Breaking news: over 60 people have been arrested in NYC today (Sat.) Links below.

I became aware of the Occupy LA solidarity group on Facebook on Friday night, and went to the Saturday morning meeting at City Hall, LA.

The organization started online, mostly via Twitter and Facebook, and had its first meeting on Friday night. It was a “General Assembly” which is the term for a general meeting of all present. For the most part, the people didn't know each other, or came in pairs. So Occupy LA is not forming from an existing group or coalition. It's a semi-spontaneous group, with no clear platform.

If this confuses you, please read the Truth Out article by Nathan Schnieder
http://www.truth-out.org/occupywallstreet-more-hashtag-its-revolution-formation/1316784846

and the linked website, NYC General Assembly
http://nycga.cc/

The Saturday morning meeting wasn't as large, but after discussion about where and when to set up an occupation, and making group decisions about marching, breaks, and solidarity with a rally by 350.org happening that day, the group started a march. By the time the march started, the group was around 40 people, so new people were showing up.

The exact path of the march was indeterminate, save for the initial picket in front of the Congress of Neighborhood Councils which was having some kind of lunch or reception at City Hall.

The march went northward to the Hollywood Freeway overpass, were we took a break and got a lot of positive honks from the drivers passing below. By this time, the group had swelled to around 50 people. The activists were tweeting their location, so new people could find the march.

Then, the march wound northward past the old church, to the edge of Chinatown, then back south again to the Placita Olvera. From there, they went through Olvera Street, where all the vendors sell Mexican stuff to tourists. That was something I'd never seen before – going right into a touristy area, and through it.

Then from there, they went back south to Union Station, for a picket at the train station. They didn't go inside, though that would have been interesting.

At this point, it was starting to get a little late for me and I had to break away and go home. The march had swelled to what looked like 70 people. It was hard to tell, because, unlike so many political marches, this one was nearly off-the-radar for LA's progressive community. There weren't many familiar faces. My old cohort from the anti-war marches showed up, but that was because of my facebook invitation. Everyone else was a stranger to me. Some were solo, others were connected into organizations, but overall, it was a gathering of people, not a meeting of "leaders" or a coalition of existing orgs. The organizing was good, but people were being pretty loose, and they didn't have some “activist uniform” on so it's hard to distinguish who is in or our of the protest. Maybe that should be a goal!

My friend quipped that you know the anarchists didn't organize this event: there were no cops around. (At least not in uniform.)

(Likewise, you know it wasn't ANSWER either, because the organizers weren't around encircling the people w/yellow tape.)

All in all, a great afternoon. It was awesome seeing so many people who are wiling to get out and protest, and even occupy a public space, on short notice. Maybe this means political situation is “hot”. LA progressives are missing the party.

Chants: Abajo con nos bancos, arriba con el pueblo. Banks got bailed out, we got sold out. You are the 99%. Walk with us.

A second General Assembly meeting was called for 6PM. For latest info, see:

http://twitter.com/#!/OccupyLA

Videos:
http://www.ustream.tv/user/occupyLA

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/17482032

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/17483931

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/17483751

The main video stream from NYC:
http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution

https://occupywallst.org/

http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/occupywallstreet

http://www.reddit.com/r/occupywallstreet

Please share this article widely. Copy it to your own accounts on the content buckets, social networks, and any other venues.

http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/7468-occupy-wall-street-take-the-bull-by-the-horns

Occupywallstreet.org is reporting at least 80 arrests during today's community march. While the live feeds were up I witnessed a very powerful arrest of a law student whose parents were recently evicted from their home. He dropped to his knees and gave an impassioned plea for the American people to wake up! There are reports of police kettling protesters with a big orange net, at least five maced, and police using tasers."

UPDATE: We are now receiving reports that at least 80 protesters have been arrested. The National Lawyer's Guild puts the number at around one hundred. Liberty square is currently full with an ongoing discussion on how to respond to this unprecedented level of police aggression. Police are currently surrounding the square. There is nearly one police officer for every two protesters.

