Liberal Mayors Continue to Rail Against Occupiers; Reporters Now Highlight Crime, Squalor
Now that Democratic mayors have turned on the Occupy Wall Street crowd, several media outlets have adopted a more critical tone, highlighting crime and squalor at such protests. A front-page Washington Post story on Wednesday wondered, "Is this an occupation or an infestation?"
(Although the paper didn't get to the public defecation and rapes until A4.) On Tuesday's World News, reporter Dan Harris interrogated protesters, pointing out that Occupy Oakland has cost the cash-strapped city $2.4 million. He grilled the crowd, wondering, "These protests cost taxpayers a lot of money for police, sanitation. How is that good for the 99 percent?"
Anchor Diane Sawyer, however, introduced the segment with an almost wistful tone. She reminisced, "For more than eight weeks, ground zero for protesters expressing outrage over income inequality and corporate greed."
On CBS's Evening News, correspondent Michelle Miller explained, "220 people were arrested in the sweep, including dozens who chained themselves together. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the camp had become a health and safety hazard. There have been reports of businesses being threatened and complaints about noise and unsanitary conditions."
Nightly News recapped the efforts to get the protesters out. Mara Schiavocampo noted, "City officials say while they support the right to protest, it's time for the occupation to end."
Anchor Brian Williams teased the segment: "A surprise raid where it all began. They don't occupy Wall Street anymore, after the NYPD threw them out with force." (Aren't most raids "surprises"?)
Yet, back on October 13, 2011, before the Democratic mayors of major cities turned on the protesters, Williams seemed thrilled. Noting a possible showdown between the occupiers and the city, he trumpted:
BRIAN WILLIAMS: Back on September 17th, very few people had heard of the protest movement called Occupy Wall Street, but they did and they sure have since then. And so far there have been over a thousand arrests across the United States as the movement spreads. They share a heritage with other big protest movements in American history--some of them have changed history--even though this protest doesn't look the same or take the same shape exactly any two days in a row."
A little over a month later, the Washington Post highlighted Democratic mayoral anger:
The protest movement has “hurt the quality of life in every part of the city,” said Oakland Mayor Jean Quan.
“In the past few days, the balance has tipped,” said Portland Mayor Sam Adams.
“We’re at a critical point where we must reevaluate,” said Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter.
A transcript of the November 15 World News segment, which aired at 6:36pm EST, follows:
Story Continues Below Ad ↓DIANE SAWYER: And now the showdown at the birthplace of the Occupy Wall Street movement, what is known as Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan. For more than eight weeks, ground zero for protesters expressing outrage over income inequality and corporate greed. But today, the park was transformed from the chaos to calm. The empty square, after the police raid. The protesters evicted. ABC's Dan Harris was there.
DAN HARRIS: They swooped in in the dead of night. Several hundred riot police, clearing the park. The protesters who refused to leave, some of them chaining themselves to one another or to trees were forcibly removed. Roughly 200 of them arrested. The mayor said the elaborate encampment here had simply become too great a fire and health has hazzard. He said the protesters would eventually be allowed back, but only without their tents and tarps.
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG: The First Amendment protects speech. It does not protect the use of tents and sleeping bags to take over a public space.
HARRIS: The mayor also sent in squads of sanitation worker who ripped up the tents and carted away sleeping bags and the makeshift kitchen and medical area. But the protesters were not giving up. My mid-morning, they marched back and tried to retake the park. [In the middle of the protest.] The situation is right on the edge right now. Right on the edge. [Back to pre-packaged segment.] New York is just the latest city to crack down on Occupy Wall Street. Portland cleared out its protesters Sunday. Oakland, the following day. These occupations have not been cheap. Costing Oakland, for example, $2.4 million in police overtime and sanitation costs. This in a cash-strapped city that's been forced to lay off workers recently. [Talking to a protester with a "Occupy Wall Street: Do It for Your Kids" sign.] These protests cost taxpayers a lot of money for police, sanitation. How is that good for the 99 percent?
PROTESTER #1 (Man) Well, let's put it this way, you don't- do you really need all these police?
PROTESTER #2: (Woman): I think that the cops should move out and leave us alone!
PROTESTER #3: (Woman): We're all taxpayers. We've paid our taxes and we are advocating for everyone.
