Unoccupied Wall Street

New York – Occupy Wall Street 

Protester's gather in Zucciti Park New York City

The “Occupy Wall Street” protest celebrated its two month anniversary on Nov. 17, 2011 with marches, clashes with police, hundreds of arrests and disruptions to the subways and transportation systems in New York City. 

The Occupy movement is at a critical crossroads. Public support is waning, encampments are being closed and a message is being lost in its own ambiguity.  

Is this the beginning of the end or will OWS and other cities re-energize the Occupy movement?  

Zuccotti Park the original site of OWS was virtually deserted. A small group of 20 – 30 protesters remained in the park surrounded by police and security guards.  Police barricades enclosed the park and allowed only two entry points.  Bags where checked at the entrances and anything perceived to be a weapon was not permitted.

Dave Korn and Drea Miesnieks OWS

Dave Korn, a student from Washington D.C and Drea Miesnieks a student from New Jersey were both in the original encampment at OWS. Korn protested at Occupy Washington D.C. in addition to OWS. Korn was disheartened after the camp had been removed.  He and Miesnieks said that the movement is trying to find a place for protesters to go to stay out of the cold. They also spoke of trying to unify all the city movements into one single group and cause. Concerns about mounting violence from both the police and the protesters. 

“Violent people drive ordinary people from the movement, “said Miesnieks.

As the day progressed Zuccotti Park became the site for several different protests.  Paul Walton   in a very expensive business suit brought his own signs his own news release (promoting his own cause) along with a few people to march with him to the American Express offices a few block away from the park. Walton tried to enlist members of the OWS but only a few joined in.  

An hour later a large group of senior citizens marching down Broadway made its way to the park to present their cause of “no cuts to Medicare.”  

Shortly thereafter another group protesting student loans arrived and started another rally. While all of the rallies where going on in different parts of the park the OWS group tried to hold a “Think Tank” session.  

This “Think Tank” session ultimately proved that the OWS movement was having trouble keeping itself together.  The session was leaderless, except for a few who tried to keep things in check and on point.  No one agreed upon an action to take and ended on the decision to reconvene in a couple of days.

As to the direction of the OWS protests, only time will tell as the movement seems to have lost its spirit. The non-organizers will have to come up with new strategies if this movement is to endure.