Occupy Melbourne Continues - Meet in Fed Square 12PM

Date and Time: 
Saturday, October 22, 2011 -
12:00pm to 3:00pm
Location: 
Federation Square

After the police brutally evicted Occupy Melbourne from the CBD - come to reclaim the city at 12PM in Federation Square. The movement for economic justice and real democracy has been met with violence in the Arab world, the U.S.A., Sydney and now in Melbourne. Come to show that this non-violent movement cannot be beaten with violence.
Its time for us to Unite - its time for them to listen.

Call out on Facebook

Inspired by occupations in Wall st and around the world, Occupy Melbourne was launched on Saturday October the 15th. The message of this global movement is simple; we are sick and tired of the disproportionate wealth, power and influence enjoyed by the top 1% of our society. We are students, workers, unemployed, and homeless, and we want our voices heard for once, and by occupying City Square (cnr Swanston/Collins) we hoped to... build a movement of ordinary people to change our world for the better.

Since Saturday thousands of people have participated; in the general assemblies, the direct actions, the not-for-profit food kitchen, and more. Over a hundred people have gone one step further and occupied the square every night, maintaining a visible and peaceful presence at all times.

Yet today, Friday the 21st of October, we were attacked, evicted by the Victorian Police at the behest of the Melbourne City Council. Approximately 60 people were arrested, with one aboriginal man hospitalised, one man tasered twice, and most of our property stolen and sent to landfill. Needless to say, our demonstration remained peaceful the entire time, and no police were injured (unless their knuckles were bruised on people's faces).

The reasons given to the media for all of this were extremely spurious, and very few protesters were informed at the time of the eviction. We can only assume that the real reason we were attacked is for committing the crime of standing up for the voiceless, for demanding real change, and challenging the ruling 1% in this society.

We responded by organising a massive show of solidarity throughout the day, with over a thousand demonstrators marching through the city despite being Tasered, pepper-sprayed and hospitalised by police brutality.

Yet we cannot stop there. We need to come back, show that we cannot be removed so easily, that the streets of melbourne are ours and that we will fight for them. So please, everyone, come back and show your determination and support for the Occupy Movement by coming to Fed Square tomorrow at 12 midday.

Geography: 

Comments

"We can only assume that the real reason we were attacked is for committing the crime of standing up for the voiceless" — you need to be careful in 'assuming' anything. That is poor journalism.

"melbourne are ours and that we will fight for them." — fighting alludes to violence. this is still a non-violent movement, right?

#occupytogether
Jono

Jono - a statement from OM is not a story from the Indy journalists and thus it is opinion, not journalism. The word fight has a number of definitions, which when used in the ocntext of protest is "to act in opposition to anything; to struggle against; to contend; to strive; to make resistance." All of which can be done non-violently and still be considered a fight.

What's the point, no one collect garbage on Friday, and now it's all over with maggot. I understand some people gathering to express their understanding. But come on, you are paid public servants. It's not nice put aside current work this way.