Michael Bloomberg acts very suspiciously

In what amounts to a declaration of war on peaceful protesters, and showing that give little consideration to whether a protest is peaceful or publicly supported, the authorities of New York City have moved in at around 1am to clear out real democracy from Zucotti Park. After banning the press from the site just before the eviction, New York's Wall Street Billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg said this was to "protect members of the press". This is literally the sort of doublethink you might expect from a tinpot dictatorship. Virtually all polls on OWS found that it had broad popular support among American's who felt informed enough to express an opinion either way. The protest was uniquely peaceful, but has been cleared out on the dubious grounds of being 'a threat to health and fire regulations' and 'restricting the public's access to the park', according to Mayor Michael Bloomberg

As usual, no verifiable evidence is deemed necessary to demonstrate claims such as '"New York City is the city where you can come and express yourself, what was happening in Zuccotti Park was not that.” despite the fact that very obviously, expressing themselves was precisely what the protesters were doing.

Moreover, the protesters had a great deal of popular support: polls between October and November consistently demonstrated a plurality of support, though approval ratings ranged from 59% to 22%. The Wall Street Journal released a survey on October 12th finding 37 percent "tend to support" while 18 percent "tend to oppose" Occupy. An October 13 survey by TIME magazine found that 54 percent of Americans have a favorable impression of the protests, while 23 percent have a negative impression. An October United Technologies/National Journal Congressional poll found that 59 percent of Americans agree with the movement while 31 percent disagree. An October 18 Gallup poll found 22 percent of Americans agree with the protest's goals, while 15 percent disapprove and moreover 25% approve of the way the protest is being conducted, as opposed to just 20% who disapprove. Gallup found that Democrats, Independents and Republicans all follow the news about OWS in equal numbers, and those who closely followed OWS were more likely to approve of its goals and methods. An October CBS News/New York Times polls found 43% of Americans agree with Occupy Wall Street while 27% disagree. An October Rasmussen poll found 33 percent of Americans have a favorable view, while 27 percent are unfavorable.

Admittedly there was one poll, on November 3rd done by Quinnipiac University finding 30 percent of have a favorable view of the protests, while 39 percent do not but this is clearly the black sheep of the polls, since an ORC International poll released at the same time found 36% said they agreed with the overall positions of Occupy Wall Street, while 19% say they disagreed.
Another poll by Quinnipiac University in New York City, where of course people were most informed about Occupy Wall Street, found that an amazing 67 percent of New Yorkers approved of the movement with a mere 23 percent disapproving. The results also found 87 percent of New Yorkers find it OK that they are protesting. Despite media criticism that the protesters views are incoherent, the poll also found that 72 percent of New York City voters understand their views. All in all, even Fox News has admitted that the Occupy movement is now much more popular than the darling of the right wing, the Tea Party, who would openly bring guns to their protest and not face dispersal.

Its clear now that the authorities have once again stepped far out of the bounds of acceptable democratic practice, cracking down and arresting peaceful protesters who have done nothing wrong except to use their public land to demand a government that does not act solely in (a narrow definition of) the interest of the 1%. The protesters are, afterall, members of the public, using the land for a popular and widely supported activity, particularly supported by the New Yorkers who supposedly cannot use the land. The emperor has no clothes.


UPDATE:

The Courts have issued a temporary restraining order against the police WOOHOO! Occupiers are marching in their hundreds to reclaim Zucotti Park from the tyrannical dictats of a Wall Street Billionaire who for all intents and purposes purchased his mayorship. Reports say the police are refusing to abide by the court's order and are now in contempt of court. Abiding by the Law it is clearly demonstrated now, is not necessary for the rich and powerful - only the poor, marginalised and dispossesed. Whilst 150 or so protesters have been arrested, I predict not one policeman, far less Michael Bloomberg, will be charged.