Neighborhood Residents Getting Fed Up With Occupy Wall Street
It’s beginning to look like the protest at Zucotti Park in New York City is overstaying its welcome:
Infuriated lower Manhattan residents went ballistic on Zuccotti Park protesters at a chaotic Community Board 1 meeting tonight while blasting politicians for allowing the siege to continue without any end in sight.
“They are defecating on our doorsteps,” fumed Catherine Hughes, a member of Community Board 1 and a stay at home mom who has the misfortune of living one block from the chaos. “A lot of people are very frustrated. A lot of people are concerned about the safety of our kids.”
Fed up homeowners said that they’ve been subjected to insults and harassment as they trek to their jobs each morning. “The protesters taunt people who are on their way to work,” said James Fernandez, 51, whose apartment overlooks the park.
(…)
The line to get into the standing room only meeting spilled out of the board’s office and onto the street outside where Zuccotti sympathizers sparred with angry residents. One elderly woman told a protester to stop screaming and was met with an even hgiher volume. “Get some earplugs!” retorted David Spano. “This is the street. I can say whatever I want! I can’t calm down, I’ve been struggling for 30 years!”
Suffice it to say, this is not the way to win friends and influence people.
The city won’t let OWS bring in chemical toilets. Not their fault.
It’s been six weeks, and yet in a world where recording devices are ubiquitous no one has managed to record OWS “harassment” of people going to work? Are we really supposed to believe this?
This sums up the protest:
Hey you kids….get off my lawn…
If the city won’t let in toilets they should at least have some wag-bags on hand for emergencies.
Incidentally, it appears Schoen misrepresented the results of his own poll of OWS protestors:
http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/culture/2011/10/3790409/survey-many-occupy-wall-street-protesters-are-unhappy-democrats-who-
Interesting study on how political polarization has paralleled the growth in inequality.
http://voteview.com/polarizedamerica.asp
Do most readers understand this backstory?
But in the aftermath:
It is a bigger story than the poop, even if that did sadly happen.
@john personna:
Unfortunately this would involve government actually doing something, which our libertarian and radical right brethren oppose on principle.
I’m starting to think those two groups actually hate the private sector, as they continually advocate policies which hurt it. Their insistence on getting rid of public debt, for example: exactly how do they think the private sector will save with minimal risk without federal debt being issued? Doesn’t seem to matter to them, assuming they even understand how saving works.
A very different take on the protest here (with a good photo essay):
The anti-Fed theme is seldom reported, perhaps because it is not “liberal” enough?
@john personna:
Depends. If the poop is on your doorstep, it’s probably a much bigger story than underwater mortgages hundreds of miles away.
@john personna: Nice link john, thanks.
@Stormy Dragon:
I don’t see [any] traditional “doorsteps” in that photo essay. Does the lady mean outside the lobby of her building? Gross, but given the “extension” of image to “doorstep” I’m not sure how much I can commit to the story.
Also related:
Is the SEC colluding with banks on CDO prosecutions?
(Felix Salmon, reputable source.)
The comment related to lack of evidence to support claims is absolutely spot on. What I do find troublesome are Americans angry about other Americans using the right to protest and be heard. You may not agree with them, but that’s not the discussion. The discussion is making sure the right to protest is cherished and understood. These people haven’t shown any violence and except for microscope focus by certain media outlets on events which support their agenda I would say OWS has been pretty tame. I am sure the many residents in Alabama felt the same way in the 60s when MLK protesters were marching.
I completely support their right to protest, be heard and exert their influence in a peaceful way. Understand that the private space they occupy was a zoned requirement for the developer to have additional building rights.
In NYC much of the space provided for public use is done by developers in order to build higher or exceed other building regulations. So in some cases to go up higher than the city regulation or to add features the developers are required to provide public space at their expense. The PUBLIC makes a deal with the PRIVATE developer.
So please if you want to talk about socialism versus capitalism… this is a clear instance where the developer is upset because the public is using property the public traded for so the developer could make a larger profit. Think about that when you feel for the developer.
@john personna: Many of the posters here no nothing of NYC and how it is works. They don’t understand NYC public space and they don’t understand large apartment buildings let alone the amount of noise outside of OWS that goes on. They don’t understand that at these community board meetings all kinds of loons show up complaining about something. They complain about kids, dogs, cats, garbage trucks, delivery trucks, landlords, doormen, police, firemen, people upstairs, bars, taxis, noise and pretty much anything you can think of. ANYTHING! So you can take it anyway you want, but it NYC and living here can try your soul daily. OWS is not an issue.
@Muffler:
For all we know she’s venting on the original “guy pooping on a police car” photo.
Once you accept the fact that there is a difference between these two groups you’ve pretty much given up on reality all together. It’s a distinction Doug would love to point out, but a distinction without a difference.
@Davebo: Fair point.