Occupy Wellington told to move for All Blacks

I will withhold comment on this one!

Stuff,

25 October, 2011

Occupy Wellington protesters may be forced to move out to make way for the All Blacks parade.

Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean confirmed protesters had been warned today they may have to vacate Jack Illot Green and make way for the expected 5000 odd rugby fans.

It's basically about the logistics and how we are going to get the All Blacks in and out of there, MacLean said.

He said a final decision would be made by the end of today and if the protesters refused to move MacLean said "we will move them".

It is possible that the protesters may be able to keep their site on the City to Sea Bridge, he said.

Up to  50,000 rugby fans are expected at the parade tomorrow which begins at Civic Square and travels to Parliament.

About 40 tents are pitched on both upper and lower grass areas of Civic Square and protesters were hoping to roll out the welcome mat.

Occupy Wellington hospitality volunteer Cole Gunn said they hope they can keep the Wharanui and Kai tent on Jack Ilott Green and said they didn't want to ruin the party.

"The last thing we want to do is to piss off rugby fans," Gunn said.

Camped near to the rugby fanzone, Gunn said there had been a lot of "craziness" going on and occupiers had entered into the spirit providing face painting for rugby fans before Sunday's final.

A post on Occupy Wellington Facebook website says they want to welcome the rugby supporters and the call has gone out for more hands on deck, home-baking, tea, coffee and milk to supply the hordes.

Student Matt Leathers has been camping "on and off" and said support had been steadily growing with yesterday's "Day of Action" the most productive day yet.

The day included workshops, talks by university lecturers as well marches down Cuba St and Courtenay Place.

Just how long do the protesters plan to stay?

"As far as I'm concerned we are going to stay here indefinitely," Leathers said.

A meeting will be held at 4pm today as Occupy Wellington decides just what they will do.

More from Occupy Wellington

Weather won't dampen protest camp

Occupy Wellington camp grows each day

JACK BARLOW

Stuff,

18 October, 2011

Overnight wild weather struck the Occupy Wellington protest in Civic Square last night with strong winds and heavy rain throwing the camp into disarray.

Tents leaked and fell down while the main dining tent of the protesters - who have set up as part of a global, anti-greed protest movement - was blown over competely.

However, the weather failed to dampened protesters' spirits.

"No-one's bailed," said Mondo Smith, a protestor who has been with the group since its initial march on Saturday.

"If anything, it's given us more support.

"We're growing by about 20 per cent per day."

Occupy Wellington is part of a global protest movement against perceived corporate greed that began with Occupy Wall Street in New York several weeks ago.

Cam Leslie, a law student who has been with the Wellington group since Saturday night, spent this morning cleaning up large puddles around the camp with a pan.

But he is not going anywhere.

"I'm just here on a day by day basis, and I'm just going to see how it evolves," he said.

"It's a nice community spirit. You've got to tough it out."

None of the about 30 people down at the camp could say how long they were planning to keep living in the square, but they all made it clear they were in for the long haul.

"We'll be here for as long as it takes," said Smith. "There's no point in leaving if nothing's achieved."

From Auckland - 

Occupy protesters take over Auck Uni clocktower

3News

Monday, 17 October, 2011

A student protest at Auckland University is still going, five hours after about 80 people occupied the campus clock tower to rally against the cost of education.

Security staff at the university contacted police about 3:15pm on Monday after members of two protest groups converged on the building, a police spokesman said.

Police later left as negotiations took place between the protesters and the university, but they were now returning and would "take whatever action they deem necessary", he said.

There were no reports of arrests.

An Auckland University council fee-setting meeting had to be moved as a result of the protest - with the council later adopting a 4 percent fee hike for domestic students and a 5 percent increase for international students in 2012.

Students' association president Joe McCrory said the protest was "symptomatic of a growing level of student anxiety about their futures".

The protesters included members of a group called We Are The University, and others from the Occupy Auckland movement, Socialist Aotearoa spokesman Joe Carolan told NZ Newswire.

Around 300 members of We Are The University occupied Auckland University's Owen Glenn Building last month, protesting over legislation to end compulsory student unionism and calling for an end to "the commercialisation of education".

The Occupy Auckland movement launched a protest on Saturday with about 3000 marching in the inner city, and 100 sleeping in Aotea Square on Saturday night.

It's one of dozens of worldwide city centre occupations, sparked by the Occupy Wall Street protest against capitalism and corporations in the US.

Calls to the university for comment were not returned.

Occupy Wellington

Multimedia: Occupy Wellington Sets Up Camp In Civic Square

Sunday, 16 October 2011, 5:13 pm

Article: Anne Russell

Occupy Wellington Sets Up Camp In Civic Square

Photos, Video and Story by Anne Russell

Scoop, 

Despite the rain, around 300 protesters came to Occupy Wellington in Civic Square today, forming part of the New Zealand chapter of Occupy Together. The movement sprang up worldwide inspired by Occupy Wall Street, which has been running for almost a month now.

Although protesting at Civic Square on a Saturday is not particularly disruptive, the location's advantage lies in its proximity to the stock exchange. Despite the deliberate vagueness of Occupy Together's demands, the general theme can be summed up in the chant "We are the 99 percent", protesting the fact that 1% of the population controls most of the resources and economic power in the world.

"It's a New Zealand issue." said Kyro, a woman whose partner's son was murdered by the Mongrel Mob in 2009. "Our youth are dying; there are people killing our youth—particularly Maori youth—and I think it's time to stop. It's because of capitalism and greed; we don't care about our people, we are about profits."

Critics have slammed the Occupiers for being incoherent and "very disorganised", but this is precisely the point. Occupy Together is arguably the most significant example of global grassroots activism seen in decades, and thus must make decisions based on group consensus, which takes time. Over-organisation would lead to bureaucracy, and distract the activists from their original motives for protesting. Some of the people at Occupy Wellington have formed a loosely organised working group to co-ordinate practicalities such as food, medical facilities, laundry and so forth.

There were at least 50 people planning to stay at Civic Square overnight; a handy grassy area has provided room for people to pitch tents. Perhaps after the Rugby World Cup fanzone is gone there will be even more space available. The people are in for the long haul. If you or anyone you know are willing to provide support—in the form of legal advice, medical expertise or just general goodwill and solidarity—please come down and join us. You are the 99% too.

A smaller gathering outside the Wellington stock exchange

Yours truly with an improvised banner

Poster: John Key is the prime minister of New Zealand