Twenty people were arrested from Occupy Mobile in Mobile, Alabama, while in Birmingham, Alabama, authorities let Occupy Bham launch an occupation in the Financial District. Occupy Bham thanked the Birmingham police on Twitter for their “professionalism, respect, courtesy & general friendliness.” In sharp contrast, this morning the Occupy Mobile Twitter account warns, “It is not safe to go in the park at night. The police will beat you.”
It is hard to discern how much brutality went on at Occupy Mobile when the city had police move in to Memorial Park to carry out the eviction. The videos posted feature many occupiers shouting at police and making claims that police are trying to hurt those being arrested. The occupiers are frantically trying to get badges and license plate numbers on police cars and all the video they can so they can have what they need to challenge the police in court later. But, the darkness of the video makes it tough to see if the police are trying to break any occupiers’ arms or not.
The clearest example of brute force is at the 1:42 mark in this video. An occupier is pulled down the concrete steps. The occupier could have sustained a head injury.
Occupy Mobile had been in Spanish Plaza earlier on Tuesday. They had tents up but were informed that the tents would have to come down, as their permit would expire on Wednesday. The occupiers sought a new location and setup an occupation in Memorial Park.
Toward the end of the linked video, occupiers can be heard saying this is the only city in the region doing this and that Mobile looks really bad now. There is some truth to that. For a second time, Occupy Birmingham tried to hold a 24/7 occupation. This time they made it through the night. They also appear to have been left alone by the city’s authorities.
There is a news conference on the arrests at Occupy Mobile planned for noon CT.
Firedoglake’s premier blog continues. Here is a Twitter list to follow for the latest updates from occupiers all over the US and the world. All times are ET.
11:40 PM And, Mayor Jean Quan of Oakland is telling Occupy Oakland to pack up and go home. Again.
11:39 PM UCPD using batons to beat back Occupy Cal
10:02 PM @kade_ellis posts this photo from Occupy Harvard

9:19 PM Occupy Harvard reached a consensus and they plan to try and setup a camp on the university campus tonight.
9:13 PM Arrests have been made at Occupy Harvard. Looks like authorities have shut the gates to Harvard. The crowd, however, is pushing back.
9:10 PM Police appear to have shut down Occupy Seattle’s dance party. This is probably when KRS-One was going to appear and perform.
9:02 PM A Ustream from Occupy Cal.
8:50 PM Detroit Free Press article suggests there is no intention to shut down Occupy Detroit. Apparently, there are high winds and they are being asked to sleep elsewhere tonight so that they do not get hurt by anything that might fall in the wind. Apparently, one occupier was injured by a metal barricade during early days of the occupation.
7:56 PM Video of UCPD moving in on Occupy Cal (from just a bit ago)
7:37 PM Rapper KRS-One will be at Occupy Seattle tonight at 6 pm PST. If you are unfamiliar, here is a song he is known for: “That’s the Sound of the Police.”
7:26 PM ABC News has posted a stream from an aerial camera of Occupy Cal.
7:16 PM Students retake the grass where riot police were treading. Two tents managed to stay up. GA is reconvening. Inspiring moment as six are arrested (not ten) but then the police stop for whatever reason (perhaps, because they do not want to arrest hundreds of people).
6:57 PM Adbusters, which posted the call to Occupy Wall Street, now suggests Occupy Oakland found the next tactical breakthrough: #OccupyHomes
Sure would take care of a portion of the winterization issues plaguing encampments all over the country.
6:56 PM 10 people arrested at Occupy Harvard. Police reportedly retreating. All tents are down.
6:51 PM @DailyCal reporting “Protesters have linked arms & police are using batons to break through the crowd”
6:28 PM And Harvard Police are not letting anybody into the Harvard Yard without a proper school ID. People will just gather at the gates then if that is how the university of the white privileged wants to handle it…
6:25 PM Police have issued a dispersal order. They are in riot gear and ready to haul those peacefully assembling away.
6:15 PM Occupy Harvard is also beginning.
6:10 PM Occupy Detroit is facing eviction tonight. Here is the livestream.
5:56 PM Huge action going on with Occupy Cal at Berkeley. Thousands rallied early in the afternoon. A General Assembly was convened to launch an occupation. More than 400 of the less than 500 people participating in the GA voted in favor of setting up an encampment. Occupiers with tents and supplies were called upon to setup camp. Police on the scene moved in instantly and within minutes tents were taken down. Some tried to block police from taking down tents. No word on number of arrests or if any arrests were made. There are still some tents up as a standoff continues. Students are gathering to protect the tents that have not been confiscated by police.