HARRIS: Late today, the protesters were told they would be allowed into the park, but they lost a court battle to retain the right to use tents and tarps. If you're not allowed to have tents and tarps, is it an occupation anymore?
PROTESTER #4 (Man): I don't see any reason we couldn't work in shifts. I don't see any reason we have to sleep.
PROTESTER #5 (Man): I think the movement's too big to kill it with this.
HARRIS: Diane, tonight, the protesters are really starting to fill up Zuccotti Park behind me. Police letting them in gradually, checking their bags as they go. There is a festive atmosphere. People say they are happy to be back in what they call their home. But they know things are now different. As of tonight, they can no longer even sleep in Zuccotti Park, which makes calling this an occupation a little bit difficult. Back to you.
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Comments
Typical
Submitted by killa37 on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 2:17pm.
Typical MSM.................hype up a story that fits their (and the REGIME'S) agenda................keep hyping it, regardless of the truth, and when the truth finally starts to become unavoidable, act like they weren't in there from the beginning.........and take no responsibility for what they helped create. If they could do this to get a President elected, why wouldn't they do it for any other subject matter that they want to push, or NOT push - just check out all the news that DOESN'T make it into the MSM.
killa at this point in
Submitted by jkwtrading on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 7:07pm.
killa
at this point in history its best we see clearly exactly whom we need to identify as the enemy. the MSM is doing a bang up job so we don't have to dig for ourselves.
Aufwiedersehen
Submitted by Galvanic on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 2:18pm.
PROTESTER #5 (Man): I think the movement's too big to kill it with this.
It will likely die a natural death as winter weather and contagious disease override the zeal. The impacted cities are already taking measures to end it.
Even the news now recognizes that OWS doesn't represent the 99%.
Or it'll die from apathy.
Submitted by UpNorth on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 2:24pm.
Or, crabs, lice, rats, mice, overdoses, homicide, some undefined new bug. The only thing is, what'll people like Hank Mud do for giggles now that the encampments of "thousands" of his fellow travelers have to get a shower and find some clean clothes?
OWS gets the Cindy Sheehan treatment?
Submitted by kata on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 2:28pm.
I am not so certain. They need rejection to fuel their anger. Ol Man winter may have other plans
I'd enjoy watching them sit
Submitted by jkwtrading on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 7:03pm.
I'd enjoy watching them sit through ol man winter.
The laws of evolution have not been repealed, OWSers.
Submitted by drsamherman on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 2:28pm.
One of the neat little ways that evolution works is by culling the herds with such delightful entities as communicable microbial disease, mutation in susceptibility pattern from host to host and a lengthy list of other associated pleasures that the OWS crowd can expect from filthy and crowded living conditions. Among the many diseases typically seen in close quarters (dorms, barracks, etc.) are: meningitis from N. meningitidis; tuberculosis; viral diseases such as influenza that can quickly evolve into very virulent strains; various arachnid/insect/fungal parasites like ringworm and lice; and the beautiful strains of drug-resistant bacteria and viruses within the world of sexually transmitted diseases. And yes, it is Uncle Chuck Darwin that you may thank for proving out that disease is a natural way of keeping overall species viability by winnowing out those unhealthy specimens in herd situations.
Given that tuberculosis, public lice/crabs, ringworm, body lice and a host of the usual viral/bacterial pathogens have already been isolated from OWS protesters, it was only a matter of time before they spread it to the general population thereby incurring a health hazard like a multi-level Typhoid Mary.
They should love it!
Submitted by jon_torlin on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 3:13pm.
Some of these idiots(maybe all of them?) wouldn't believe in God, so they must love evolution, or at least appreciate it. Or something.
Anyway, (h/t to Drudge) there was a link that reported scabies and ringworm at Occupy Santa Cruz.
Ringworms and Scabies, Oh MY!
It goes to show you, living with Nature like they are(not counting their ipads or $5000 laptops) can get them killed. As a friend of mine once said: YOU! OUT OF THE GENE POOL!
-Jon
Oh...it's ok not to worship
Submitted by rockyracoon on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 2:38pm.
Oh...it's ok not to worship the OWS movement now, eh!! Time to move on, the media now have to focus on destroying Newt.
