and challenging the ruling 1% in this society.
We responded by organising a massive show of solidarity throughout the day, with over a thousand demonstrators marching through the city despite being Tasered, pepper-sprayed and hospitalised by police brutality.
Yet we cannot stop there. We need to come back, show that we cannot be removed so easily, that the streets of melbourne are ours and that we will fight for them. So please, everyone, come back and show your determination and support for the Occupy Movement by coming to Fed Square tomorrow at 12 midday.
Comments
Power to the people!
Power to the people!
Only thing wrong is a bunch of filthy, lazy anarchists like you
There is nothing wrong with the world. The only thing wrong is a bunch of filthy, lazy anarchists like yourselves.
Get a life, or better still get a job, stop taking Government handouts and having the gall to complain about the way the world is. If you do not like the way things are then get a job and donate money to the poor. I have friends who are police officers and I take extreme offence to a bunch of un-washed, dirty pieces of white trash causing trouble then attacking police and crying fowl when they are forcibly removed from a public space. You are not changing anything. So to sum up shut up and move on. Stop causing trouble. Stop this pointless exercise. Stop taking money from working Australians and then abusing them all because you are too lazy to get a job.
When the cops bash you again don't complain
When the cops bash you again don't complain because we all know this is going to happen.