Angus Johnson who runs the Student Activism blog has been live blogging all day. Go here for more on what has happened so far.
@CalTVNews posts this photo -

And, @MattKrupnick posts this photo showing students lining up several deep to protect those putting up tents:

5:51 PM Photos of Occupy UW’s (University of Washington) action at Chase Bank today. The police were out in force to protect this branch location.
5:46 PM October 2011, still in Freedom Plaza in DC, held an Occupied Super Committee today, which C-SPAN covered. (It is unknown when footage will air.)
5:38 PM Here a homeless man talks about Occupy Atlanta end his 30-year addiction to crack cocaine. The video produced by RollingOut.com not only gives voice to people like this man but also speaks to the power homeless people can have in the Occupy Movement. The man in the video addresses what it is like to be looked at as less than human and says, “If we get unity amongst the homeless, which the people fear, we can build us a country.” He also says if you need something, help somebody else and watch your needs be met.
5:22 PM My post on my visit to Occupy Des Moines.
5:14 PM At the LA Review of Books blog, a detailed post on the day of the “General Strike” in Oakland. He writes about the 2nd veteran, Kayvan Sabehgi, who was the victim of police violence in Oakland (the first being Scott Olsen):
According to his own account, 32-year-old Sabehgi was surrounded by a group of cops — he was then struck, forced down, and struck repeatedly with batons. In severe pain, he arrived at jail where the “nurse” suggested a suppository for his vomiting and diarrhea. When he was finally bailed out the following afternoon, he was too weak to leave his cell. His jailers shut the door; eventually an ambulance rushed him to treatment. While corporate media outlets busily reported on the “violent” window breaking and graffiti from Wednesday, the real violence thethousands on the ground saw was, as usual, concentrated in the hands of the state.
5:12 PM Here’s a video of musician Billy Bragg singing “Which Side Are You On?” with his own lyrics at Occupy London.
4:58 PM Oakland Mayor Jean Quan to Occupy Oakland: “Oakland has demonstrated its support for the 99%. Now is the time for the encampment to show its support for Oakland.” She calls for cooperation.
2:22 PM I was waiting for someone to actually post video of the full performance that David Crosby & Graham Nash did. Since I am a fan, I have posted the four videos at The Dissenter here. Enjoy and remember, as Crosby says, the park is the spark. This movement is bigger than the park.
2:17 PM More David Crosby & Graham Nash from Rolling Stone. This video shows clips of them performing as well as footage from a ride around interview the magazine conducted with the musicians.
1:26 PM Camping store in lower Manhattan, Tents & Trails, sees a surge in business as a result of Occupy Wall Street
1:23 PM A lawyer in Wilmington, Delaware, threatens action if restrictions placed on Occupy Delaware are not lifted
12:46 PM Kristen Christian, who put up the Facebook page calling for Bank Transfer Day, was on Democracy Now! to talk about the “exodus” she inspired. Tens of thousands of people moved their money from Big Banks to credit unions.
12:14 PM Wells Fargo CEO interrupted during speech by Occupy Minneapolis. He claims to “get it.” He urges the 99% to work together with the 1%. He says people need to come together. The suggestion that people need to bargain with those at the top, who typically just do as they please whether it hurts those at the bottom or not, seems to be another indication of how powerful this movement is becoming.
A CEO of a Big Bank did not belittle this interruption as Gov. Scott Walker did to Occupy Chicago participants, who mic checked him at the Union League Club. No, he suggested it is time to figure out a way out of this economic mess together.
Absurd and impractical? Yes, but it affirms the Occupy movement is making all the right moves at this point.
12:08 PM 40,000 Americans joined a credit union on Bank Transfer Day. More from FDL’s David Dayen here.
12:05 PM Chicago police department has seized Occupy Chicago’s food carts. They are forced to be mobile and anytime the police think they are not moving around enough they have property confiscated.
12:01 PM Allison Kilkenny for In These Times reports on the march from NYC to DC that Occupy Wall Street participants are beginning today.
11:38 AM Lynn Fraser, an Asheville police officer in North Carolina, has been put on “administrative leave” for her comments about Occupy Asheville, which she posted to Facebook. She called them “dirtasses.” She even posted a comment suggesting some of them deserved to by lynched.
