Below is a great new video from "Bravo Charlie TV" posted on Youtube about the third day of Occupy Melbourne. Great to hear the reasons people are coming down to the demonstration. Keep the citizen journalism coming!
Occupy Melbourne marches on the ASX (day 3) | 14 people state their case | What is yours?
Firstly let me state that there is a lot of things right about Occupy Melbourne. It is showing solidarity with an amazing global movement of ordinary people demanding political and economic justice. Secondly, it is bringing people together to talk about politics and it is also a great experiment in communal living and participatory democracy. Lastly, it is plugging into the crisis of legitimacy that exists within Representatives democracies such as Australia where people realize their Governments have been captured by corporate interests.
Overview given of purpose of General Assemblies. Aimed to work on consensus model, having one General Assembly each day at 4PM Weekends, 6 PM weekdays
If anyone wants to get involved in a working group – please go to the information desk and sign up. Involvement of all is encouraged. The purpose of working groups is to facilitate the self-organisation of the occupy camp.
Legal support working group.
On Sunday 9th October, the second planning meeting for “Occupy Melbourne” was held at Ross House in the CBD. It is hard to believe that this action was only called for just over a week before, but between 50-60 people crammed into the meeting room to help plan the action. Those in attendance were a diverse group of non-aligned activists, socialists, anarchists, spiritualists, Zeitgeist believers, Indigenous activists, unionist, working and middle class folk, old and young and at least one libertarian capitalist! The movement at this stage defies simple characterizations.
So-called social media movements in the Middle East and North Africa have been applauded by western governments. Leaders of the so-called 'free world', including Barack Obama asked leaders of these nations to respect the will of the people, to respect their right to freedom of speech and the right to protest, and in many cases for national leaders to step down.
As the Occupy Wall St protests continue to spread, a call out has been made for Melbourne, Brisbane , Perth, Adelaide and both a rally and occupation in Sydney to join the global day of action United for Global Change on October 15th. Regional centres are now joining with events announced in Townsville, Cairns and Bryon Bay. Occupy Melbourne has stated the aim of "NON-VIOLENTLY sending a message to the financial sector worldwide. Australia too is under the same bind of freedom because of monetary policy and corporate greed. Show your support for Occupy Wall Street! Occupy Australia!!!" The day is an attempt to unite the struggle by ordinary people around the world for a true democracy. A democracy where the needs of the majority of people is put before the profits and privileges of the few. A world united under the banner of solidarity, workers and human rights, peace and environmental justice. It is time for Australia to join the global movement that has seen non-violent mass protests and uprising against both military dictators and the dictators of capital in Greece, Yemen, Chile, Egypt, Tunisia, Israel, USA, Spain, Portugal, Libya, Syria, Bahrain, the UK and beyond. It’s time for us to unite. It’s time for them to listen.
Related 15th October International Call out -- Occupy Wall St -- Occupy Melbourne on Facebook -- Occupy Sydney on Facebook -- Occupy Perth on Facebook -- Occupy Brisbane on Meetup -- Occupy Adelaide on Facebook