Facts are like kryptonite to the liberal.
It appears the MSM has uncontrolled ADHD.
Submitted by drsamherman on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 2:47pm.
They seem unable to focus on anything long enough to develop a fully integrated story. They hop on and sensationalize stories then immediately jump off the bandwagon so fast you can hardly tell if they were physically there or just ghosts. No wonder journalism is not a profession--those who espouse to it cannot maintain enough attention at a single time to do anything completely.
They sure do drsamherman.
Submitted by rockyracoon on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 3:30pm.
They sure do drsamherman. It'll be interesting to see how they continue to report on the Penn State scandal.
Facts are like kryptonite to the liberal.
Academia is part of their
Submitted by jkwtrading on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 7:03pm.
Academia is part of their "god " structure..so attacking Penn State could get very interesting.
I agree.yesterday I watched
Submitted by jkwtrading on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 7:01pm.
I agree.yesterday I watched Obama and realized no matter where he is or wha tthe topic he cannot deliver a single coherent sentence.. he reminds me of person who stutters..
Last I checked, Jim, he DOES
Submitted by killa37 on Thu, 11/17/2011 - 12:25am.
Last I checked, Jim, he DOES stutter and stammer and hem and haw and oooooh and ahhhhhh, as well as a few 'wellllllllllllllllllllllllllllll's' and some annnnnnnnnnnnnnndddddddddddddddd's'........and all kinds of other sound effects that emanate from his vacuous brain and stupid purple lips- as he tries in vain to come up with a coherent thought or a lucid answer.
Bus Stop
Submitted by BuffNBone on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 2:50pm.
Having reached the end of their usefulness, the OWS crowd is now being told they have to get off the bus. Looks like they are fixin to get run over by it too.
I will drive...the bus..
Submitted by jkwtrading on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 7:00pm.
I will drive...the bus..
ows
Submitted by Redrowan2000 on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 10:44pm.
It's really ironic that the enablers of these parasites like Williams, Sawyer, Bloomberg et alia and not to forget the chief enabler, that Marxist in the White House are probably in the 1% if not real close to being there.
In 2005 Sawyer earned $12 million on her own, combined with her hubbys income she's gotta be close , Williams earned $10 million in 2006.
Wow they're almost as good as the really big sympathizer of the OWS Michael (gimmeee) Moore.
Williams with his homespun , I'm an ordinary guy reporting the news can shove it. Sawyer and he are both in the tank for the left and are on the strings of George Soros, whether they know it or not.
Speaking of agendas , here are the demands from OWS NYC. Kinda warms my heart that the youth attending these little Nuremberg rallies have the best interests of the country at heart.
Repeal the Taft-Hartley Act. Unionize ALL workers immediately.
Raise the minimum wage immediately to $18/hr. Create a maximum wage of $90/hr to eliminate inequality.
Institute a 6 hour workday, and 6 weeks of paid vacation.
Institute a moratorium on all foreclosures and layoffs immediately.
Repeal racist and xenophobic English-only laws.
Open the borders to all immigrants, legal or illegal. Offer immediate, unconditional amnesty, to all undocumented residents of the US.
Create a single-payer, universal health care system.
Pass stricter campaign finance reform laws. Ban all private donations. All campaigns will receive equal funding, provided by the taxpayers.
Institute a negative income tax, and tax the very rich at rates up to 90%.
Pass far stricter environmental protection and animal rights laws.
Allow workers to elect their supervisors.
Lower the retirement age to 55. Increase Social Security benefits.
Create a 5% annual wealth tax for the very rich.
Ban the private ownership of land.
Make homeschooling illegal. Religious fanatics use it to feed their children propaganda.
Reduce the age of majority to 16.
Abolish the death penalty and life in prison. We call for the immediate release of all death row inmates from death row and transferred to regular prisons.
Release all political prisoners immediately.
Immediate withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Abolish the debt limit.
Ban private gun ownership.
Strengthen the separation of church and state.
Immediate debt forgiveness for all.
End the 'War on Drugs'.
"Don't let the bastards grind you down."
OWS
Submitted by NewLife56 on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 4:01pm.