The article mentions a second employee was put on leave too. I do not know what this employee was involved in doing, but the employee may have commented on what Fraser said on Facebook.
11:20 AM Good op-ed posted on CNN highlighting the militarization of police. It examines how police are not soldiers and should not be acting like soldiers when they are on patrol:
Police officers have the power to either make their job simpler or more difficult. If they treat people well and build relations, people will cooperate. They’ll have leads, witnesses and informants. But if they see the people they’re supposed to “protect and serve” the way an occupying army sees the native population, they’re going to encounter resistance, suspicion, defiance and other things that make their job harder. That’s a recipe for chaos.
11:17 AM The city of Minneapolis is moving to end Occupy Minneapolis in Minnesota. The Anti-War Committee has issued this statement in solidarity. (Note: Some may know of this group because it has faced FBI repression over the past year with a few of its leaders subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury. The FBI even raided the AWC’s office.)
11:15 AM Toronto mayor wants Occupy Toronto to leave the park they are occupying now.



85 Comments

OT, for anyone who acted on my market call of a major Dow selloff from the 12,100-12,180 level. Dow hit 12,186 end of day yesterday, opened down 300 points this morning. Anyone still in this position should have a stop locking in a substantial profit now. And now ,back to the revolution, with, hopefully, some of you in a position to make a donation to the cause.
I co-direct a middle school after school science program. The kids were using the Occupy hand signals during our meeting last night and using the Occupy methodologies to build consensus. (Students ages 12-14)
A wonderful moment in history.
All initiated from the students – not from the adults.
rc, you’re incorrigible.
We are occupying Wall Street, not taking our chances at the casino. Are you attempting to build a following for your stock tips?
Inspiring, how this #Occupy is seeping into the collective consciousness.
No worries, rc is on the right side.
In response to CelestialNavigation @ 9 (show text)
Hi. First time I’ve seen your handle, so, I don’t know you, and I assume you don’t know me. I have dedicated the last twenty years of my life to understanding the markets well enough to make good trading predictions. Over the last few years, I have shared a number of those predictions, the ones I was most confident of, with the FDL community. I’m proud to say that nobody has ever lost a penny, or failed to make a nice profit, if they took my advice. As with this call. Wall Street titans are scum, and I wouldn’t piss on them if they were on fire, but that is completely irrelevant to the benefit of being able to extract money from the money machine. It tickles me to help lefties fill their pockets from that money machine, particularly now, when money in lefty pockets means they may be able to make donations to the OWS cause. I’m too old and in too fragile a physical condition to be “occupying,” but this is one contribution I am able to make, and I am proud to do so.
Edit Reply
Reprinted from the main blog.
But, but, but . . . I try so hard to be corrigible lol.
Occupy Raleigh
Houston PD
I hope gnomedigest is OK – I’m pretty sure he’s on the scene there today.
WRAL: Capitol Police fear staff reductions due to budget cuts
Check out this series of tweets re OccupySantaRosa:
That tweet was from last night, BTW.
Thanks for all these updates on Occupy Santa Rosa. I will get something on it into the live blog before the day is over.
Some of what’s going on in Vancouver.
From “Jobless to be forced into community work” (The Telegraph, Nov. 9, 2011):
Retweeted by Occupy Sheffield:
Last year I had more than one first hand report of Portland, OR police profiling and targeting for arrest people so they could work for certain non-profits as “community service.” Whole Foods was involved in one of the incidents.
*SNRK* *SNRK* I love the fact that the Rutherford Institute (generally conservative) is coming down on the side of Occupy Delaware. Wonder how the righties are gonna explain that.
Oh, never mind, I know. Tomorrow’s headlines will be: “The New ACORN? Rutherford Institute Gets Involved With Community Organizing!”
Re #OccupyVancouver:
Via #OccupyVancouver (my bold):
Re Cork, Ireland:
Note image in linked article by The Journal (IE): “Beware Toxic Euro Pact. Let’s Build A Fair Society.”
Re Vancouver, BC, CA:
Yer welcome. Here’s one more bit about OccupySantaRosa.
Wow.
