Occupy Protests

Across her neck, the contradiction of a permanent tattoo shackle that reads: “Freedom.” Across one forearm, a tattoo that reads, “Liberate All Beings.” On the other arm, “Inside Job,” a reference to her belief that 9/11 was carried out by the US Government.

Kanaska Carter is 26. She is a former hairdresser from Canada who came to the US to protest on the 10th anniversary of September 11 but got caught up in Occupy Wall Street, six days later. And now there’s the Google wars, another natural fit for a conditioned young protestor.

Kanaska has lived homeless on the streets of New York for five months. She makes some money busking and inking tattoos and knows various places about the city where she and her friends can get free dinners each night.

Continue reading "The futility and hypocrisy of the Occupy stragglers" »

What happened
Activists formed a movement whose broad, and loosely defined aim, was to protest against the inequality caused by both the global and American financial systems. The protests occurred against a backdrop of failed regulation of rogue bankers in the USA, financial turmoil in Europe, and persistent high unemployment in much of the western world.

The movement first set up camp in Zuccotti Park in New York’s financial district and soon adopted the slogan “we are the 99 per cent” - a slogan which refers to the fact that one per cent of Americans possess the vast bulk of the nation’s wealth.

What happened next
As the financial turmoil skipped from European nation to nation, the Occupy Movement likewise spread to at least 70 countries, including Australia, where tents proved the garment of choice for some protestors.

Continue reading "Biggest Moments of 2011 #10 Wall St is a campground" »

The Occupy protests are fighting for freedom, truth, justice, equality, and the right to wear tents as casual attire.

In the course of their battle they have faced many enemies; authoritarian authorities, policing police, the Melbourne weather. But now, it seems, they are to face their biggest enemy.

The enemy within.

Continue reading "Beware the dark forces occupying the Occupiers" »

I’d like to thank the Occupy Melbourne protesters, from the bottom of my heart. They’ve opened my eyes.

It’s not about their message. I’m pretty sure I already knew about the all-too-cosy relationship between banks, corporations and the media. Hell, I was told that money was the root of all evil fairly early on at Sunday School. Nothing new there.

No, they’ve shown me, through their treatment at the hands of Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, the City of Melbourne and Victoria Police, that for all the talk of freedom of political expression and peaceful demonstration in this country, if you antagonize the wrong person in authority you can expect harassment and intimidation. If you show up a puffed-up, red-faced bully, no matter the elevated position of responsibility, they’ll reach down and thump you.

Continue reading "Bullies in suits unleash their uniformed henchmen" »

If you thought young Australians were only ecstatic while listening to LMFAO at Stereosonic while chugging overpriced bottled water, think again.

A News.com.au survey has found that more than half of Australians under 35 are happy or ecstatic that Obama is here. Ecstatic!

Well, that may be true on Sydney’s glittering beaches, in the delicatessen queue at Prahan Market or on the broad and leafy streets of Burnside, but you know where it’s not true? At the Occupy Adelaide protest.

Continue reading "Not everyone has the Obamarama spirit" »