Police Raid Dismantles One Occupy San Francisco Camp, Nov. 19, 2011

So much of what is happening in our country and world feels surreal, yet has been seen before. This video journal entry expresses a witnessing of Occupy SF on the night of Nov. 19. In anticipation of a raid, I went down to the Embarcadero, where the seasonal lights on the Ferry Building and the Embarcadero Four Buildings had just been lit for the shopping season ahead. I watched as some police cars parked a few blocks away. The raid goal was to dismantle the encampment in front of the Federal Reserve Building. Ultimately, the tents were brought down and six occupiers were arrested.

The conditions at the camp had been, as reported by the Mayor, a bit filthy, according to serious occupiers with whom I spoke. Since this raid, however, things have cleaned up quite a bit and the homeless and violent drunks that have plagued the camp with an aggressive tone have been sequestered.

Organizing an organic movement which hopes to displace authoritarianism with compassion has many challenges, not the least of which is an ongoing need for natural leaders, as unwilling as they may be, to step up, articulate the issues and teach the others how to be the change.

There will always be those in our society who will take rather than give, but in this rising culture of compassion, I have faith that our true menace will be challenged, through non-violent and sustained peaceful revolution.

Music: "Tribal Duets" was originally commissioned by the Joe Goode Performance Group and composed by
Matt Brubeck, Elaine Buckholtz, Beth Custer, Gino Robair, and Julian Smedley.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• San Francisco
• Occupy Movement
• OWS
• anarchy
• police
• peace
• revolution
• Federal Reserve