Occupy Wall Street's 99% March Over Brooklyn Bridge into Brooklyn Heights

Tens of thousands of citizens exercising their rights marched over the Brooklyn Bridge and flooded Cadman Plaza Park and other areas of Downtown Brooklyn and Brooklyn Heights tonight as part of today's Occupy Wall Street National Day Of Action events. As of this post they are still coming.We read that police estimate more than 32,000 marchers.

Police helicopters are flying below the roofs of the Cadman Towers buildings that surround the park and police buses and vans line Cadman Plaza West. Cars honk in support and people wave flashlights from balconies.

A giant Statue of Liberty ( built by the Occupy Wall Street Puppet Guild) and brass band greets the marchers as they arrived in Cadman Plaza Park and cheerful chanting -- "We are the 99 percent" - is echoing up and down the streets.

When a huge stream of participants headed towards the A train High Street station police briefly taped the entrance closed for no discernible reason, adding to the possibility of chaos.

But apparently this was reconsidered and police are again letting people back into the station. CNN has  reported that 80 people were arrested at the Brooklyn Bridge. Among them was SEIU President Mary Kay Henry and Brooklyn Councilman Jumaane Williams. Many union people are holding signs supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement.

The sound of drums fills the air and the synchronized chants of the People's Microphone can be heard from Henry Street.

More photos and posts to come.

UPDATE 10 p.m.: Events at Cadman Park winding down, but helicopters still hover over park.

CNN video of protester arrests at Brooklyn Bridge here.

UPDATE 10:33 p.m.: Police work the first actual crime of the evening in the area. A perp attempted to rob someone at the High Street A train station, pictured above, on Cadman Plaza West. He escaped without the loot into Cadman Plaza Park. Police haven't caught up with him at this time.

UPDATE: The Brooklyn Heights Blog's Karl Junkersfeld caught the windup in Cadman Park on video here. Carroll Gardens Patch has a good writeup of the events here.

Photos by MK Metz

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Today Is Occupy Wall Street's Day of Mass Action. Here Are Some Details

Occupy Wall Street groups, unions, students and others are joining together to engage in a national day of action today, referred to as #N17 (November 17), for the two-month anniversary of the Occupy movement. Events are planned across the five boroughs.

UPDATE: Tens of thousands of protesters marched over the Brooklyn Bridge as part of today's events. Photos and story here.

Brooklynites will gather at several locations, including Brooklyn Borough Hall, Grove Street, St. Jose Patron Church and the Broadway Junction subway hubs.

Day's Schedule

* Occupiers will gather at Foley Square at 7 a.m., then march to confront Wall Street with stories of people on the frontlines of economic injustice. "Exchange stories rather than stocks" on Wall Street. (While Occupiers plan to be non-violent, they should expect to get cracked on the head by men in riot gear, some being private security forces paid for by the 1 percent.)

* 3 p.m.: Occupy the Subways. Folks will gather at seven central subway hubs:

• Bronx
  • Fordham Rd
  • 3rd Ave, 138th Street
  • 163rd and Southern Blvd
  • 161st and River - Yankee Stadium
• Brooklyn
  • Broadway Junction
  • Borough Hall
  • 301 Grove Street
  • St Jose Patron Church,185 Suydam St, Bushwick
• Queens
  • Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Ave.
  • Jamaica Center/Parsons/Archer
  • 92-10 Roosevelt Avenue, Jackson Heights
• Manhattan
  • 125th St. A,B,C,D
    
  • Union Sq. (Mass student strike)
  • 23rd St and 8th Ave
• Staten Island
  • St. George, Staten Island Ferry Terminal
    
  • 479 Port Richmond Avenue, Port Richmond

People will take their stories to the trains, using the “People’s Mic."

* Student Strike: Gather at Union Square, 2 p.m.

* 5 p.m. 'Take the Square, Recreate Our Economy.' March from Foley Square to the Brooklyn Bridge. The celebration will culminate in a festival of light.

According to the NY Daily News, "The day will end up with an evening march to the Brooklyn Bridge, where mass acts of civil disobedience are planned, including a sit-in by 99 faith leaders representing 'the 99%.'"

This schedule will probably change so check Occupy Wall Street for updates. We're told that the events will be live-streamed here as well.


