by Harsha Prabhu via Facebook Sat 15t October saw Byron Bay, Australia's easternmost point, join over 900 cities across the globe (in addition to every state in the US) in a world-wide day of action in solidarity with Occupy Wall St.
Several hundred people converged on Railway Park in the heart of town, with signs that read: "Poverty is the result of structural violence", "No jobs on a dead planet", "Open your heart, be informed, be brave, be free", "Be rich in spirit and greed shall fall away" and "Keep your money, we want change".
Opening the proceedings was a show of respect to the indigenous people of the land with Didgeridoo (yidaki). Then the first speaker, Ashleigh Dodd, Southern Cross University Student Union, read the declaration of solidarity for those currently occupying Wall Street, ended it off with the statement: "For so long 99% of the citizens of this world have been subjected to horrors unimaginable because we give power to that 1%. Let's take it back, reclaim our rights and stand in solidarity!"
Co-organiser Nathan Kaye added: “We come here to exercise our rights to assembly as free beings to show our solidarity with hundreds of thousands of others around the globe, to non-violently fight injustice, not people, because we understand that basic human needs are universal and therefor the outcome can be a ‘win-win’ for all.”
Speaker after speaker denounced the power of the corporations and banks on social policy, putting profit before people.
Co-organiser Harsha said: " From Tunisia to Egypt, from Israel to the US, the world is waking up to the evils of the thieving corporate sector. This is a grassroots attempt to invigorate the spirit of democracy."
Many speakers commented on the fact that the sustainability movement, of which the rainbow region is a pioneer, offered a practical critique of capitalism and growth gone mad. In other words, the hippies were right after all!
After the rally in Railway Park people threaded their way through downtown Byron across to Main Beach where the day's action ended with a cranking drum circle.
Organisers have vowed to continue the action against the big banks, with 5th November - aka Guy Fawkes Day - being the deadline to transfer funds from major banks to local credit unions as a clear vote of no confidence in their unethical business practices.
To paraphrase Arundhati Roy: Another world is not only possible, she is on her way.
On Saturday in Byron Bay we heard her breathing.
Thanks to Southern Cross University Students Union, Byron Environment Centre, Byron Neighbourhood & Resource Centre and all the vollies who co-created the day.
Ashleigh Dodd, Nathan Kaye, Harsha Prabhu and the Occupy Byron Bay crew
If you'd like to know more please join our group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/occupybyronbay
More at:
https://www.facebook.com/OccupyTogether?ref=ts&sk=wall
http://www.occupytogether.org/
