The young people that have so far made up most of the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations will soon be shown some support by the city’s more practiced warriors against the status quo, with the city’s “established left” set to join the mini-movement next week, Crain’s New York reports. “It’s a responsibility for the progressive organizations in town to show their support and connect Occupy Wall Street to some of the struggles that are real in the city today,” explained the executive director of New York Communities for Change, a group that has organized a march on Wednesday from City Hall to the Occupy Wall Street headquarters at Zuccotti Park. Although the park’s private owners were looking for a way to close their property to the demonstrators, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said last night that they’d have to keep it open. And the protesters don’t seem to be going anywhere on their own.
They’ve renamed the land Liberty Plaza, and on Saturday they’ll have been camped there for two weeks. Protesters today announced that they received a package delivered by the U.S. Postal Service to the park at “One Liberty Plaza,” boasting of their “territorial validation,” and have also set up a helpline, which can be reached at (347) 603-6258. Asked how long they’ll be there, one protester spoke for the group and said, “Indefinitely.”
Next week, the site will welcome members of New York’s organized labor coalitions including the United Federation of Teachers, 32BJ SEIU, 1199 SEIU, Workers United, and Transport Workers Union Local 100, which voted unanimously last night to support the occupation. Other groups standing in solidarity include the Working Families party, the Coalition for the Homeless, and MoveOn.org.
As one political consultant put it, “It’s become too big to ignore.”
Veteran agitators flock to Occupy Wall Street [Crain’s New York]
Zuccotti Park Can’t Be Closed to Wall Street Protesters, NYPD Says [DNAinfo]
Occupy Wall Street Now Has a Mail Address And an Info Line [Runnin’ Scared/VV]
Transport Workers Union Votes Unanimously to Support Occupy Wall Street [Runnin’ Scared/VV]
