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WSQT Direct Action Radio 90.5 in DC
(AUDIO 1-Metro fare hike protest as Caravan was arriving)
On the 28th of June, as temperatures began to rise in DC, Metro riders and bus drivers gathered outside Metro's headquarters to denounce this year's massive fare hikes and benefit cuts. As an alternative to Metro's game of pitting riders against workers, both demanded that taxes on businesses that benefit from Metro be used to cancel fare increases, wage cuts, and benefit cuts.
Tape-video soundtrack
You heard that DC Council, you heard that Montgomery County, and Arlington and Fairfax County-Metro riders and workers aren't buying your game anymore! You're going to have to tax the rich that Metro has made rich.
(End AUDIO 1-Metro fare hike protest as Caravan was arriving)
(BEGIN AUDIO 2-main coverage of the two days of action)
On the 28th of June, the Occupy Caravan arrived in DC on their way to the Occupy Convention in Philadelphia. Brand new tents were pitched on the Park Service's fancy new grass on the "General Assembly Lawn," the only part of McPherson Square not fenced off for "landscaping." The cops showed up in a few hours, looking VERY unhappy to see that Occupy is back. The Anarchist Alliance-DC Network has vowed to hold McPherson Square in an ongoing occupation under the slogan "Restoring McPherson Square-the Occupation will not move!"
That afternoon all three groups marched to the United States Postal Service headquarters to support hunger striking postal workers opposing a service reduction to 5 deliveries a week and massive job cuts. One person was detained but later released as protesters attempted to enter the USPS headquarters for a citizens arrest of Postmaster General Donahoe.
(clips)
The person who was detained after sucessfully getting past police lines was released and gave this speech. I guess they didn't want to arrest him and get a lot of bad publicity for postal cutbacks and firing people!
(Tape)
That evening, with a New York City contingent being present in the caravan, Occupiers and Anarchists marched first to the White House, then to the MLK Memorial demanding an end to the NYPD's infamous "stop and frisk" racial profiling stops.
(clips from Stop and Frisk march, with point made about stops exceeding NYC's African-American population
That night, as sleeping in the tents at McPherson would have exposed them to attack by armed park cops, the occupation slept in front of the Bank of America across from the US Treasury, on the 15th st side. The following morning can the climax of the two days of action: a 108 foot long banner was used to block entry and delay the opening of Bank of America. Even after the banner was moved up to allow passage behind, and even after the bank branch did open, few customers would approach. The banner was finally removed at about 11:30 AM, having been in place since 9 AM and sucessfully recovered by protesters
(clips from B of A "Banner Siege" including story by person sickened by coal industry funded by BofA)
A planned 2PM march was cancelled because of extreme heat, which reached 104 degrees F. An anticapitalist march originally planned for 5:30PM was moved to sunset, and visited ALEC, BP, and Monsanto before marching to Freedom Plaza, which has also been reocccupied. Just outside Freedom Plaza, one cop assaulted a protester, touching off a confrontation from which police eventually withdrew.
(tape-the showdown with police, expletives beeped out)
The Caravan may have moved on to the Occupy convention in Philly over July 4th, but the reoccupation of McPherson Square continues! As the Anarchist Alliance-DC Network calls this "Restoring McPherson Square-the Occupation will not move!"
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