Poster by R. Black

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Danish Christmas Fair; Sad Little House; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- The terribly sad story of the little red brick house on Third Street. PMFA

- Danish Christmas Fair this weekend. BHB

- Cops carry out "truck sting" on Atlantic Avenue. Brooklyn Eagle

- Fidler calls on NYPD to move some forces from Occupy Wall Street to Jewish communities. Brooklyn Politics Blog

- Brooklyn DA: Ex-stock broker conned four people out of $200,000. CBS

- Anyone feel like paying $345 million for three properties on McKibbin and Graham streets? Curbed

- Neighbors say Greenpoint art foundry stinks, literally. Brooklyn Paper

- A Winter Festival fundraiser for the Gowanus Canal. Brownstoner

- Latest anti-Semitic slur: "Avenue Jew." NY Magazine

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Occupy Wall Streeters Without Sleeping Bags or Tents? It's Time For Creative Solutions

Yesterday the 1% burst into Zuccotti Park in Manhattan and arrested Occupy Wall Street demonstrators, confiscating sleeping bags, tents and cook stoves. Apparently Mayor Bloomberg thinks that this will make the unhappy and unwashed 99% just go home.

But creative solutions may be applied to the problem! Take the happy camper above, wearing the Selk’Bag -- a "Wearable Sleeping Bag which is Ideal for Camping in Extreme Cold," according to Gizmag. Breaking no rules, Mr. Mayor, because the Selk’Bag is clothing!

What other creativity can be applied to spending a winter in a park with no cooking, tents or sanitation? All these items can be shoved into your backpack:

Sanitation first! Under that Selk'Bag you'll be wearing your astronaut diaper, at least until you can get to McDonalds. Technically it's called a Maximum Absorbency Garment (MAG). A MAG is the diaper astronauts use during long operations. See Wikipedia.

You'll need warm hands to draw up protest signs and hand out flyers. Get these HeatMax Hot Hands at Amazon.

Next, you'll need some hot meals. How about HeaterMeals, "The Original Self-Heating Meal." With tasty 12 ounce entrees, "HeaterMeals® are the #1 mobile hot meal choice for emergency response or as part of an emergency kit, outdoor recreation activities, or just whenever you're hungry!"

No electricity or generators? Light up the night with K Light Solar Lanterns. Approximately the size and weight of a can of soda, thesolar-charging battery and bright, energy-efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs) makes the K-Light a protest-ready piece of equipment.

Most important of all: travel-size 8-inch Djembe drums for those all-important, non-stop, migraine-producing drum circles.

There are probably many other solutions to the problem -- short of taking over Gracie Mansion while the Mayor is in Bermuda this weekend ... ho ho ho, just joking, Mayor!

Any serious creativity out there?

- Occupy Brooklyn Marches to Atlantic Yards and Other Sites of Corporate Greed
- Occupy Brooklyn this Weekend, If You Don't Get Run Over

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Another Ratner Lawsuit; 'Satanic' Teen Convicted; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- The Nets held a rally yesterday -- complete with dancers in leather Spider-Man outfits -- outside Borough Hall. Meanwhile, another lawsuit was filed against developer Ratner. NY Times

- "Satanic" teenager convicted of killing Carroll Gardens radio host. Brooklyn Eagle

- Walentas, NYU-Poly and city revive startup incubator project at 20 Jay Street in DUMBO. Brooklyn Heights Press    

- A woman was stabbed to death in Sheepshead Bay, a block from her home. NY Daily News

- Downtown Brooklyn church seeks development partner. TRD

- Hackers convene in Downtown Brooklyn and figure out who "killed" Snooki. Brooklyn Eagle

- Little Lego treehouse spotted in DUMBO. Gothamist

- All about that "Pirate Wi-Fi" on the L train this week. Fast Company

- Europe bans the X-Ray scans used at US airports “in order not to risk jeopardizing citizens’ health and safety.” Propublica

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San Francisco Rethinks $1.4 Million Tom Otterness Art Contracts

"Large Covered Wagon," by Tom Otterness. Photo by MK Metz

San Francisco may terminate $1.4 million in art contracts with Brooklyn artist Tom Otterness after learning that years ago he shot and killed a dog and called it art.