My bold:
Yes. This was being done to the 20 somethings and how I found out that Whole Foods (WF) was using their security guards to profile customers. One guard attacked a young woman from behind. You already know that I boycott WF and haven’t stopped. If one becomes an owner-manager at a cooperative, the likelihood of feeding this dynamic becomes slim to none.
From CCRJustice.Org via Twitter:
Website: Free Speech For The People
“Occupy Walking: Group Begins March From NYC to D.C.” | DCist | Nov. 9, 2011
“16 Nations Want To Challenge SC Immigration Law” | Salon.Com | Tuesday, Nov 8, 2011 3:26 PM PST
This is the issue that is going to turn out support for Occupy Birmingham. When people understand what happened.
William Selway, Martin Braun and Margaret Newkirk, Bloomberg: AL County Votes for Biggest Muni Bankruptcy on Record
Re Cantor’s recent meeting with former US President Bush Sr.:
Re Occupy Detroit:
Re U of California at Berkley:
Re Atlanta, GA:
Re Harvard U., Boston, MA:
Re Oakland, CA:
Urgent Message from Occupy Detroit:
The City of Detroit is posting signs stating that Grand Circus Park now closes at 10pm. They are going to attempt to remove us. Please contact our elected public officials:
We will be streaming live at http://livestream.com/detroit99 beginning 9:30PM. If the stream goes down, there is a back-up UStream link at the bottom of the video which you can click.
Mayor Dave Bing’s Office at (313) 224-3400, fax (313) 224-4128
Council President Charles Pugh (313) 224-4510, CouncilPresidentPugh@detroitmi.gov
Council President Pro Tem Gary Brown (313) 224-2450, councilmemberbrown@detroitmi.gov
Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins (313) 224-4248, councilmemberjenkins@detroitmi.gov
Councilman Kenneth Cockerl, Jr (313) 224-4505, CockrelK@kcockrel.ci.detroit.mi.us
Councilwoman Brenda Jones (313) 224-1245, bjones_mb@detroitmi.gov
Councilman Andre Spivey (313) 224-4841, CouncilmanSpivey@detroitmi.gov
Councilman James Tate (313) 224-1027, councilmembertate@detroitmi.gov
Councilman Kwame Kenyatta (313) 224-1198, K-Kenyatta_MB@detroitmi.gov
Councilwoman JoAnn Watson (313) 224-4535, WatsonJ@cncl.ci.detroit.mi.us
Fax numbers for each Council member available at the links at the bottom of this page: http://www.detroitmi.gov/
Please call, even if you’re not in MI, let them know the whole world is watching.
I just tried calling Mayor Bing’s office. It’s after hours and they don’t even take messages.
This is unbelievable. I was just at Occupy Detroit on Friday. A great bunch of people working hard for a cause they are passionate about.
Many in Detroit are in abject poverty (so they are the bottom 1%) and now Mayor Bing and his cronies who are in the top 1% are pulling this stunt? I hope this strengthens the Occupy Detroit movement.
Rats, try faxing, maybe we should get the media alerted? The more cameras, the less likely the police will get harsh? Also, please spread the word to all and sundry, the more eyes on the livestream the better. BTW, gale-force winds right now
Also, the council members lines work, and they can be emailed…
Re University of California, Berkeley (I’ve made sure the links are correct in the following):
Yup, I left a message for Council President Pugh asking him if he wanted to be associated with the 1%.
I’ll do what I can about getting people to watch. Most of my friends think I’m crazy for supporting OWS. But then again most of my friends aren’t willing to face reality…
Re University of California, Berkeley:
A live stream now: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/livenow?id=8425222#&cmp=twi-kgo-article-8425508
Earlier video: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Occupy-Cal-Draws-a-Crowd-133570008.html
Occupy OKC: March on Governor’s Mansion UStream
LS – Occupy OKC
State Police trying to get the protesters to move across the street.
Thanks, every person counts in this battle!
LS – Occupy OKC
The protesters decided that, despite the fact that they had the permit that allowed them to stand on the side of the street that the governor’s mansion is on, they would oblige the state trooper and move back to the other side of the street.
Occupy Detroit live stream is up but might have connectivity issues as the LS operator is having to sit within 1000 feet of the The Rub BBQ Pub and is in need of a hotspot (connectivity via one of the cellular networks) so that the LS can move around. You can donate here or drop in on their location next to Grand Circus Park Historic District and help them out.
42 viewers.
