| Occupy Windsor | |
|---|---|
| Part of the "Occupy" protests | |
| Date | October 15, 2011 – December 12, 2011 |
| Location | Windsor, Ontario |
| Caused by | Economic inequality, unemployment, homelessness [1] |
| Methods | Demonstration, occupation, protest |
| Status | Ended |
| Number | |
| Protesters: ~25 | |
| www | |
Occupy Windsor was an Occupy movement encampment in David Croll Park, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. [2] The protest ended and all protesters evacuated the area on December 12, 2011 with promises to return to the park to reseed areas damaged by the camp. [3]
There were 25 residents as of November 11, 2011. Meetings were held twice a day. Occupy hand signals were used so that no one's voice was drowned out. [4] Drinking and drugs in the camp were not permitted. Sanitation for the encampment was provided by rented portable toilets and was offered by the nearby All Saints' Church. [5]
The Occupy Windsor movement respected the wishes of Armoured Reserve Regiment's 75th anniversary celebrations by delaying the start time of the protests to allow the regiment use of the public space, officially starting the occupation of David Croll Park on October 15. [4] During the protests the city staff of Windsor turned on water sprinklers and soaked the encampment as part of regular maintenance. [6] [7] In support of the Occupy Detroit movement (located across the US-Canada border), 50 people from Occupy Windsor group marched down to the waterfront and offered support. [8]
On December 9, the protesters announced their intention to end the occupation, with one of the protesters stating to the media, "We believe the encampment has served its purpose to make a statement that we have a right to freely assemble and conduct a dialogue [about] the concerns we have about how the political and corporate control over our lives is undemocratic." [9]
After the protest was officially ended on December 12, 2011, four of the protesters expressed their concerns about being homeless to the rest of the group. In response, the group was able to, "with the assistance of the Windsor Police and the city social services department", obtain four apartments for the men to live in until longer term housing could be found. One of the other members involved with getting the apartments stated, "People from Occupy Windsor made a commitment to them. We're going to stay in touch." [10]
While no longer actively occupying, the Occupy Windsor protesters, numbering around 50, protested on December 17, 2011 outside the Windsor city hall in regards to the discussion going on among the city council about "lower tuition rates, improved pension plans, poverty and the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement with Europe (CETA)". The protesters have stated that they are no longer going to occupy, but that they "will continue to hold assemblies and marches". [11]
The city and police force both indicated that the Windsor occupiers were generally well behaved and few complaints were registered against them. Mayor Eddie Francis explained that "taking action against a small group of peaceful protestors can lead to bigger problems." Police Chief Gary Smith also stated, "I can't speak for the other agencies that check on safety and that, but nothing's been reported to us that's raised any concerns at this point." [12] [13]
One of the City Councillors, Drew Dilkens, threatened in early November to "lodge a formal complaint about the protesters not abiding by a bylaw requiring them to get a permit to set up tents and stay overnight in a public park." He also made a statement to CBC News, saying, "I think we've been more than tolerant. So, I personally would like to see them gone, because I don't think their message is coherent...They pride themselves on being a leaderless movement, and I've never seen change without leadership...It's an accident waiting to happen. I'd hate for someone to die to get to the point to say, 'We really should have removed them earlier.'" [14]
Occupy Los Angeles is one of the many occupy movements in the United States, following the original Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protest. Participants of Occupy L.A. first met at Pershing Square on September 23, 2011. Activists came to consensus to occupy public space in solidarity with the growing movement. Occupiers first marched in Los Angeles on September 24, 2011. They next protested a fundraiser being held in Hollywood at the House of Blues for President Obama. Participants met at Pershing Square every subsequent night to plan out the logistics of an occupation set to begin on October 1, 2011. After debating potential locations around Los Angeles, people decided on the lawns around City Hall. Tents first manifested on October 1, 2011 on the grounds of Los Angeles City Hall.
Occupy Portland was a collaboration that began on October 6, 2011 in downtown Portland, Oregon as a protest and demonstration against economic inequality worldwide. It is inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement that began in New York City on September 17, 2011.
Occupy Boston was a collective of protesters that settled on September 30, 2011 in Boston, Massachusetts, on Dewey Square in the Financial District opposite the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. It is related to the Occupy Wall Street movement that began in New York City on September 17, 2011.
The Occupy movement was an international progressive socio-political movement that expressed opposition to social and economic inequality and to the lack of "real democracy" around the world. It aimed primarily to advance social and economic justice and new forms of democracy. The movement has had many different scopes, since local groups often had different focuses, but its prime concerns included how large corporations control the world in a way that disproportionately benefits a minority, undermines democracy and causes instability.
Occupy Canada was a collective of peaceful protests and demonstrations that were part of the larger Occupy Together movement which first manifested in the financial district of New York City with Occupy Wall Street, and subsequently spread to over 900 cities around the world.
Occupy London was a movement for social justice in London, England, and part of the international Occupy movement. While some media described it as an "anti-capitalist" movement, in the statement written and endorsed by consensus by the Occupy assembly in the first two days of the occupation, occupiers defined themselves as a movement working to create alternatives to an "unjust and undemocratic" system. A second statement endorsed the following day called for "real global democracy". Due to a pre-emptive injunction, the protesters were prevented from their original aim to camp outside the London Stock Exchange. A camp was set up nearby next to St Paul's Cathedral. On 18 January 2012, Mr Justice Lindblom granted an injunction against continuation of the protest but the protesters remained in place pending an appeal. The appeal was refused on 22 February, and just past midnight on 28 February, bailiffs supported by City of London police began to remove the tents.
