Occupy Wall Street is about to have its biggest march yet. Also, student walkouts took place in around seventy-five colleges and universities. Some school walkouts were more substantial than others, as is to be expected.

FDL’s premier live blog on Occupy Wall Street continues. Here’s a Twitter list to follow for updates. The march begins at 4:30 pm ET. Here is a Twitter list to follow for the latest updates.

LIVE STREAM OF OCCUPY WALL STREET FROM GLOBAL REVOLUTION

Watch live streaming video from globalrevolution at livestream.com

LIVE STREAM OF OCCUPY WALL STREET FROM THE UPTAKE

Watch live streaming video from lauraflanders at livestream.com

10:03 PM Police are in the streets (still). Barricades now up on all sides of Liberty Park. Protesters are out in small groups marching around. Pretty much all the union people have gone home and are probably asleep so they can be rested for their job tomorrow. I will be reporting live from Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC, by noon. Major occupation action is to take place.

As I close down the blog for tonight, I leave you with the words of Democracy Now! reporter Ryan Devereaux, who tweeted from the scene of today’s massive march (I’ve edited them together into one paragraph):

Had you told me when I started covering Occupy Wall Street I’d find myself walking B-way with tens of thousands I never would have believed you…No matter where this goes, the sound of thousands and thousands cheering in Liberty Plaza is something I’ll never forget…This moment belongs to the die-hards who, despite the naysayers, have spent weeks sleeping outside, building something very special…Thinking about the kid who quit his job to join this movement, was beaten & arrested the next day, then back at the plaza when he got out. Thinking about the girl who took a redeye from California the day this started because she thought this had a chance of being the real deal.

This is Round 4 of the NYPD using police brutality on protesters. It is the third time the corporate or establishment media will be reporting police brutality against Occupy Wall Street protesters (though they won’t likely call it that).

Occupy Wall Street organizers have a lot to be proud about today. My suggestion, if I was at the evening’s General Assembly, would be to get all the people who aren’t in the park into the park to settle down and discuss what all the union support means for the future of Occupy Wall Street. How is it going to be used? Head out into the streets and take on NYPD another day. Get back to Liberty Park and keep growing the movement.

They all are on to something. They really are. Getting money out of politics and holding Wall Street criminals accountable—pipe dreams like that have an increased possibility of happening each day that Occupy Wall Street grows stronger.

10:04 PM “My little night stick’s going to get a workout tonight.” Sounds dirty.

10:03 PM Media team members arrested (again)

10:02 PM White-shirted officer swinging a baton around at protesters like it’s a tomahawk

9:45 PM

 

Like for example:

9:38 PM Interesting quotes from NYPD community affairs officer, at ABC News‘ new live blog (that will be up today & gone tomorrow probably):

A community affairs officer who has been minding the north side of the park since Sept. 17 said his orders have not changed at any point during the “occupation.” Keeping people out of car and pedestrian traffic is his only charge, he said.

Asking to remain anonymous, he also spoke about divisions in his own ranks. He likes grassroots radio and WLIB, while some of his colleagues are “more right-wing — just like any other workplace.”

Would he be out with the protesters if he wasn’t on duty?

“Yeah, I would, but I’m at work.”

9:28 PM The Dissenter’s coverage of OWS praised in this Nieman Watchdog post.

…Numerous bloggers, includingGlenn Greenwald, Kevin Gosztola, and Lisa Romero presented observations that should be read by any serious journalist as to what constitutes real news, and for explanations of why progressive actions get ignored or pooh-poohed by major news outlets. As the Wall Street action concluded its second week, mainstream media coverage has picked up considerably…

9:13 PM This from @JAMyerson earlier: “Cops beating hell out of guy on Beaver between Marketfield and Bway. Protestors pushing over cop bikes.” Number of people on list I follow for updates have no battery left on their phone.

9:12 PM NYPD moving toward the bull (Earlier, many were shouting, “Castrate the bull! Castrate the bull!” The bull is the chief symbol of Wall Street [greed & corruption].)

9:08 PM Amazing shot of occupier projecting their message onto a building

(via @TheOther99)

9:07 PM Police blocking off Wall St & Broadway

(via @TheOther99)

9:06 PM

8:57 PM Some pictures coming in from the scene:

(via @buckyturco)

 

(via @buckyturco)

8:55 PM Glenn Greenwald nails CNN’s Erin Burnett for her talk on Occupy Wall Street

8:50 PM On NYPD radio, officer says trying to push people into the park. A report that some people have left the confrontation at the Wall Street barricades and are headed back to the park.

8:43 PM Video of cops beating and arresting protesters

8:35 PM Tons of cops still out, people are remaining on the sidewalks and the infamous orange moving cages are being moved in to kettle the crowd. Possible mass arrest could take place.

8:34 PM Report that up to 100 people have been arrested (seeking more confirmation)

8:29 PM NLG legal observer says at least 10 people arrested. Report of a body being slammed to the ground by police. Probably multiple bodies have been thrown around cause that’s how NYPD operates.

7:55 PM Reports of arrests/beating coming from two credible sources so I will be posting recent tweets from @RDevro & @PennyRed

7:27 PM Police vehicles headed to Wall Street.

6:29 PM An amazing moment unfolding right now. All these people should realize what kind of power they hold.

