Occupy Boston
Encyclopedia
Occupy Boston is a protest
that began on September 30, 2011 in Boston, Massachusetts, on Dewey Square
in the Financial District opposite the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
. It is related to the Occupy Wall Street
movement that began in New York City on September 17, also protesting against economic inequity
, corporate greed, and the influence of corporations and lobbyists
on government.
pharmacist accused of supporting Al Queda.
On October 10, the Boston demonstrators expanded their tent city
onto an additional portion of the Rose Kennedy Greenway
; starting around 1:20 am the following morning, 141 people were arrested by the officers of the Boston Police Special Operations Unit
.
As of October 15, 2011, the camp itself has consisted of about 90 tents on either side of a path the protestors have named, "Main Street," plus another two dozen or so tents divided up between the "Student Village" area and a strip of lawn the protestors have named "Weird Street".
A local Fox 25 News
article reported on October 13 that a U.S. Coast Guard member was harassed and spat upon near Dewey Square. A spokesperson for Occupy Boston said the person was not certainly not part of the movement; the Coast Guard also confirmed that there are no allegations that this assault was committed by an Occupy Boston participant.
A group of Occupy Boston participants protested in the lobby of the building where the Israeli Consulate of Boston is located. They protested the illegal Israeli military blockade of the occupied Palestinian Gaza Strip. The Israeli military intercepted civilian aid ships with the Free Gaza Movement
attempting to enter the Gaza's territorial waters on their way to Gaza.
Occupy Boston’s laptops and cellphones have been powered by bicycle generators
Occupy articles
Other Protests
Related articles
Protest
A protest is an expression of objection, by words or by actions, to particular events, policies or situations. Protests can take many different forms, from individual statements to mass demonstrations...
that began on September 30, 2011 in Boston, Massachusetts, on Dewey Square
Dewey Square
Dewey Square is a square in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, USA. It lies at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue, Summer Street, Federal Street, Purchase Street and Surface Artery, with the Central Artery passing underneath in the Dewey Square Tunnel and Big Dig...
in the Financial District opposite the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, commonly known as the Boston Fed, is responsible for the First District of the Federal Reserve, which covers most of Connecticut , Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. It is headquartered in the Federal Reserve Bank Building in Boston,...
. It is related to the Occupy Wall Street
Occupy Wall Street
Occupy Wall Street is an ongoing series of demonstrations initiated by the Canadian activist group Adbusters which began September 17, 2011 in Zuccotti Park, located in New York City's Wall Street financial district...
movement that began in New York City on September 17, also protesting against economic inequity
Equity (economics)
Equity is the concept or idea of fairness in economics, particularly as to taxation or welfare economics. More specifically it may refer to equal life chances regardless of identity, to provide all citizens with a basic minimum of income/goods/services or to increase funds and commitment for...
, corporate greed, and the influence of corporations and lobbyists
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
on government.
Overview
On October 9, the protest hosted supporters of Tarek Mehanna, a SudburySudbury, Massachusetts
Sudbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, population 17,659. The town was incorporated in 1639, with the original boundaries including what is now Wayland. Wayland split from Sudbury in 1780. When first incorporated, it included and parts of Framingham, Marlborough, Stow...
pharmacist accused of supporting Al Queda.
On October 10, the Boston demonstrators expanded their tent city
Tent City
A tent city is a temporary housing facility made using tents. Informal tent cities may be set up without authorization by homeless people or protesters. As well, state governments or military organizations set up tent cities to house refugees, evacuees, or soldiers...
onto an additional portion of the Rose Kennedy Greenway
Rose Kennedy Greenway
The Rose Kennedy Greenway is a roughly 1.5-mile-long long series of parks and public spaces being created in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, USA. It is the final part of the Big Dig that put Interstate 93 underground and removed the elevated freeway that served as the main highway through downtown...
; starting around 1:20 am the following morning, 141 people were arrested by the officers of the Boston Police Special Operations Unit
Boston Police Special Operations Unit
The Boston Police Special Operations Unit is a specialized unit within the Boston Police Department responsible for combined duties involving Highway Patrol and traffic enforcement, crowd control, and special weapons and tactics services within the city.One unique feature of the unit is that the...
.
As of October 15, 2011, the camp itself has consisted of about 90 tents on either side of a path the protestors have named, "Main Street," plus another two dozen or so tents divided up between the "Student Village" area and a strip of lawn the protestors have named "Weird Street".
A local Fox 25 News
WFXT
WFXT is a television station owned and operated by the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in Boston, Massachusetts. The station's studio and office facility is in Dedham, Massachusetts, and its transmitter is located in Needham, Massachusetts...
article reported on October 13 that a U.S. Coast Guard member was harassed and spat upon near Dewey Square. A spokesperson for Occupy Boston said the person was not certainly not part of the movement; the Coast Guard also confirmed that there are no allegations that this assault was committed by an Occupy Boston participant.
