This, from the police bureau that has never hesitated to go after peaceful protestors who did everything by the book, permits and all.

Have fun everybody, and know full well that when it is reported on later, it will be noted that the event "turned violent," and nobody will bother to point out exactly *who* turned it violent.

no, you're a poopie head.

D - I hear your frustration, but there is a basic, basic misunderstanding being perpetuated by RW and, sadly, the media. Occupy Wall Street - etc. - is NOT about overthrowing capitalism. It is about accountability and rule of law. First: There has been absolutely NO capilitalistic free market behavior in the actions of the Wall St. banks/financial institutions - in fact, their stellar growth is entirely the result of insider trading and inside deals abetted by massive computer systems that can make a million trades on micro differences in stock prices in the time it would take you to hit the ENTER button. That is not hyperbole. And the information on whcih they trade will NEVER be available to you. These banks and financial systems, don't forget, were bailed out by President Bush under a charge led by Sec'y of Treasury Henry "Hank" Paulsen - who was still completely tied to his lifelong partner, Goldman Sachs. It was not a coincidence by ANY stretch of the imagination why Bear Sterns fell and GS rose. Even RW BUsiness Week was savvy at the time, saying: "The Treasury Secretary's $700 billion initial plan fails to give financial firms the incentive to reform and risks rewarding those who made the biggest mistakes." That was OUR tax money that went to buying out bad assets. That is NOT capitalism - which, as you know, is about the survival of the fittest. The fittest were dead in the water, and brought back to life, a la Lazarus - via our taxes. In repayment, they refused to give loans to individuals or small businesses, refused to address the glaring mortgages issues or revisit the deregulation that caused so many troubles. Instead of helping the country, they helped THEMSELVES and THAT is where groups like the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street have gained traction with righteous anger. It is most obvious when translated to millionaire bonuses in the face of mounting unemployment and dismissals and rising fees at their companies... in their refusal to pay taxes levels that corporations paid under Reagan. The anger is compounded by the corporate entities they support who refuse to even invest one "capitalist" cent in the"capitalist" stability and growth and well being of their own "capitalist" nation, choosing instead to sit on trillions in cash piles (not hyperbole), pay zero taxes (no hyperbole), AND get billions in government windfall returns (not hyperbole).

The anger represented by the current major populist uprisings - on both the right and the left - are two sides of the same coin. They both reflect fury at being betrayed by institutions we pay for, have supported, and held up as what differentiated us and made us better than the rest of the world. "Capitalism" is not wrong or evil, but like anything else, without some accountability and restraint (regulations, laws, even human shame) well... the old saying fits: absolute power corrupts absolutely. We are angry at the absolute corruption... and since the government is under the financial thumb of these institutions, it has sadly turned to the people to rise and demand their representatives actually REPRESENT them.

I would not trust a thing the PPB lackeys say. Period. And no doubt, things will turn nasty. You don't think the capitalists and those that are sitting pretty are not scared sh*tless? They are. The cops whose 401Ks will evaporate a few years from now will come down on the side of the state, and by state, I mean fatcat moneygrubbers that own the poor foo's who think they have some kind of protection because they work for the elite. What a sad state of affairs. You who are being oppressed and actually think YOU can become one of them? Hahahahahaha. Its so sad.

Sure we have a right to peaceful assembly and demonstration, but state law requires that you get an event permit so that the police are notified ahead of time. They need to know the paths prior to the event so that they can redirect traffic, alert rail trains and neighborhood businesses and residents. Bystanders, including children, get caught in the middle of police and protestors for being at the wrong place and time. You have the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration; that does not give you the right to alienate other people, march in between streets full of cars and charge around as you please. There are rules for conduct, you must have a planned course, get permission from the city to set up camps over-night in a park and let people know ahead of time so they can plan accordingly, no littering, etc, yet individuals need have obligations for these things otherwise opportunists will taken advantage of these privilages. People have to be held accountable otherwise there could be destructive behavior, plus there's a fee to cover the costs inccured of additional suppot and on-foot staff standing by. Please remember and this is true for everyone: Your civil rights become a problem when they violate mine.

As for the peanut gallery up there fighting over who is attending these things and what type of person this or that is- Your falling back on a mentality of boxing and labeling, categorizing people... Really? This is your idea of having a progressive or righteous mind frame? One that will lead the way to change and equality, opportunity for all, citizen's rights and taking back control over our money, homes and lives? While you're busy trying to figure out what kind of liberal hippy you aren't or socialist you are, someone's counting your bucks and laughing all the way to the bank... or more likely, laughing at the bank. Maybe if people took that time to orchestrate a clever and powerful movement or demonstration... as in demonstrate a clear and articulate image of what is to come in the future besides homeless parkside campouts or actually moved through the motions to get a permit so that we can do this legally, we could actually get some where with one of these "events" someday.

Maybe this occupation should be postponed until people can get a clue.

Basically I feel that protests of this sort accomplish nothing. That said, it's still a worthy thing to say it one more time: you can only ignore the rest of us for so long.

Yes, jackasses everywhere will start crying "Marxism!" every time this one gets brought up. The less time you spend talking to them, the better. This has nothing to do with that and everything to do with corporate culture collectively turning its back on the United States. I could say more, but I didn't read any of those no-paragraph-break screeds up there either.

"Makers vs. takers."

What an ignorant cunt.

A clarification.

I don't decry Wall St. having the most cutting edge analytic systems. In the end, they could/should help all of us, our economy.

I used the reference as an example of how representational government oversight (it is OUR government, right?) is necessary to continually reign in the darker sides of our humanity. When they took away Glass-Steagall (http://www.counterpunch.org/2008/09/19/shattering-the-glass-steagall-act/), the unregulated financial system went on a self-serving, double-dipping, insider-abetting rampage. We are living the results. When chemical or pharmaceutical companies are NOT forced to regulate how they test and manufacture drugs, you get deadly toxic spills, poisoned human guinea pigs in third world countries, and more.

Again - the 99% (as a concept, at least) represents the masses who are totally AWARE of how corrupt the game has become and are frustrated that the government and the media will not even begin to address the issues, except in a rhetorical, inflammatory way.

The 99% is angry at the media as well and is FORCING its attention. Even so, you find OCCUPY WALL ST. roundly mocked in the MSM for using the same tactics and upholding the exact same arguments as the Tea Party. Still, the internet and everyone's actions are a forcing action - putting the conversation in front where Wall St. (in its symbolic form) most certainly does not want it. For that it deserves great applause.

Funny that the police would react so harshly... don't they realize that they are part of the 99% that we are fighting for?