5:56 PM At Occupy Seattle, park rangers take down tents. Officers are physically removing protesters. (Photos from @ChrisDaniels5)

5:46 PM The major question: Has Occupy Wall Street finally reached its goal of getting 20,000 people to flood Wall Street?

5:42 PM Video of the crowd marching: it’s huge

And photo from @Newyorkist also shows large size of the crowd:

5:28 PM Vote on demands Occupy Wall Street should support.

5:24 PM Obama Administration Chief of Staff Bill Daley answers Dave Weigel of Slate’s question on Occupy Wall Street:

…I asked Daley about Occupy Wall Street. Why not? I asked if it was helpful to the White House, in its current jobs bill campaign, to have economic angst protests in dozens of cities.

“I don’t know if it’s helpful,” he said. “I wouldn’t characterize it that way. Look it: People express their opinions. In the new social network world, they can do it pretty effectively outside the normal way, historically, people have done it. So whether it’s helpful to us, or helpful for people to understand in the political system that there are a lot of people out there concerned about the economy — I know the focus is on Wall Street, but it’s a broader discussion that we’re having.” He pointed to Sam Stein, who’d been asking about supercommittee negotiations. “Part of the thing here, about a balanced approach — I think people want to see fairness in the system.”

I’d decode this response, but I’d be wasting my time. This isn’t much different from what Mayor Bloomberg said last week.

5:21 PM Thousands of people are penned in behind barricades. They are waiting to step off for a march on Wall Street.

5:16 PM TWU President John Samuelson at rally in Foley Square thanks Occupy Wall Street for sparking the labor movement and showing labor “the way to do it.” He says the way to do it is not to have conversations in the corridors of Albany or in the corridors of DC. It’s to take the streets.

4:56 PM Posted a bit ago but great photo from @Newyorkist

4:55 PM From @TheOther99

4:53 PM Black Agenda Report‘s Glen Ford on Occupy Wall Street:

They are very young, very white, and largely inexperienced in organizing. But the Occupy Wall Street crew has picked the right target: finance capitalists, the class that is the common enemy of the human race. In that sense, “the Zuccotti Park campers are eons ahead of the faux radicals and ‘progressives’ who, in terror of the Tea Party and Republican presidential clown candidates, will soon return to the Obamite fold in their eternal search for lesser evils.” Obama was, and will remain, the candidate of Wall Street.

4:48 PM Panorama of Foley Square from agreatbigcity (h/t athena1)

4:38 PM Eve Ensler in interview with Laura Flanders talks about what makes people’s mic great but also how it is interesting that we are bombarded by corporate imagery but we can’t amplify our voices. She celebrates that the organization is horizontal and not from the top down. She appreciates how women are at the center and how this is a coming together of many groups.

Naomi Klein says twelve years after Seattle Occupy Wall Street have chosen target very well. She says anti-globalization she was part of chose summits as targets, which are transient. Also, when the “Battle of Seattle” happened, the economy was in a boom and it was very hard to talk about the problems of capitalism. Now, the economic situation is not in dispute.

Both Ensler and Klein talk about how this is revealing the true character of liberals and the wider left. Much of the left has been “NGOized” and Occupy Wall Street has been roundly criticized because it is not and does not act like an NGO. These NGOs aren’t rooted in communities. And in some ways the protest has been a litmus test for liberals to see if they really have the guts to support people.

4:28 PM Feeder march of thousands arrive at Foley Square where march is being held. Thousands were in the square already.

4:21 PM

4:12 PM The Guardian reports on how the Direct Action Committee has been responsible for a lot of the success of Occupy Wall Street.

The direct action committee lies at the heart of this success. Numbering anywhere between 35 and 50 activists, the committee is “empowered by the general assembly” to plan action. The committee includes campaigners, community activists and those with relevant organisational skills, some of whom live in collectives and already base their lives around a communal system.

4:07 PM In case you missed it: from earlier, vets at Liberty Park

4:03 PM Unions don’t want to be seen as ignoring Occupy Wall Street. So, just before march is set to step off, Teamsters’ statement of support is released.

3:55 PM Nurses gathering in New York

3:45 PM The librarians of Occupy Wall Street on operating a library in the park. They mention what people can do to help. They don’t have enough copies of A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn.

3:35 PM Student walkout supported by faculty at The New School in New York. The group is headed to participate in the community group/labor march to Wall Street.

Previous updates (for more, go here)

-Former Senator Russ Feingold shares his view on Occupy Wall Street with Greg Sargent:

“I’m really encouraged by what I’m seeing. People around the country are finally organizing to stand up to the huge influence of corporations on government and our lives. This kind of citizen reaction to corporate power and corporate greed is long overdue”…

…Feingold rejected the argument — made even by some of Occupy Wall Street’s sympathizers — that it has failed to articulate a clear message or agenda, arguing that the coalescing of outrage itself is the story and the message here, even if it seems incohate at times.

“The guys who are protesting are not filing legal briefs,” he said. “They are expressing the populist, genuine view that people have been ripped off. It’s a fundamental identification of the fact that people are getting taken for a ride by powerful interests who are getting away with murder.”… [emphasis added]

-Chicago Board of Trade: “We Are the 1%”

-Robert Greenwald’s Brave New Foundation has put together a video to push more Americans to participate in the growing “Occupy” movement.