A group of Occupy Boston participants protested in the lobby of the building where the Israeli Consulate of Boston is located. They protested the illegal Israeli military blockade of the occupied Palestinian Gaza Strip. The Israeli military intercepted civilian aid ships with the Free Gaza Movement
Free Gaza Movement
The Free Gaza Movement is a coalition of human rights activists and pro-Palestinian groups formed to challenge the Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip by sailing humanitarian aid ships to Gaza...
attempting to enter the Gaza's territorial waters on their way to Gaza.
Occupy Boston’s laptops and cellphones have been powered by bicycle generators
Granted legal protection
On November 17, a judge issued an order prohibiting the eviction of protestors from Occupy Boston. A hearing is scheduled for December 1.See also
Occupy articles
- List of global Occupy protest locations
- Occupy movementOccupy movementThe Occupy movement is an international protest movement which is primarily directed against economic and social inequality. The first Occupy protest to be widely covered was Occupy Wall Street in New York City, taking place on September 17, 2011...
- Timeline of Occupy Wall StreetTimeline of Occupy Wall StreetThe following is a timeline of Occupy Wall Street which began on Saturday, September 17, 2011 as an occupation of Wall Street, the financial district of New York City and is an ongoing demonstration....
- We are the 99%
Other Protests
- 15 October 2011 global protests15 October 2011 global protestsThe 15 October 2011 global protests were part of a series of protests inspired by the Arab Spring, the Spanish "Indignants", the Greek Protests and the Occupy movement. Global demonstrations were held on October 15 in more than 950 cities 82 countries. The date was chosen to coincide with the 5...
- 2011 United States public employee protests2011 United States public employee protestsIn February 2011, a series of public employee protests began in the United States against proposed legislation which would weaken the power of labor unions. By March, eighteen states had proposed legislation which would remove some collective bargaining powers from unions, along with another five...
- 2011 Wisconsin protests2011 Wisconsin protestsThe 2011 Wisconsin protests were a series of demonstrations in the state of Wisconsin in the United States beginning in February involving at its zenith as many as 100,000 protestors opposing the Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill. Subsequently, anti-tax activists and other conservatives, including tea...
Related articles
- Arab SpringArab SpringThe Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
- The Boston OccupierThe Boston OccupierThe Boston Occupier is the Occupy Boston movement's independent newspaper. The newspaper's name was originally going to be The Occupy Boston Globe but was changed shortly before publication to its current name. The inaugural edition was published November 18, 2011 with approximately $9,300 in...
- Corruption Perceptions IndexCorruption Perceptions IndexSince 1995, Transparency International publishes the Corruption Perceptions Index annually ranking countries "by their perceived levels of corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys." The CPI generally defines corruption as "the misuse of public power for private...
- Economic inequalityEconomic inequalityEconomic inequality comprises all disparities in the distribution of economic assets and income. The term typically refers to inequality among individuals and groups within a society, but can also refer to inequality among countries. The issue of economic inequality is related to the ideas of...
- Grassroots movementGrassrootsA grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
- Income inequality in the United StatesIncome inequality in the United StatesIncome inequality in the United States of America refers to the extent to which income is distributed in an uneven manner in the US. Data from the United States Department of Commerce, CBO, and Internal Revenue Service indicate that income inequality among households has been increasing...
- LobbyingLobbyingLobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
- PlutocracyPlutocracyPlutocracy is rule by the wealthy, or power provided by wealth. The combination of both plutocracy and oligarchy is called plutarchy. The word plutocracy is derived from the Ancient Greek root ploutos, meaning wealth and kratos, meaning to rule or to govern.-Usage:The term plutocracy is generally...
- ProtestProtestA protest is an expression of objection, by words or by actions, to particular events, policies or situations. Protests can take many different forms, from individual statements to mass demonstrations...
- Tea Party protests
- Wealth inequality in the United StatesWealth inequality in the United StatesWealth inequality in the United States, also known as the "wealth gap", refers to the unequal distribution of financial assets among residents of the United States. Wealth includes the values of homes, automobiles, businesses, savings, and investments. Those who acquire a great deal of financial...
External links
- Official site
- Occupy Boston Wiki
- Flickr. Occupy Boston 10-5-2011 photos by Ethan Long
- Flickr. Occupy Boston - Police Raid, Oct. 10, 2011, photos by Paul Weiskel
- Flickr. Occupy Boston photos by Sam Marshall
- "Occupy" photographs from around the nation from the Denver Post