But if the city does, it might lose $365,750 in payments it has already made to Otterness, according to the San Francisco Examiner. According to the paper, the San Francisco Animal Control and Welfare Commission has already spoken against the contracts.

Otterness contracted to create "a series of humorous sculptural vignettes featuring his signature bronze characters as transit riders," according to the San Francisco Arts Commission.

In 2008 Otterness responded to the requests of many McBrooklyn readers who were appalled with his actions. His apology is here.

- Sculptor Tom Otterness Installation On Hold While SF Mulls Old Dog-Shooting Incident
- Artist Otterness Apologizes for Decades-Old Dog-Killing Incident Brooklyn Eagle
- Otterness 'Large Covered Wagon' Feted in Dumbo
- Otterness Large Covered Wagon Installed in Dumbo
- Dog-Killing Past Still Haunts Otterness as Sculpture Comes to Dumbo

Photo by MK Metz

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Thanks for the Toilet, Occupy Brooklyn!

It's nice when people give you nice things.

Shot in Cadman Plaza Park by MK Metz

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Satanic Teen Back Before Jury; Occupy Brooklyn; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Satanic teen who killed Henry Street radio host by stabbing him 50 times is winding up his second appearance before a Brooklyn jury. Brooklyn Eagle 

- This Thursday Occupy Brooklyn will join other Occupy groups in a National Day of Action. Brooklynites will gather at several locations, including the Borough Hall and Broadway Junction subway hubs at 3 p.m. More here.

- Bus controversy continues: Hasidic bus company uses Yiddish to illegally order passengers to segregate by gender. Failed Messiah

- Is it time to start stockpiling peanut butter? Brokelyn 

- White out at Jane's Carousel. Brownstoner

- Longt-time Brooklyn Heights' vet Dr. Bernie Wasserman dies. Brooklyn Eagle

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Brooklyn Bike Patrol Expands to Cover 25 Subway Stops

The Brooklyn Bike Patrol, which escorts women home from subway stations in the late evening hours, now cover 25 subways stops in Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington, Sunset Park, Carroll Gardens, Prospect Heights and Clinton Hill.

They operate seven days a week; hours of operation are Sunday-Thursday 8 pm-12 midnight and Friday-Saturday 8 pm -3 am. If you need an escort outside of these hours call them ahead of time and they will try to accommodate you.

All of their volunteers have been background-checked by the 72nd precinct. Volunteers carry ID cards with them and wear "Brooklyn Bike Patrol" T-shirts with a special patch on the sleeve.

Learn more here and here.

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March On Ocean Parkway to Protest Anti-Semetic Vandalism

After vandals torched cars and scribbled Nazi swastikas in an Orthodox Jewish part of Midwood on Friday, residents  and representatives from all over the city marched to protest bias and hate.

Members of Occupy Wall Street also showed up to march after being weirdly accused of somehow being involved in the bigotry.

On Ocean Parkway, three cars had been set on fire. The letters "KKK" were spray-painted on a van and anti-Semitic messages were written on a sidewalk.

"I'm here today because hate doesn't have neat boundaries. If they come for one person today they'll come for somebody else tomorrow," said Council Member Jumaane Williams.

Other marchers included Council Members Brad Lander, Tish James and Steve Levin, Assemblymen Dov Hikind and Bill Colton, State Senator Eric Adams, mayoral candidates Scott Stringer and Bill Thompson, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, civil rights lawyer Norman Siegel and other community leaders. Mayor Bloomberg was a no-show.

Commenters at the Daily News were outraged themselves -- that the marchers carried only the Israeli flag: "This is not Israeli, it's the US and when you fly any foreign flag it is to be along with the US flag with our flag held higher," commenters pointed out.

Weirdness in Williamsburg

Also in Brooklyn on Sunday, politicians held a press conference to condemn the mugging of a Jewish man on Friday in Williamsburg. According to the NY Daily News, during the press conference, a Jewish vigilante group joined the crowd and started screaming, “Get lost!"

“They are not going to help us. They are only out here for the votes,” said Rabbi Nauchem Rosenberg, before other Hasidic men threatened to hit him if he didn’t stop shouting.

This video of the march was uploaded by Gifterphotos yesterday.

Thanks to the Brooklyn Politics Blog for the link to this video.

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