LS – Occupy OKC
The protesters decide to recross the street to the side of the governor’s mansion. The state trooper suddenly reappears and is trying to convince them not to go to other side because of his concern about “the possibility of a drunk driver coming around the curve and not seeing them”.
The are continuing to discuss options with the state trooper responsible for the security of the governor’s mansion.
Re Ottawa, ON, CA:
Re Toronto, ON, CA:
Re Boston, MA:
Re California:
Re Oakland, CA (and I’m watching for more details):
Re U. of California, Berkeley:
Re Los Angeles, CA:
Two live streams in preparation for eviction procedures against Occupy Detroit:
Live – http://livestre.am/14WpG
Backup – http://www.ustream.tv/channel/victusmei
Re Detroit, MI:
93 viewers.
From http://www.occupy-detroit.us/live :
Occupy OKC ended their UStream coverage in fronet of the governor’s mansion. Is this action over.
Occupy Mobile has held their general assembly. They posted a link to the UStream, but it was offline. Might be good to keep track of their tweets.
Occupy Tulsa should get their “get off the lawn; the park is closed” bed-check around 11pm CT. They typically stream it.
Not going to be able to do night shift tonight. Thanks to those who are.
Thank you for what you have done and continue to do.
From “Service Canada employees told to keep mum on complaints office” | The Globe and Mail | by Gloria Galloway | Published Tuesday, Nov. 08, 2011 7:24PM EST, Last updated Wednesday, Nov. 09, 2011 8:42PM EST:
{ snip }
Got an email from my contact at Occupy Detroit. He confirmed the permit and also mentioned that the police have been very supportive of them. They also have alternative space available immediately and are planning on moving there.
Go, go, go Occupy Detroit! They are a great group of people!
Before midnight Nov. 9, #OccupyCal trended worldwide on Twitter. Occupy Cal has passed a UC system wide strike for next Tuesday.
More videos (one featuring the Liberation Brass Orchestra) and photos captured here:
A major police crackdown took place today when the Berkeley police violently and unnecessarily attacked college students with batons | by Mohammed Ismail | Nov. 9, 2011
OakFoSho and and PunkBoySF had live streams up on the ~3,000 people at Occupy Cal in front of Sproul Hall the night of Nov. 9, 2011 (begins here) showing the following three agencies in a police line:
- Alameda County PD
- Oakland PD
- U. of California, Berkeley campus police
At one point OakFoSho shows some of the police leaving. I was scanning the video footage and wasn’t sure if all police had left the site. The live stream ends at Occupy Oakland early this morning where things are quiet.
Video: “Occupy LA Teach In – William K Black” (Nov. 9, 2011)
Jerry Boyle, a Chicago attorney from the NLG, gives a workshop to Occupy Chicago about “Netwar”– the low-intensity warfare, counter insurgency tactics of police which is not law enforcement:
Know Your Rights (99GetSmart.Com, Oct. 12, 2011)
The US is lobbying nations to quietly sign a new law that brings back the use of cluster bombs. Say “NO!” and bring international visibility to this issue now.
Re yesterday’s news of a proposed smaller Eurozone:
Norfolk, VA live stream at http://www.livestream.com/occupynorfolkva .
You can tune into Free Speech TV, Th. Nov. 10, 2011, 8 PM EST–
Re Occupy Nova Scotia:
Re Occupy Toronto:
Now Global Revolution has picked up the live stream at http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution .
908 viewers.
Occupy Norfolk:
occupyvb occupyvb
livestream.com/occupynorfolkva
people are getting arrested @OccupyTampa @OccupyRichmond @Occupy_Boston @occupyphoenix @OccupyRealness @OccupyTogether
1 hour ago
Occupy Richmond: Updates on the Occupation
KOCO: Occupy OKC Protestors March Through City
Money quote: “There were so many that they had to have a police escort.”
Daily Mail (UK): Firearms police officer ‘slept in Occupy St Paul’s tent after night out drinking’
Joshua Holland, AlterNet: Why Is the Oakland Police Department Hiding the Truth About Its Violent Crackdown on the Occupy Protests?
Occupy Columbia: Please let us brag for a moment
Occupy Columbia presents lecture to A. C. Flora High School students in Columbia SC.
AP: Police arrest 6 Occupy Norfolk protesters after permit to camp at downtown site expires
Occupy Richmond
There is a live blog post up today. You can post comments there now.
I am in transit and will fully update the live blog some time this afternoon.