Occupy Toronto was a protest and demonstration that began on October 15, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, near Bay Street in Downtown Toronto's Financial District and moved to St. James Park. It was a part of the Occupy movement, which protested against economic inequality, corporate greed, and the influence of corporations and lobbyists on government.
Occupy Eugene was a collaboration that occurred in Eugene, Oregon based on the Occupy Wall Street movement which began in New York City on September 17, 2011. Occupy Eugene included peaceful protests and demonstrations. Protesters were concerned about inequities in the distribution of wealth, banking regulation, housing issues and corporate greed. The first protest march was held on October 15, 2011. The march started at the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza and continued downtown before marching over Ferry Street Bridge. It was reported that close to 2000 people were in attendance from all over the state of Oregon. Occupy Eugene continued to hold regular protests and actions until it left the encampment in December 2011. Protesters have stated that they do not have a set group of leaders. Occupy Eugene General Assemblies have met from as frequently as twice a day at times during active occupations, and as infrequently as weekly. Many committees have met since at least the third General Assembly, typically weekly. Decisions are made through a process known as consensus. Occupy Eugene's consensus process operates in a similar fashion to how consensus is being handled in New York City by protesters involved in Occupy Wall Street. Although the exact method varies from Occupation to Occupation. As of October 18, 2011, The Eugene police department is allowing protesters to camp in downtown Eugene, although city law prohibits it. Eugene police also stated that downtown camping won't be permanently allowed.
Occupy Oakland refers to a collaboration and series of demonstrations in Oakland, California that started in October 2011. As part of the Occupy movement, protestors have staged occupations, most notably at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall.
Occupy D.C. was an occupation of public space in Washington, D.C. based at McPherson Square and connected to the Occupy movements that sprung up across the United States in Fall 2011. The group had been demonstrating in McPherson Square since October 1, 2011, and in Freedom Plaza since October 6. Despite crackdowns on other Occupy projects across the country, federal authorities claimed on November 15 that they have no plans to clear McPherson Square Park. The National Park Service decided against eviction after meeting with activists and discussing health and safety conditions.
Occupy Melbourne was a social movement which took place from late 2011 to mid 2012 in Melbourne, Australia as part of the global Occupy movement. Participants expressed grievances concerning economic inequality, social injustice, corruption in the financial sector, corporate greed and the influence of companies and lobbyists on government. Protests began on 15 October 2011 in City Square with a 6-day-long protest encampment, from which people were forcibly evicted by Victoria Police at the request of the City of Melbourne CEO on 21 October 2011. From 2 November 2011, Occupy set up camp in Treasury Gardens before being moved on from that location in December. A significantly diminished number of protesters set up camp at Father Bob's church at his invitation until his retirement in January 2012. Physical manifestations of the movement had largely dissipated by mid-2012 though it adopted a strategy of decentralisation and became influential in the creation of new community networks, affinity groups and collectives.
Occupy Movement protests took place in New Zealand, beginning on 15 October 2011 with the Occupation of Auckland. Occupy protests took place in Auckland, New Plymouth, Wellington, Lower Hutt, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill.
The Occupy movement began in the United States initially with the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City, but spread to many other cities, both in the United States and worldwide. This list article is an alphabetical, non-chronological summary of Occupy events that have occurred in cities in the United States.
The following is a timeline of Occupy Oakland which began on Monday, October 10, 2011, as an occupation of Frank H. Ogawa Plaza located in front of Oakland City Hall in downtown Oakland, and is an ongoing demonstration. It is allied with Occupy Wall Street, which began in New York City on September 17, 2011, and is one of several "Occupy" protest sites in the San Francisco Bay Area. Other sites include Occupy San Francisco and Occupy San Jose.
Occupy Baltimore was a collaboration that included peaceful protests and demonstrations. Occupy Baltimore began on October 4, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland, in McKeldin Square near the Inner Harbor area of Downtown Baltimore. It is one of the many Occupy movements around the United States and worldwide, inspired by Occupy Wall Street.
Occupy Charlottesville was a social movement in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, that began on October 15, 2011, in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street and the rest of the Occupy movement. The downtown Lee Park encampment was taken down on November 30, 2011, when 18 members of the movement were arrested and charged with trespassing. The group failed to establish a campsite after the eviction, although they continued to hold their 'General Assemblies' and participate in targeted actions for several months thereafter. The group's protests target social and economic injustice both locally and nationally.
Occupy Bath was a protest group against economic inequality that began initially with an encampment on 30 October 2011 in Queen Square, Bath, England. The camp was dismantled on 10 December 2011. Occupy Bath described themselves as being "not all anti-capitalist" but rather "pro-economic fairness and pro-direct democracy". The camp held daily meetings, described by the group as general assemblies, which were open to the general public
Occupy Central was an occupation protest that took place in Central, Hong Kong from 15 October 2011 to 11 September 2012. The camp was set up at a plaza beneath the HSBC headquarters. On 13 August 2012, the High Court granted an injunction against the continuation of the protest, and ordered the occupants to leave by 9pm on 27 August. But protesters defied the order and remained in place until 15 days after the deadline, when court bailiffs were sent to evict the occupants. Ending on 11 September, the movement remains one of the lengthiest Occupy movements in the world.
Occupy Harvard was a student demonstration at Harvard University identifying itself with the global Occupy Movement. It sought to create a forum for discussing economic inequality at Harvard, in the United States, and throughout the world. It criticized Harvard's influence on global economic policy and its involvement with the American financial sector. It also supported wage campaigns by Harvard workers and a divestment demand initiated by Hotel Workers Rising.
Andrew "Drew" Dilkens is a Canadian politician, who is currently serving as mayor of Windsor, Ontario. He was elected mayor in the city's 2014 municipal election.
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