Follow the link above -lots of video.

http://twitter.com/OWSLosAngeles

http://twitter.com/OccupyLA

http://twitter.com/GlobalRevLive

http://occupytogether.org/

One thing I find interesting or odd is that there's such a focus on "the 1%" or the wealthiest 1% of people, rather than on the capitalist system as a whole. The reason for that 1% existing is capitalism, not corruption. The super-rich 1% form when capitalism is working, unfettered of regulations or redistributive taxes. That's why there's a shrinking middle class.

The middle class was the product of high taxes, increasing regulations to improve the quality of life, labor unions with leverage to demand rising wages, and some tariffs. Remove the superstructure of regulations, and the system reverts to inequality.

Hey Please Keep Us Updated. What's planned next?

Next meeting is at Sunday 7PM, Pershing Square.

Great story at:
http://www.laactivist.com/2011/09/24/campaign-to-%E2%80%98occupy%E2%80%99-la-is-growing/

I am so proud of the youth in these protests. I started protesting when GW started beating his chest on Iraq. I was always disappointed tha the vast majority was seniors, unlike the Vietnam era. I think many of the young don't participate because they are concerned about being identified and loosing a job, not getting a good job, or loosing grants for college. If that's your concern, do like the Europeans or Middle Easterners do wear a bandana or holloween mask or even just a sheet over your face. Remember you are helping to change this world.

Now is the time for all good Americans to come to the aid of their county!

If you have not been paying attention to this, you are missing something relevant and important. The uprising is taking place * NOW * and if you don't recognize the fact and participate in the inevitable Revolution, you can not tell your children or grand children that you helped restore Democracy in North America.

peaceful uprisings are shaping up from coast to coast, joining literally tens of millions of citizens around the world in rising up against the corporate traitors that seek only to enslave citizens, get handed free tax-payer billions of * OUR * money, all while shitting on the people who actually do the work, pay their bills, pay their taxes, and contribute to society.

These world-wide uprisings are targeted against the parasites that take and take and take from us while contributing nothing.

Get your ass on Facebook if you're not there now, do it before Facebook gets censored or taken down by the fascist State.

For information on where the uprisings are starting:

https://www.facebook.com/OccupyWallSt/posts/157633734327909?notif_t=like

if you can bring more than your own personal supplies, include these TO SHARE : Light weight whatever is best. Disposables are easy too.

a sturdy box to store things inside neatly that can be disposed of any time.....a tarp maybe ? .....old sheeting,

Lots of Water, Non-perishable food (try and keep it vegetarian/vegan as many activists do not eat animals and all activists can eat vegetarian), or food for more than 3 allies to be eaten in 1-2-3 meals ? in disposable containers, like in nature-camping ! juices in concentrate to be diluted later that day a bit of candy, of course !


Sunblock, umbrellas etc.,an old disposable tent ?

Sign making materials of all sizes, types, cloth for painting on, tempera/ acrylic paints, brushes,
,
trash bags, marking pens, paper, cardboard, sticks for signs only, crayolas even , stapler, glue, string, tissues, cheap napkins, plastic utensils for food sharings, paper plates,

pillows ? [cheap at Goodwill $3 ea ] plastic tablecloth or sheeting to sit on, cloth to be cut into wash clothes, old small towels, Hygiene products,

rubber gloves for clean up work, hats or caps for sunshine, bandanas, old sweaters for evening cool,

flashlights w/ batteries, extra batteries too !

Thank you for helping out "

take care of your OWN NEEDS and share all else, be willing to bring what is USEFUL and not returnable....

and a bit of change or affordable credit card if necessary for any emergency you need to buy nearby too.

COPY OUT THIS LIST TO SHARE WITH ANYONE WHO WANTS TO HELP OUT BY CONTRIBUTING BUT CANT COME THEMSELVES...and someone can deliver and not stay is ok too

be aware - a community forming here !