Well of course they are now reporting the bad stuff, Obama said he was with them, and now that they are shitting on the country like Obama has been shitting on the country they know it will hurt him getting re-elected.
I would suppose that...
Submitted by DumbCanuck on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 4:10pm.
the OWS crowd has become an embarassment... for the media, the democrats, the POTUS...
Too bad! They own this pile. We were right, They were oh so horribly wrong. Time to shove their face in it now. Let's not let them simply walk away from this mess. Make them all accountable for their travesty in the way they all glistened over OWS.
Up here, 2 cities have already cleaned up this mess, at least two more at last count plan to deal with it soon, and who knows how many more are at least thinking about it.
Yes, even liberal Canada is getting a little fed up with this crap.
"There... Are... Four... Lights!"
and for their encore they
Submitted by jkwtrading on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 6:58pm.
and for their encore they want to throw a Molotov through Macy's window.. tomorrow could be an exciting day.
1500 Cities across the world
Submitted by Clevenative on Thu, 11/17/2011 - 12:15am.
Regardless what the factions of the media who are in bed with the crooks and liars decide to focus on, I suppose all that matters is that the OWS protestors are getting the nation talking about the inequity and corruption that comes out of unregulated capitalism – the root cause of the mess the nation and the world is in. Spin it as you may people, the blowback and fight has just begun. Stopping the "Occupy" part (good idea or bad) will not squelch the movement. Protest against government-backed inequities is the highest form of patriotism.
now cleve*
Submitted by cajun2 on Thu, 11/17/2011 - 12:23am.
That is one of your most inane posts yet.
The OWS protestors are getting the nation talking about the inequity and corruption that comes out of unregulated capitalism
Corporate America is THE most regulated industry in the world. Even Greece and Italy admit that the solution to their current problems is to de regulate.
The problems in this country is over regulation of Corporate America the corruption is by those who CREATED the regulations....
You are confused as to what exactly is the problem, the cause and looking for solutions. Like most liberals, you believe either bigger government will fix it, throw more money at it, or just burn it down. Ergo, the simplicity and the ignorance of the OWS movement.
Sounds like Clevie-Poo got
Submitted by killa37 on Thu, 11/17/2011 - 12:32am.
Sounds like Clevie-Poo got run out of his tent,and he's upset about it...........maybe he'll be down there firebombing Macy's tomorrow, or burning his passport, or holding up his 'eat the rich'sign.
Hey Cleve, I heard that the UNION garbage collectors at these bowel movement sites are APALLED at the absolute filth that they have had to clean up, cause by your people!! I thought you were a union guy - and proud of it??? It seems that THOSE union guys who are having to clean up after all of you trolls aren't particulary impressed with your lifesty and your 'patriotism'...............
Of course, these sites are pristine compared to the chaos and mayhem that was left behind after the 'teabagger' gatherings, right??? And I wonder how many of those 'teabaggers' are still in jail.................
The Teamsters who worked for my uncle in El Paso...
Submitted by drsamherman on Thu, 11/17/2011 - 12:39am.
...would have throttled all of the OWS protesters. They were a very pro-union bunch, but they were also Americans first and extremely patriotic. They were, as we used to say in the 1980s, "Reagan Democrats".
Well, my #1 son is a
Submitted by killa37 on Thu, 11/17/2011 - 12:45am.
Well, my #1 son is a 'stevedore' (longshoreman) over in Honolulu, and an ex-Navy SEAL.........and he's in the union, although it's not a public union. And, of course, it's run like a typical union..........telling the members who to vote for, and taking their dues and contributing to the Democrat Party - hell, this IS the People's Republic of Hawaii. But my son doesn't buy into that pary line at all, and neither do quite a few other of his co-workers. I know one of them - a Portuguese-Hawaiian guy, who is very conservative and very sharp and very well-informed...............and he has a position as a 'union rep', just to add some modicum of keeping these professional skimmers honest and aware that not everybody goes along with their program. My son tells me that he just lays into these union guys hard and heavy, and makes them look stupid - but he's also a big strong guy with credentials and respect from all the rest of 'da boyz'.............so the union guys just have to deal with him, kinowing that he's a voice to the members that is NOT what they want to be heard.
And speaking of unions..............where is our proud union guy Cleventine..........and why won't he tell us what union he's in???